Pho Bat Dan

The shop currently serves three main pho variations: rare beef, cooked beef, and rare-and-flank beef, priced between VND55,000 and VND70,000 per bowl. According to the owner, the key lies in fresh, high-quality ingredients. The beef is sliced only upon ordering to ensure maximum tenderness and freshness.

Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan frequently appears in international media and has been featured in the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand category (recognizing quality food at reasonable prices) for four consecutive years.

Huyen Huong Chicken Pho

Located on Bao Khanh Street near Hoan Kiem Lake, this shop specializes in traditional chicken pho. Prices range from VND90,000 (breast meat) to VND160,000 for a special bowl loaded with chicken meat, unlaid eggs, liver, gizzard, congealed blood, and meat patties. 

Guests who prefer bold flavors can opt for dry mixed chicken pho served with sliced chicken, herbs, roasted peanuts, and a signature sauce.

The establishment spans three floors with private dining rooms and a professional service team. Open daily from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, peak hours occur during breakfast and lunch service.

Nguyet Chicken Pho

The Michelin Guide praised Nguyet Pho, referring to it as a "hidden gem" for chicken pho lovers in Hanoi's Old Quarter.

The shop uses crossbred hen meat from birds that have laid two clutches, ensuring firm, aromatic, and moderately chewy meat with crispy skin, averaging 2.7 to 3 kg per bird. The signature broth is clear and golden-hued with a subtle, delicate sweetness.

Alongside soup pho, the dry mixed chicken pho is highly popular, featuring warm noodles coated in savory sauce, shredded chicken, roasted peanuts, blanched bean sprouts, and crispy fried shallots. Bowls range from VND 55,000 (breast meat) to VND 120,000 (thigh and back meat portion). Adding offal costs an additional VND 25,000.

Khoi Hoi Pho

In business for over 30 years, Khoi Hoi Pho is renowned for attracting heavy crowds. Its two bestsellers are shank beef pho and crispy brisket pho. The shop also serves rare, cooked, flank, stir-fried rare, sautéed, and red-wine stewed beef options.

The tender shank beef is thinly sliced and flash-blanched in boiling broth, retaining a crispy yet sweet and savory texture. The brisket exhibits a golden hue, offering a crunchy bite that remains tender without toughness.

Open daily from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, peak hours run between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Given the modest indoor space, diners frequently fill the sidewalk seating. Bowls are priced from VND50,000 to VND90,000.

Lam Pho, Hang Vai Street

Situated just 20 meters from Khoi Hoi Pho, Lam Pho has operated since the 1990s. The shop's signature specialty is beef shank pho using a premium cut featuring marbled fat that yields a crisp, naturally sweet texture without turning tough or dry. The shop sources roughly 5 kg of fresh shank daily across multiple suppliers.

In addition to shank beef, the shop offers rare, cooked, flank, brisket, and tendon options, though the shank remains the favorite and frequently sells out early. Simmered from beef bones along with scallions, cinnamon, star anise, and a secret family spice blend, the broth offers a light, naturally sweet flavor.

The shop operates daily from 5:30 AM to 10:00 AM.

Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su

Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su has maintained a place on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list for four consecutive years. Situated at the intersection of Ly Quoc Su and Chan Cam Streets, the venue features air-conditioned spaces with a seating capacity exceeding 40 guests.

The shop earns positive reviews from international diners across social media platforms and regularly appears in international media coverage highlighting Hanoi's top pho destinations.

Oanh Pho, Tho Xuong Alley

Nestled inside a small, weathered house in Tho Xuong Alley without a commercial sign, Oanh's pho shop consistently draws bustling crowds. Oanh represents the third generation of her family selling beef pho, continuing a tradition started by her grandfather.

The beef is thinly sliced, lightly tenderized with a mallet, and flash-cooked with boiling broth to lock in sweetness, aroma, and nutrients. The crispy brisket is cooked to order, while prices remain more affordable than many peers, ranging from VND 40,000 to VND 50,000 per bowl.

Suong Pho, Trung Yen Alley

Suong Pho traces its roots in Hanoi back to the 1930s, founded by Mr. Nguyen Van Ty.

The broth simmers beef marrow bones for 14 to 15 hours with ginger and fish sauce, omitting cinnamon and star anise. The broth pot is placed directly inside a water bath to keep the soup piping hot without drying out or turning overly salty. The fresh beef retains a vibrant red hue and sticky texture before blanching, yielding a tender, sweet bite.

Bowls range from VND60,000 to VND85,000.

Thin Bo Ho Pho, Hang Voi Street

Established in 1955, the shop is famous for its clear, light broth free of heavy beef fat. The broth excludes cinnamon, star anise, and fish sauce, relying instead on ginger and standard seasonings.

Cooked beef, flank, and brisket cuts are boiled just until done and sliced to order to prevent the meat from drying out. Piping hot broth cooks the meat to perfection upon serving. Prices start at VND 65,000 per bowl.

Tu Lun Pho, Au Trieu Street

Departing from the clear broth typical of most Hanoi pho eateries, Tu Lun Pho serves a rich, cloudy broth. The ends of beef marrow bones are cracked open to allow marrow to infuse into the broth during simmering, while residual meat and tendon are intentionally left attached to the bones to enrich the rich, savory flavor.

Linh Trang