From 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily, a small pho stall tucked inside Hanoi’s Dong Xuan alley - known as a haven of affordable street food - stays constantly packed.
Every time one customer finishes, another takes their place. The stall accommodates about 10 diners at a time, seated tightly around the food counter. Outside, people wait to order takeout or borrow space from the nearby iced tea shop to enjoy their bowl.
The owner moves swiftly, slicing meat, blanching pho noodles and bean sprouts, and mixing the signature "magic" sauce.
This isn’t your typical Hanoi pho bo (beef pho), pho ga (chicken pho), or even the famous pho cuon or pho chien phong. This dish is called pho tiu – a lesser-known, yet deliciously balanced mixed pho dish with sweet, sour, and savory flavors rarely found in the capital.
Pho tiu is a unique pho variation beloved by many. Photo: Huy Nguyen
“Years ago, my mother-in-law visited the South and tasted hu tieu. She loved both hu tieu with char siu and the tangy pho from Lang Son,” shared Le Kim Dung, current owner and daughter-in-law of Mrs. Phuong, who invented pho tiu back in 1980.
“Being a skillful cook, she decided to combine these Northern and Southern specialties into a brand-new dish and named it ‘pho tiu’,” Dung explained.
From the start, Mrs. Phuong’s humble stall was bustling. After her passing in 2001, her husband continued cooking pho tiu and passed the stall to an adopted child.
In 2014, Ms. Dung and her husband took over the Dong Xuan location, operating daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Her younger brother-in-law runs an evening version from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the family’s house on Hang Chieu Street.
Diners pack the counter at Ms. Dung’s pho tiu stall. Photo: Huy NguyenMs. Dung, current owner of the pho tiu stall. Photo: Huy NguyenPho tiu uses fewer ingredients than Lang Son’s sour pho but is equally flavorful. Photo: Huy Nguyen
“Our father trained us carefully, insisting we preserve the original flavor. Thanks to my parents' secret recipe, both stalls remain busy. I often sell out by 2 or 3 p.m., and my brother-in-law’s stall sometimes closes after just three hours because of high demand,” she said.
“The recipe stays in the family. Many have asked to learn, but we don’t share it.”
Pho tiu features simple ingredients: blanched pho noodles, char siu pork, lightly cooked bean sprouts, crispy shallots, roasted peanuts, fresh herbs like cilantro and mint, and raw greens on the side.
What makes it special is the rich, family-secret sauce: a tangy, sweet, savory, and slightly creamy mix that ties everything together.
According to Ms. Dung, the base of the sauce is the broth from boiled pork bones and meat. It’s blended from three types of sauces kept in separate pots. Garlic vinegar (or plain vinegar, upon request) is added to enhance the flavor.
The sauces are stored separately. Ms. Dung prepares each bowl to order. Photo: Huy Nguyen
Cha siu pork is made in-house by the family. Photo: Huy Nguyen
Each bowl costs about $1.60–$2 depending on meat quantity. Photo: Huy Nguyen
Though it’s a dry-style noodle dish, each bowl is served warm. Diners mix everything like a noodle salad, often adding chili oil and kumquat juice for an extra kick.
The thick sauce balances sour and sweet tones perfectly. The char siu pork is tender and moist, never dry or chewy, adding rich depth to each bite.
The pork is sourced fresh every afternoon, cooked using a home recipe: boiled just right, seasoned lightly, and tinted with annatto seed oil to enhance color before being roasted.
After cooling, the meat is refrigerated to firm up. The pork broth is saved for the pho sauce.
“At the stall, I keep the pork in a cold box so it stays fresh. We don’t use strong spices like star anise or Chinese five-spice, as they clash with the sauce. I only slice the meat when ordered to keep it moist and tender,” Ms. Dung added.
The pho noodles are custom-made by a trusted supplier the family has used for decades. They’re small, soft yet elastic, never sticky or mushy. Other ingredients like fried shallots, roasted peanuts, and chili oil are carefully sourced as well.
Mrs. Thi has loved pho tiu here for over 40 years. Photo: Huy NguyenThe pho tiu stall is tucked inside busy Dong Xuan alley. Photo: Huy Nguyen
Each bowl costs between 40,000 to 50,000 VND (approximately $1.60 to $2), depending on how much meat is added.
Mrs. Thi (66, from Hai Phong), a former market vendor, has been a loyal customer since the 1980s. “Back then, Mrs. Phuong was a graceful, warm woman. Her pho tiu was one-of-a-kind, always crowded,” she recalled.
“Even after retiring, whenever I visit Hanoi, I make sure to stop here. It’s tasty, light, and never boring. Once, I arrived late, and they had sold out. I tried another place, but it just didn’t compare.”
To find the stall, enter Dong Xuan alley from Hang Chieu Street. The pho tiu stand is about seven or eight stalls in. Visitors are advised to park outside and walk in, as the alley is narrow and always bustling, with little room for vehicles.
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