On June 4, The New York Times’ food section featured Phe in an article highlighting notable dining spots in the city. On some days, customers line the sidewalk while waiting for a serving of sizzling pan bread.

“It’s worth the wait”

Phuong Tran, a Hanoi native who moved to the US 10 years ago, has visited Phe twice. Knowing the restaurant was crowded, she and an American friend arrived 45 minutes before opening on their first visit, yet still had to wait more than an hour for a table.

“In New York, lining up is quite common in summer. But when we arrived, I was surprised to see so many people, with the line stretching nearly half a block. Despite the sweltering midday heat, everyone patiently waited and chatted enthusiastically,” Phuong recalled.

After the wait, the two entered a dining space furnished with low plastic tables and chairs, brick walls, a metal gate and a stainless-steel kitchen counter, evoking the atmosphere of casual eateries in Vietnam.

A cast-iron pan arrived sizzling hot, filled with sunny-side-up eggs with runny yolks, beef, Vietnamese pork sausage, pate, Con Bo Cuoi cheese, pickles and cucumber. The meat continued to sizzle on the pan, filling the air with an enticing aroma.

“The sizzling pan bread here tastes quite similar to the version in Vietnam, from the thin, crispy-crusted bread with a soft interior to the flavors of beef, pork sausage, pate and cheese. I don't see many restaurants in New York serving this dish, which makes Phe even more special,” Phuong said.

Her American friend had never tried sizzling pan bread before. After the meal, the diner simply said, “It’s worth the wait.”

According to Phuong, the appeal of Phe lies not only in its food but also in its distinctly Vietnamese decor.

“The restaurant has become so popular that my boss once sent me a video of Phe and said the place looked exactly like Vietnam,” Phuong recalled.

She was satisfied with both visits. The food reminded her of home and made her proud to see Vietnamese cuisine attracting international diners.

Included on top 100 list

Phe is a new venture by chef Jerald Head and his wife, Nhung Dao. They also own Mam NYC, a restaurant known for bun dau mam tom (Rice vermicelli with fried tofu and fermented shrimp paste) and its use of plastic tables and chairs, recreating the familiar look of casual Vietnamese eateries.

For three consecutive years, from 2023 to 2026, Mam has been included by The New York Times in its list of New York’s 100 best restaurants.

The newspaper’s critic Pete Wells has praised the restaurant, describing it as a compelling destination for Vietnamese food in the city. Diners sit on the sidewalk, surrounded by pedestrians and passing traffic. It feels like having lunch in Hanoi.

At Phe, Jerald and Nhung chose sizzling pan bread, a popular dish in Vietnam but one that is not a familiar choice for New York diners. The restaurant currently focuses on the dish along with Vietnamese beverages, including salted coffee, coconut coffee, pandan tea, voi tea (a kind of herbal tea) and fish sauce coffee.

To create a serving of sizzling pan bread that closely resembles the Vietnamese version, the owners do not rely entirely on pre-prepared ingredients.

They make their own bread, pate, Vietnamese pork sausage and sauce, while spending considerable time experimenting with different ways to bake the bread. Some Vietnamese ingredients are imported from Vietnam, including black pepper from Lam Dong.

The restaurant also imports cast-iron pans and tableware from Vietnam to preserve a serving style close to the original dish.

On social media, many international customers have shared their experiences eating sizzling pan bread at Phe, saying they felt as if they were “traveling in Vietnam.”

A serving of sizzling pan bread costs around $28, while coffee drinks are about $7.5, excluding tax and tip.

“I've tried both the sizzling pan bread at Phe and the bun dau mam tom at Mam. They are probably my two favorite Vietnamese restaurants in New York. Vietnamese cuisine and coffee are creating a new wave in New York, with many restaurants and cafes run by a younger generation emerging,” Phuong said.  

Linh Trang