Located in a bustling neighborhood in East London, the Vietnamese restaurant Song Que has endured for 24 years, steadily winning over diners with steaming bowls of beef pho and a menu rich in Vietnamese character.

According to The Guardian, Song Que, established in 2002, is “good enough” to draw long queues every weekend.

Eater also describes Song Que as an ideal Vietnamese restaurant, though best suited to those who do not mind the crowds. Diners are rewarded with crispy fried squid in chili sauce, fragrant grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves, crunchy banh xeo and traditional beef pho.

Across online review platforms, international guests have showered the restaurant with praise.

“The food tastes authentically Vietnamese. Every dish is well executed, the atmosphere is pleasant and it is absolutely worth queuing for,” one diner shared on Tripadvisor.

“This is the best Vietnamese restaurant in East London,” another review reads.

At the beginning of 2026, the owners opened a new branch named Song Que Pho Bar on Commercial Street, about one kilometer from the original location. The new venue focuses primarily on pho and signature Vietnamese dishes such as fresh spring rolls, papaya salad, grilled ribs and banh khot.

The Guardian highlights pho as the star of the menu, noting the careful attention given to the broth and the range of options available.

The rare beef and brisket pho is typically served with thin slices of pink-centered beef laid over silky white rice noodles, generously topped with scallions and immersed in a fragrant broth scented with star anise and rising steam. A special bowl costs around VND550,000 (US$22).

Chicken pho is priced similarly, while prawn pho and beef stew pho are available at about VND580,000 per bowl (US$23).

The restaurant also serves the famed bun bo Hue, featuring tender beef brisket, pork hock or spicy shrimp paste, accompanied by tofu and fresh herbs.

Other lighter dishes include tightly wrapped grilled beef in betel leaves sprinkled with crushed roasted peanuts, served with aromatic herbs such as mint and dipped into a tangy, lightly spicy fish sauce.

A Guardian reporter sampled the shrimp fritters, remarking that when dipped in sweet chili sauce, the simple-looking dish delivered a surprisingly captivating flavor. Despite its modest appearance, the newspaper described it as “unexpectedly delightful.”

According to the restaurant’s representative, the pho shop was opened in fulfillment of the late father’s wish to create a warm space where guests could gather over a simple, traditional bowl of Vietnamese pho.

The family continues to preserve traditional pho-making methods and core values such as patience, balance and respect for the culinary craft.

The restaurant is open from 11:30am to 9:30pm. On average, a meal costs around 25 euros per person, equivalent to approximately VND880,000 (about US$35).