Your complete guide
Phở 101
Everything you need to know about the most satisfying bowl of food on the planet - from the bones in the broth to the herbs on the table.
The three pillars
Every bowl of phở rests on three foundations. Understand these and you understand the dish.
The Broth
Bones. Charred onion and ginger. Star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seed. Twelve hours minimum. The broth is where phở lives or dies - everything else is secondary to what is in the pot.
The Cuts
Rare beef that cooks in the bowl. Brisket simmered for hours. Tendon that dissolves. Tripe with its honeycomb texture. Six cuts, each with a distinct character - and a combination for every appetite.
The Noods
Bánh phở - flat rice noodles made from nothing but rice flour and water. Width matters. Fresh vs dried matters. How they are cooked matters. They are not a backdrop. They are half the dish.
History
From a street cart in early 20th-century Hanoi to every continent on earth. The story of how phở became the world's most travelled bowl of soup.
Read the history →Regional Styles
Hanoi vs Saigon. Northern restraint vs southern generosity. And what happens when phở travels to a new country entirely.
Explore the styles →How to Eat Phở
The herb plate. The condiments. The order of operations. A practical guide to eating phở the right way - slurping encouraged.
Learn how to eat it →Reading the Menu
What does dac biet mean? What is phở ga? Why do the numbers mean nothing? Decode the menu before you sit down.
Read the menu guide →Recipes
Classic beef phở. Chicken phở. A vegetarian version that does not apologise for itself. Make it at home - properly.
See the recipes →Find Phở Near You
Vietnamese and phở-serving restaurants on a map, powered by OpenStreetMap. No account needed. Just your location and an empty stomach.
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