History
Pho first appears in written records in the early 20th century in northern Vietnam, and its modern form emerged between 1900 and 1907 in Nam Dinh province. Hanoi's first fixed pho stands included Cat Tuong on Cau Go Street, and around 1925 a Van Cu villager opened the first Nam Dinh style stand in the city. In 1979 Nguyen Trong Thin began selling pho tai lan at 13 Lo Duc, with the beef stir-fried in hot fat with garlic, onion and chilli.
Book a food experience
Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.
Common allergens: Gluten (in quay), Soy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 2 kg beef bones (knuckle and marrow)
- 500g brisket
- 1 large onion, charred
- 100g ginger, charred and bruised
- 5 star anise pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves
- 3 cardamom pods
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp rock sugar
- Salt to taste
- 400g pho noodles (banh pho), soaked
- 300g eye-of-round beef, sliced paper-thin
- Spring onions, coriander, Thai basil, lime, chilli to serve
Method
- Char the onion and ginger over an open flame until blackened. Bruise the ginger.
- Blanch the beef bones in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and rinse.
- Toast star anise, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom in a dry pan for 1 minute. Tie in a muslin pouch.
- Combine bones, brisket, charred onion and ginger, and the spice pouch in 4 L of water. Bring to a bare simmer (not a boil) for 6 hours, skimming foam every 20 minutes.
- Remove the brisket at the 90-minute mark and slice thin once cool.
- Add fish sauce, rock sugar and salt at the end. Strain.
- Soften pho noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds. Divide between bowls.
- Top with the sliced rare eye-of-round and the cooked brisket. Ladle the boiling broth over the top to flash-cook the rare beef.
- Serve with herbs, lime and chilli at the table.
Tip from the editors. The broth must barely simmer; a rolling boil clouds it. Skim foam every 20 minutes for the clear Hanoi look.
Where to eat phở bò
Phở Bò in Hanoi
Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn ★ 4.6
Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn is a Bib Gourmand eatery at 49 Bat Dan, serving phở made to order with rare flank, medium rare round or well-done brisket.
OrderPhở with rare flank, medium rare round or well-done brisket, plus crispy quẩy or a golden egg yolk.
TipEach bowl is made to order at the counter; add crispy quẩy or a golden egg yolk for richness.
Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư ★ 4.5
Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư is a small phở eatery at 10 Ly Quoc Su, one of three Hanoi branches, with a menu of 10 phở options and a compact corner kitchen.
OrderChoose from 10 phở options, including brisket, nạm (flank beef) and bắp trần (beef fillet).
TipBeware of imitations in the city: this is one of three branches, and the kitchen is visible through a glazed partition.
Phở Bò Lâm ★ 4.4
Phở Bò Lâm is a phở eatery at 48 Hang Vai, Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
Phở Thìn Lò Đúc ★ 4.5
Phở Thìn Lò Đúc is a phở eatery at 13 Lo Duc, Pham Dinh Ho, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi.
TryPho
More cities are in research. Want phở bò covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.