Photo: Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France · CC BY 2.0
The Vietnamese beef noodle soup that the Pham family brought to Seattle in 1982. The Boat on South Jackson serves the city's defining bowl, with brisket, flank and tendon.
Pho arrived in Seattle in 1982 when Theresa and Augustine Pham opened Cat's Submarine on South Jackson Street, started selling Theresa's weekend pho to homesick Vietnamese customers, and switched the menu over to pho within four months. The shop renamed itself Pho Bac and is generally considered the first dedicated pho restaurant in the United States. The Phams' five children have since built a Seattle empire including Pho Bac Sup Shop, The Boat and Hello Em on 12th. Seattle now has more pho restaurants per capita than any US city outside California.
The Boat in Seattle's Little Saigon is the original Pho Bac since 1982: the city's first pho restaurant, still a red boat-shaped building at 13th and Jackson.
OrderThe original Pho Bac tai with rare flank, or the com ga mam toi the kids put on the menu.
TipCash and card, walk-in only; arrive at 11:30 or after 14:00 to skip the line through the parking lot.
Ramie in Seattle's Capitol Hill is the Nguyen siblings' 2024 modern Vietnamese room: Ba Sa veterans channelling pho and nuoc cham into Wagyu carpaccio.
OrderThe hamachi crudo with nuoc cham, herbs and lime to start, then the pho risotto.
TipWednesday and Sunday early seatings have the chef at the pass; ask for the bar if you want to watch the line.
Ba Bar in Seattle's Capitol Hill is Eric Banh's 2011 Vietnamese street-food room running pho until 02:00 weeknights and 03:30 on weekends, the city's only.
OrderThe pho ga with chicken at 02:00 or the bun cha at lunch with extra nuoc cham.
TipThe bahn mi counter at the front does takeaway until close; the late-night menu after midnight is shorter and faster.
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