Vietnam's defining beef noodle soup, a bowl of flat rice noodles in a clear broth simmered for hours with beef bones, charred ginger and onion, star anise and cinnamon, topped with raw or brisket beef and a raft of herbs.

Pho emerged in northern Vietnam in the early 20th century around Nam Dinh and Hanoi, most likely as a marriage of Vietnamese rice noodles, Chinese beef-noodle technique and French demand for beef. When the country divided in 1954, southern-bound migrants carried it to Saigon, where it took on a sweeter, more heavily garnished character: a plate of bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime and chili on the side, and a splash of hoisin and sriracha in the bowl. Southern pho is richer and sweeter than the austere Hanoi original, and in Saigon it is eaten at any hour, from a 6am breakfast to a post-midnight bowl.

3 editor picks for Pho in Ho Chi Minh City, ranked by editorial score. All Ho Chi Minh City signature dishes · Pho across every city.