Pho Dau – Over 60 years old restaurant in Saigon

• Culinary Gems

Nestled in a quiet alley of Saigon, Pho Dau has been serving authentic Northern-style pho since 1958, making it one of the city’s oldest and most beloved noodle soup establishments. For over six decades, this family-run eatery has preserved the traditional flavors and techniques of Nam Dinh-style phở, offering a culinary experience that transports diners back in time.

What is Pho?

Before diving into the bowl, let’s pause for a moment. Pho isn’t just food—it’s Vietnam’s soul in a soup bowl. This beloved national dish features flat rice noodles, tender beef or chicken, and a broth that takes hours—sometimes days—to perfect.

While the South loads its pho with herbs, bean sprouts, hoisin, and chili, Northern-style pho, like the kind served at Pho Dau, is all about elegance and balance. It’s lighter, clearer, and lets the natural flavors speak for themselves.

Where is Pho Dau?

As I walked through the peaceful alley at No. 288 M1, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 3, it set the tone perfectly. The restaurant is located deep in the apartment complex’s yard. No need for a sign but customers flock in.

It felt like I had stumbled into someone’s home, not a restaurant. After talking with the owner of the restaurant here, they shared the opening hours of Pho Dau, which were also posted publicly online. Pho Dau opens daily from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

The price of each bowl of Pho Dau ranges from 90,000 – 100,000 VND. This is probably a bit expensive compared to regular bowls of pho in Saigon, but this is still a worthy bowl of pho that you should definitely try.

The Broth Flavor of Pho Dau

I watched as the steaming bowl was placed in front of me—no fancy plating, just honest, clean presentation. I dipped my spoon into the clear broth and took a sip. It was like a savory, slightly sweet, aromatic with a whisper of star anise and cinnamon. There was no greasiness, no overpowering spice. Just pure essence of beef, simmered patiently until perfection.

The pho here has a Northern flavor, but is completely different from Pho Thin with pan-fried beef and lots of green onions.

Family Recipe

I later learned that this was Madam Dậu’s original recipe from Nam Định, brought to Saigon in 1958 and still lovingly preserved by her son, Mr. Uông Văn Bình.

No shortcuts, no changes. Everything—down to how the bones are roasted and simmered—is done the traditional way. It’s the kind of cooking that requires patience and heart.

How did it taste?

The correct way to eat is to add a little chili sauce to the onion bowl, mix well, then slowly add a little at a time to the pho bowl to eat with it. It took me several times to discover the correct way to eat at Pho Dau. Each bite felt intentional.

The noodles were soft but had just the right bite. The rare beef slices were thin, tender, and slightly pink in the middle—exactly how I like them.

Pho Dau is a place that many young people recommend as a “must-have” for breakfast in Ho Chi Minh City. This also proves that the restaurant not only conquers older customers but also young people with its unique and unmistakable pho flavor.

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