Best Pho in Saigon District 1
Everyone traveling to Vietnam is looking to get a great bowl of Pho. Ho Chi Minh City is an excellent place to eat it as you have the chance to try the Southern version of pho. Especially if you have been traveling or have already travelled South to North or Vice Versa, You’ll have the chance to try out this iconic dish throughout the country as the taste changes from North to South.
That said, you might not have a ton of time in Ho Chi Minh City, so you want to get something nearby downtown in District 1. But are all of the best pho spots outside the center of the city?
Not at all; there are some great bowls of pho outside the city’s center. Actually, my favorite pho is in District 5. You can read about that here with all of the great bowls of Pho in our Best Pho in Ho Chi Minh Guide. But what if you just want to eat the best pho in Saigon District 1 because you are short on time or don’t want to travel far?
I’ve got you covered; below, I’ll give you some great options for Pho in District 1.
The Best bowls of Pho in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Phu Vuong Pho
- Pho Viet Nam
- Pho Hung
I’ll explore each of these places below. They are all easily accessible to those staying in the downtown area during their vacation to Saigon. There are also food markets in District 1 if you want to pop in to a place with variety if you are short on time.
Phu Vuong Pho
📍 Google Maps | Phone: +84 0931959696 | Website | Open 6 am to 10 pm | Price Avg: 75,000 VND
I think this is an excellent bowl of Pho. It’s southern, so the broth will have some background aromatic flavor that will shine on your palate. The cuts of beef are nice and thick with the right amount of fat.
Word to the wise, though: Do not add the Hoison sauce directly to your bowl at this restaurant until you have tried it. They have a very strong Hoison sauce here that could possibly ruin your bowl if you are too overeager when adding it to your broth. I usually dip my meat into the Hoison on the side, but each their own.
They also have an airconditioned section of the restaurant in the back to make it easy to escape the heat!
Pho Viet Nam
📍 Google Maps | Phone: +84 0902682214 | Website | Open 6 am to 3 am | Price Avg: 90,000 VND
This Michelin-recommended pho restaurant flew under my radar for too many years! I didn’t know how awesome their homemade noodles were nor how interesting their beef bone broth would be.
Finally, when I did get the chance to try this, it swept me off my feet, and I was thoroughly impressed by the flavor of their broth. In a southern pho, I really love when the aromatics come through in a strong way. I think it’s a nice change of pace from the northern-flavored bowls of Pho that I feel come off a bit too light sometimes, leaving them a bit overshadowed by a very simple flavor of salt and meat.
I’m not blown away by the stone bowl and dipping the tenderloin in the broth one piece at a time. It’s just not my thing as I lean towards brisket cuts in my pho. But, their noodles are so silky smooth and delicious, this is truly an awesome bowl of Pho and worth the slightly increased price compared to others. Which you could read more about the average prices in my article, How much does Pho cost in Vietnam?
Pho Hung
📍 Google Maps | Phone: +84 02838385089 | Open 6 am to 3 am | Price Avg: 90,000 VND
Pho Hung was a surprise for me when I went to taste it again after years of not having it. I think this bowl of Pho is super underrated in the city, and not a lot of people put it as a top-tier bowl of Pho, but I think that’s a mistake.
This is a very clean, aromatic, and slightly sweet broth that captures what Southern Pho should be. And just look at the photo, the bowl is just gorgeous when it hits the table!
If you want to check out this bowl of Pho, I think you won’t be disappointed and you’ll really be raving about it! The location is also in a more local area of Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1 so I think its a nice little venture to come out and try this.
