Dickson’s Pho Phu Quoc serves a ripper bowl of pho. Photo: Pho Phu Quoc.
Let’s start with pronunciation: f-uh (with a short uh). Not foe, or fur, or (as one colleague recently joked) fee fi fo fum.
Who’d have thought such a short word would be so hard to say?
No matter how you say it, it’s a favourite dish across many Vietnamese restaurants in Canberra. Similar to our collective love of laksa, this noodle soup provokes fierce loyalty, with many diners wedded to their favourite place.
The dish comes in different variants, but the most common is phở bò – beef soup – with a variety of toppings. Whether you stick to rare beef, or delve into the world of offal, there’s a phở for you in Canberra!
Before you get mad at me in the comments section about your favourite place missing from the list, may I remind you of two things: I have but one stomach, and a strict(ish) word limit. But I will gladly take your recommendations, and who knows? Maybe I’ll go and visit them and become Canberra’s greatest a-phở-cianado (sorry)!
Phở Phú Quốc, Dickson
We’re starting with a heavy hitter: Phở Phú Quốc in Dickson is a beloved favourite and has been dishing up bowls of noodle soup to Canberrans for yonks. The broth here is light, fragrant and super moreish. Each sip is complex, nourishing and, frankly, healing. Thinly cut, sweet white onions balance the meaty flavours.
Owner Sue is an icon of the hospitality industry, and her command of this large, bustling dining room is a joy to watch. This place barely has an online presence, and it doesn’t need one: it’s iconic.
Bistro Nguyen’s is a tried-and-true classic in the city. Photo: Bistro Nguyen.
Bistro Nguyen’s, Civic
Nestled in the corner of the Melbourne building, Bistro Nguyen’s has cemented its position as a solid choice for Vietnamese on a night out. I’ve most often dined here pre or post-gig at neighbouring Smith’s, but Bistro Nguyen’s is worth a visit on its own merits.
They’ve branched out beyond the usual phở toppings and now offer options like beef tenderloin wok-tossed in peppery sauce and wagyu beef sirloin, which also comes with brisket, tendon, and beef meatballs. There’s even a seafood phở!
They’ve recently expanded around the corner onto Northbourne with Bánh mì Nguyen’s.
Ms Ba Cô is best known for their fast and fabulous bánh mì, but the phở is amazing as well. Photo: Majura Park.
Ms Ba Cô, Majura
This is the top pick of Region food writer Tenele Conway.
She told me, “It doesn’t come with ambience, but when the soup is this good, who cares? You can quote me on that.”
Her top tip is to visit for dinner rather than lunch, which has the double benefit of avoiding the outrageously long (albeit fast-moving) queues for lunchtime banh mi and also means you get a bowl of broth which has been brewing all day. Maximum flavour, minimum fuss.
Tenele says get the rare beef and beef balls, and if I were you, I’d take her good advice.
The phở at Cô Dung is light and sweet. Photo: Tenele Conway.
Cô Dung, Belconnen
Cô Dung is slightly hidden away in the less trendy part of Belconnen, giving this place a iykyk kind of following. Their phở offerings include chicken, rare beef, beef brisket, vegetarian and a combination, which comes with all the fun bits like tripe and tendon.
Their broth is a bit lighter than others, so you can slurp up even more (and the noodles are just oh-so-slurpable). If you prefer a bit of spice, try the bún bò.
Pho @ Dickson does bowls of the good stuff. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Pho @ Dickson, Dickson
When the restaurant’s name is the dish’s name, you know you’re in the right place. The broth at Pho @ Dickson is perhaps more heavily spiced than some other restaurants, with the scents of cinnamon and pepper wafting alluringly in the steam.
I highly recommend the beef brisket. It’s fatty, tender and melts in your mouth. The beef balls are good too: they have a structural bounce that gives them an absolutely satisfying chew. Chuck in as many bean sprouts and torn lemon basil leaves as you like – the more, the better, in my opinion.
A spicy bowl of Bún bò Huế is an excellent alternative to Phở. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Tu Do, O’Connor
Tu Do has been serving its exceptionally good Vietnamese at O’Connor shops for over 40 years now, and the family-run joint is now in its third generation in the kitchen. And there’s good reason why locals keep coming back for the Tu Do phở: it’s darn good.
Meaty, fragrant and well-balanced, the phở here is a classic example of an iconic dish done well. Phở is deceptively simple, but in that simplicity you find the best flavour. Tu Do has no frills or fuss: just great food served with honest hospitality.
On my last visit, I took a left turn from phở and tried the spicy bún bò (pictured), which I also highly recommend.
Noi Noi, various locations
This is the kind of gem that locals love to tout as proof of their suburbs’ superiority. Noi Noi at Casey seems to crop up disproportionately often when recommendations are being bandied about, but the reputation is well earned. Multiple Noi Noi branches are around town, but Casey is particularly well loved.
This fast-paced joint offers a vast menu of Viet classics and the phở is very good indeed. My preference is for the special phở: beef broth topped with rare beef slices, tender and fatty brisket, beef balls and textural strips of tripe. But another favourite is the crispy pork belly phở. Not traditional, per se, but definitely delicious.
What is your favourite place to get phở in Canberra?
