Hanoi has hundreds of pho joints, but Pho 10 on Ly Quoc Su is the one locals keep coming back to. It has been serving the same recipe since 1970, and you can taste it — a clear, deeply spiced beef broth that takes all day to make, topped with paper-thin slices of raw beef that cook in the bowl.
The setup is no-frills: plastic stools, shared tables, condensation on every surface. You order by pointing. A bowl arrives in under two minutes. You add a squeeze of lime, a few chilli slices if you want heat, and tear in some of the fresh herbs piled on a plate beside you.
The noodles are silky and just the right thickness. The beef is tender. The broth is the kind of thing you think about for months afterwards.
What to order
- Phở tái — rare beef, the classic choice
- Phở chín — well-done brisket, richer and fattier
- Phở tái chín — half and half, the best of both
Go early — by 10am the best cuts are gone and they sometimes close by noon. No reservations, no menu in English, no problem.