Pho: Vietnam's noodle soup explained

Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup made from a long-simmered, spiced beef or chicken broth, flat rice noodles, thin slices of meat and a plate of fresh herbs. It is the best-known Vietnamese dish outside Vietnam and one of the most searched dishes of the cuisine. This guide covers what is in a bowl, the cuts and versions, the difference between northern and southern styles, how to say the word and how to eat it, and it says plainly that Lai Rai in New York does not list pho.

What is in a bowl of pho?

A bowl of pho has four basic parts: broth, rice noodles, meat and fresh garnishes. The broth is the heart of the dish, and the noodles and meat are chosen to suit it.

• Broth. A clear stock simmered for hours with bones, charred aromatics and warm spices.
• Noodles. Flat rice noodles, called banh pho, which are soft and slippery.
• Meat. Beef is the classic choice, and chicken is the main alternative.
• Toppings. Sliced scallion, onion and cilantro go in the bowl, and the herb plate comes on the side.

The result is a meal in one bowl. It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner in Vietnam, and it is sold in dedicated shops that make little else.

How do you pronounce pho?

Pho is usually said in English as “fuh,” a single syllable that rhymes roughly with “duh.” The Vietnamese word, written phở, carries a tone mark for a rising-and-dipping tone that English speakers normally drop.

Saying “fuh” is understood in almost every restaurant outside Vietnam. Many people incorrectly say “foe,” which sounds like a different word. If you want to be closer to the original, listen to how a native speaker says it and copy the rise at the end, but there is no need to be perfect to order.

What is the broth made from?

Pho broth is made by simmering bones with charred onion and ginger and a mix of warm spices, then seasoning with fish sauce. The simmer takes several hours, and the cook skims the pot to keep the broth clear.

The spices most often mentioned for beef pho are star anise, cinnamon, clove, black cardamom and coriander seed. Charring the onion and ginger over flame or under a broiler gives a slightly sweet, smoky note. Rock sugar is common as a gentle sweetener. Chicken pho uses chicken bones and a lighter hand with the spices, and the result is a paler, cleaner-tasting broth.

Exact recipes are closely guarded by many shops, and every cook adjusts the balance. That variety is why two bowls of pho can taste noticeably different.

What cuts of beef and chicken go in pho?

Pho menus name the meat in Vietnamese, and each name refers to a cut or a way of cooking it. Learning five or six terms makes any pho menu easier to read.

A bowl called dac biet, or special, usually combines several of these. Ordering a single item such as tai or chin is the easiest start. Most shops let you choose the combination you want.

What is the difference between Hanoi and Saigon pho?

Pho is often described in two regional styles, the northern style associated with Hanoi and the southern style associated with Saigon. The contrast is a useful generalization and not a hard rule, and many cooks outside Vietnam blend the two.

Both are called pho, and neither is more correct. A shop in New York may follow either style or its own, and the menu usually shows which by what it puts on the table.

What goes on the herb plate?

The herb plate that comes with pho usually holds bean sprouts, Thai basil, sawtooth herb or culantro, lime wedges and sliced chili. You tear or drop what you want into the bowl as you eat.

• Bean sprouts add a crisp, cool crunch.
• Thai basil brings a sweet, slightly anise-like aroma.
• Sawtooth herb has a strong, cilantro-like flavor in long leaves.
• Lime adds sourness that lifts the broth.
• Chili adds heat, either sliced fresh or as a paste.

The table also often carries hoisin sauce and chili sauce, either for squeezing in the bowl or for a small dish used as a dip for the meat. Many diners taste the broth first and then add extras gradually.

How do you eat pho?

Eat pho by tasting the broth, adding garnishes in small amounts and using chopsticks for noodles and a spoon for broth. There is no single required method, and Vietnamese diners differ on what to add.

1. Taste the broth plain, since the cook has already seasoned it.
2. Add bean sprouts, herbs and a squeeze of lime.
3. Add chili last, so you can keep control of the heat.
4. Lift noodles with chopsticks into the spoon and sip broth together with each bite.
5. Dip pieces of meat in a small dish of sauce if you like.

Do not worry about slurping, which is normal. Leave the bowl when you are done, and the staff will clear it.

How is chicken pho different from beef pho?

Chicken pho, called pho ga, has a lighter, cleaner broth and uses poached chicken in place of beef slices. Beef pho, called pho bo, has a deeper and more heavily spiced broth.

Chicken pho is made from chicken bones and often a whole bird, and the meat is pulled or sliced and added to the bowl. Many cooks add less spice, so the flavor of the chicken stays in front. Garnishes are the same: herbs, lime and chili. Some shops offer both and let you pick, and some specialize in only one. For a first bowl, beef is the traditional choice, and chicken is a good option if you want something milder.

What should you know about ordering pho in a restaurant?

Ordering pho is simple once you know three choices: the meat, the size and any extras. Most shops list a numbered menu, so you can point or say the number.

• Meat. Pick one cut or a combination, using the terms in the table above.
• Size. Many places offer a small and a large bowl, and the large is the better choice for a main meal.
• Extras. Extra noodles, extra meat or a side of broth are common add-ons.
• Takeout. Broth, noodles and herbs are often packed separately so the noodles do not soften, and you combine them at home.

If you have a dietary need, ask how the broth is made and whether sauces contain allergens. Do not assume a recipe, since every kitchen differs.

Can you make pho at home?

Yes, pho can be made at home, and the process is simple to outline even though the details take practice. The main work is the broth.

1. Char onion and ginger until blackened in spots.
2. Simmer bones in water for several hours, skimming the surface.
3. Add the charred aromatics and toasted spices during the simmer.
4. Season with fish sauce and a little sugar to taste.
5. Cook the rice noodles separately, put them in a bowl, add the meat and pour hot broth over them.

Thin raw beef cooks in the heat of the bowl if you slice it very thinly and the broth is boiling. Shops sell spice kits, but the flavor depends heavily on the quality of the bones and how well you manage the heat. Treat the first attempt as practice.

Where did pho come from?

Pho is commonly placed in northern Vietnam in the early twentieth century, but its exact origin is disputed. Writers have linked it to local beef-and-noodle traditions, to Chinese noodle soups and to French cooking, and no single account is accepted by everyone.

The same is true of the name. Competing explanations connect it to a French word for a stew, to a Chinese-influenced term for rice noodles, or to the name of the noodles themselves, and none is settled. What is clearer is that the dish spread across Vietnam and then, with Vietnamese emigration in the second half of the twentieth century, around the world. Today it is a standard of Vietnamese restaurants in many countries.

How does pho compare with other noodle soups?

Pho differs from other noodle soups in its broth, its noodle and its herb plate. A few comparisons help place it.

• Bun bo Hue is a spicier central Vietnamese soup with lemongrass in the broth and thicker round noodles.
• Hu tieu is a southern soup, often with pork, whose broth can be served on the side.
• Ramen is Japanese, with wheat noodles, and its broths and toppings follow a different tradition.
• Chinese beef noodle soups use wheat or rice noodles and different spice mixes.

Each is a full tradition, and the quickest way to tell them apart is to taste the broth.

Is pho on Lai Rai’s menu?

No. Pho is not on the menu we recorded for Lai Rai, the Vietnamese wine bar at 76 Forsyth St in New York. This page is a general guide to pho, and it is not a statement that Lai Rai serves it.

Lai Rai’s food is limited to bar snacks and ice cream. On its menu as recorded in November 2026 from press coverage, the savory items are giò thủ, chicharrón and prawn crackers, and the rest are ice cream flavors such as fish sauce caramel, banana leaf and avocado. The list changes often and no prices are published. Time Out says the snacks come from the kitchen of Mắm, the Vietnamese restaurant next door, which is a separate business with its own menu.

If you want pho, check a dedicated Vietnamese restaurant. If you want to see what Lai Rai lists, the menu page has the full recorded set, and the hours and location page has the address.

Common questions

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Lai Rai itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.