Vietnamese Pho, a delicious and fragrant noodle soup, has become a popular dish among foodies in Singapore.
By the way, “Pho” is one of the most commonly mispronounced food words, and should be “fuh”.
Pho typically consists of a flavourful broth made from simmering beef or chicken bones with spices such as cinnamon, star anise, and cloves, as well as fish sauce and sugar for added flavour.
The broth is then poured over rice noodles and topped with thinly sliced meat (usually beef or chicken), fresh herbs such as Thai basil and cilantro, and bean sprouts.
With so many options available, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to finding the best pho in the city.
If you are on the hunt for the perfect bowl of Pho, here are some of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Singapore ‘Pho your consideration’:
Long Phung Vietnamese Cuisine
159 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427436
Opening Hours: 12pm – 11pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun
Popular Joo Chiat Vietnamese Restaurant
Long Phung is one of the most well-known names in Singapore when it comes to authentic Vietnamese food. They have two outlets – at Joo Chiat and Chinatown.
They serve up Pho Tai ($10.50) refers to having rare beef slices, while Pho Nam ($10.50) uses well-done beef slices. Pho Ga ($10.50) and Pho Heo ($10.50) are chicken and pork versions respectively.
The Pho Dac Biet ($11.90) is a “special noodle soup”, which means that apart from beef slices, the bowl also contains flank, brisket, tendon, meatballs and egg.
The broth made from simmering beef bones for hours and seasoned with a blend of herbs is the cornerstone of the dish.
I found it flavourful and robust, while slightly to the saltier side did not make me feel thirsty after finishing almost the entire bowl.
The broth can be described simply as homely. Even as it cooled down, it was clean-tasting, and I could easily empty the bowl.
Read more at: Long Phung Vietnamese Cuisine (Chinatown)
May Pho Culture
150 South Bridge Road, Fook Hai Building #01-16, Singapore 058727
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues
Humble Viet Eatery in Chinatown
May Pho Culture is a humble abode for you to feel at home, accompanied by good noodle Pho soup and Banh Mi sandwiches.
For the Pho, May Pho Culture uses different cuts of beef to set the bowls apart. The star of the show is the Beef Tenderloin Pho ($17.90) and the cut of meat was tenderly cooked and provides intense flavour and tenderness.
I noticed that the colour was on the deeper side – rich, flavourful, and just a tad greasy.
It is easy to see why people enjoy this place, other than for the element of authenticity.
The soup itself was quite fragrant, thanks to the good amount of herbs and aromatics added.
Another choice is the Beef Brisket Pho ($12.90), which would have slightly chewier but equally flavourful meat.
The Chicken Supreme Pho ($11.90) is the most economical version of Pho here, if beef is not quite your thing.
Read more at: May Pho Culture (South Bridge Road)
Co Chung – Authentic Taste of Vietnam
Plaza Singapura #B2-20, 68 Orchard Road, Singapore 238839
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Thu), 11am – 9:30pm (Fri– Sat). 12pm – 9:30pm
Affordable Vietnamese Eats in Heart of Dhoby Ghaut
The restaurant represents not only Vietnam’s cuisines but is a tribute the owner’s mother and inspiration for cooking.
Other than Plaza Singapura, you can find another outlet of Co Chung at 4-5 Lor Telok (near Boat Quay).
Some of these street food items and desserts are therefore not commonly found in Singapore itself, and this truly differentiate Co Chung from the rest.
Their Phở Bò – Pho Beef Soup ($16) had a 8-hour cooked broth that was warm, flavourful, comforting, with a tinge of refreshing-sweetness.
And yet not too salty or oily, and you could actually finish the bowl without feeling guility.
Read more at: Co Chung (Plaza Singapura)
Moc Quan
UE Square #01-23, 81 Clemenceau Avenue, Singapore 239917
Tel: +65 6736 0123
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Sun) (Closed occasionally. Check Facebook for updates)
Made with Ingredients Hand-carried from Vietnam
‘Moc’ means simple, ‘Quan’ means restaurant, so Moc Quan just means simple restaurant. Here, owner Jeff Koh hand-carries fresh ingredients (almost every 2 weeks) from Vietnam to Singapore.
Jeff revealed his interesting background. He had a Vietnamese wife, who lived there for years and traded his dish washing and knife skills for recipes of street vendors as he believed that some of the best cooks are on the streets.
Impressed with his dedication.
The Pho Bo ($11.50) onwards comes with fresh Vietnamese rice noodle in a fragrant beef broth with bean sprouts and herbs, with choices of sliced beef, brisket, beef meat balls or mixed beef (additional prices apply).
Their Mixed Beef Pho ($14.90) was superb, generous in vegetables, herbs, meat and meat balls, in a light yet tasty broth cooked with beef bones, brisket and spices.
Read more at: Moc Quan (UE Square)
(Viet Taste) Vietnamese Cuisine @ Food Junction Great World
1 Kim Seng Promenade, Great World Level 3, Singapore 237994
Opening Hours: 10am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Popular Vietnamese Food Stall in Great World City
You can find Viet Taste Vietnamese Cuisines usually with a long line within Great World’s Food Junction.
Vietnamese staff members run the stall that works like a mini-restaurant. While there is always a line, it clears relatively fast.
Their Hanoi Pho Beef Noodle Soup ($7.70) came with a top layer of aromatic basil. Enjoy the light soup lashed with generous amounts of thick beef slices, resulting in a well-rounded noodle dish.
While I think there could be other more impressive Pho out there in various eateries, Viet Taste do serve a decent rendition with light tasting soup that was still flavourful – really good for food court standards.
Read more at: Viet Taste (Great World)
Signs a Taste of Vietnam Pho
orchardgateway #B2-15, 277 Orchard Road, Singapore 238858
Opening Hours: 11am – 8:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun
Inexpensive Vietnamese Food By Deaf Couple
Head down all the way to basement 2 of orchardgateway, but you may be surprised to find some dining options there.
Other than the affordable Pho, Banh Mi and Spring Rolls, something to note is that the eatery is opened by a deaf couple Anthony and Angela. Angela had been cooking for family and friends, especially in her home town Hanoi, and was encouraged to set up a F&B business.
Thus, the interesting shop name of “Signs a Taste of Vietnam Pho”.
Noodle choices include Beef Noodle Pho with Sliced Beef Ribeye ($9), Beef Ball Noodle Soup ($9), Chicken Pho ($9), and Sliced Pork Noodle Soup ($9).
The Beef Ribeye and Balls combination ($8) was comforting with light soup without any added MSG. The soft and bouncy beef balls were also a highlight.
Prices of the Vietnamese noodle bowls are considered inexpensive for a town area, mostly at $10 or below with no GST or service charge.
Read more at: Signs A Taste Of Vietnam Pho (Orchard Gateway)
Mrs Pho
73 Bussorah Street, Singapore 199486
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Last order 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Pho, Banh Mi and Charcoal-Grilled Items At Bussorah Street
Mrs Pho is known to serves up casual Vietnamese dishes and home-style communal dishes at wallet-friendly prices.
Everything is made in-house, from the broth – the foundation of an excellent pho, to the sauces (other than those bottled ones).
Feeling you deserve comforting treat? Get the Special Beef Combo Pho ($14.90), a warm, hearty bowl of silky flat rice noodles in a rich beef soup.
That broth has been boiled for 12 hours, long enough to extract all the beefy goodness.
Meat lovers will rejoice with all the meat they are getting – lean cuts of beef flank and brisket, plus beef balls, and tripe.
The crunchy beansprouts, mint leaves, onion, and sliced chili balance this dish with freshness and a kick of heat.
Fresh rice noodles are used (contrasted with the dry types which are more common), so there will be that smooth, slippery feel.
Read more at: Mrs Pho (Bussorah Street)
Le Saigon Cafe
8 Liang Seah Street #01-02, Singapore 189029
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)
Hidden Modern Vietnamese Café At Liang Seah Street Near Bugis
Vietnamese food is always associated with being rustic and homely, perhaps because most of it also counts as street food. For that reason, it is uncommon to see nice sit-down restaurants serving embellished Vietnamese food.
Le Saigon Café is an exception. Located in Liang Seah Street, home to many ethnic Asian restaurants, the sleek eatery places a nice amount of attention on ambience and presentation.
For those who needs a feast for the eyes in addition to flavour, this is the place to be.
As par for the course for eateries in the area, the indoor seating is plenty but just slightly too little for a weekend crowd. In other words, get ready to queue.
The classic fare will include Pho Slice Beef ($11.80), Pho Beef Ball ($11.80), and Pho Mix ($14.80).
There is a Pho Premium ($29.80): the price tag aside, it is served with a stone pot of boiling hot broth, with a basket of meat and a plate of assorted vegetables on the side.
The meat comprises different cuts of beef and beef meatballs.
Little Vietnam
511 Guillemard Road, #01-26, Singapore 399849
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Lively Vietnamese Eatery At Grandlink Square
Right at the end of the very residential Guillemard Road is Grandlink Square, an olden-days shopping mall that is now rather deserted. When I chanced upon it on a Friday night, however, I was surprised to find that the open space around it was quite lively.
This is because a row of restaurants was actually occupying the first-floor area facing outwards. One of them is Little Vietnam, serving up a range of authentic Vietnamese cuisine.
Foldable tables and chairs were spread out in the open space, creating an ad-hoc alfresco dining area. It might even count as riverside dining, since it is right next to Kallang River.
It starts with a simple broth at Little Vietnam, which they make from boiling beef bones and beef chunks. In goes the rice noodles, beansprouts, and onions, and a variety of meat depending on your choice.
The Pho Tai Nam ($8.80) includes beef and shin, or the Pho Nam Bo Vien ($8.80) which comes with sliced brisket and beef balls. The classic is the Pho Dac Biet ($9.30), which is a mix of all the ingredients. It all comes down to your mood of the day.
Vietnamese Delights Pho 99
57/58 Amoy Street, Singapore 069883
Tel: +65 6410 9600
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Fri), 11am – 5pm (Sat), Closed Sun
Vietnamese Delights Opposite Amoy Street Food Centre
Enjoy Vietnamese delights at the central Pho 99 at Amoy Street. For more than ten years, the husband-and-wife team has operated their Vietnamese restaurant Pho 99 at Amoy Street.
Office workers around the area will know that the restaurant offers some of the best Vietnamese cuisines in Singapore, serving a tantalizing collection of dishes suitable for group gatherings and casual dining.
It presents a variety of dishes, so there is something for everyone on the menu. You can get a mixed platter of spring rolls and honey glazed chicken wings. Their small snacks, such as Rice Spring Rolls ($4.50) and Honey Chicken Wings ($4.50) go well with drinks.
A bowl of beef pho at Pho 99 costs $11.50 onwards. The Pho Bo Viet Nam came with clear soup with delicate flavour of herbs, complete with slices of beef, beef tendons with meat balls, silvers of onion and crisp bean sprouts
Enjoy fully the light flavoured soup with lots of beef in the Pho which is truly a comforting and satisfying bowl of soup. Their homemade chilli is also a crowd-pleaser.
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* Compiled by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary, Dean Ang, and Laura Wong @llua.
