Where to Find the Best Pho in Sydney
Grab a hot bowl of brothy goodness at any of these Vietnamese diners.
Where to Find the Best Pho in Sydney
Grab a hot bowl of brothy goodness at any of these Vietnamese diners.
When winter comes a roaring, so many of us seek out the best pho in Sydney. This hot brothy goodness full of herbs and spices, veges, noodles and some kind of protein always hits the spot —especially if you're fighting a cold on the couch. A big steaming bowl of classic pho will surely put you right. And lucky for us Sydney kids, the city is packed with Vietnamese restaurants that serve up a damn good noodle soup.
Whether you're looking to dine out or get something delivered, each of the spots on this list will serve up some of the best pho in Sydney — warming up the cockles of your cold, cold heart.
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If you’re a Marrickville local, you might know Auntie. She has a small shopfront on Illawarra Road and, should you come across it, it’s well worth heading inside to say hello. Start with her bánh xèo — because she certainly knows how to make a mean one. The thin and crispy coconut and turmeric crepe — which comes stuffed with onion, bean sprouts and your choice of protein — is as authentic as it comes.
Then there’s the pho. If you want the good stuff, then the pho dac biet is a must-try. Picture this: a large bowl filled to the brim with house-made wagyu meatballs, thinly sliced black Angus beef, braised brisket, a torched beef short rib and rice noodles swimming in a broth so rich in flavour, you’ll be begging for the recipe. This is all best lapped up with a classic cocktail or alcoholic slushie in hand.
Image: Bodhi Liggett.
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Located in the multicultural mecca of Bankstown, AN Restaurant is a family-owned business established way back in 1987. The Phan family set out to create and traditional Saigon-style Vietnamese eatery in Sydney, specialising in a slow-cooked bone broth pho, using only quality ingredients and custom sauces. Its longevity can be attributed to the quality of the pho, while its casual dining atmosphere keeps the venue feeling authentically Vietnamese.
The beef pho is served in a steaming bone broth with rice noodles, topped with bean sprouts and fresh herbs. Order either a medium or large (the price difference in minimal so we suggest the large), and choose either rare beef, cooked beef, beef brisket, flank, tendon, cartilage, peppered beef roll, tripe or a combination to flesh out your meal. Of course, there also the necessary chicken, seafood and vegetarian options as well stacks of extras to be ordered when you want to personally customise your pho.
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Fresh, nutritious vegan food that celebrates authentic flavours of Saigon is the game at Golden Lotus, cementing it as one of the best vegan restaurants in Sydney. You can feast on tofu rolls, mushroom fritters, vegan duck pancakes, fake fried fish and the holy vegan phos
With these, you can either go for authentic vegan soups made with veges and tofu drowning in a vibrant lemongrass-spiced broth or opt for some of the fake meats. Our favourite? The V Chicken Pho. This southern Vietnamese-styled pho comes with vegan chicken strips that taste so good even your meat-loving mates will struggle to tell the difference.
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Venues serving up pho in Sydney are not exactly few and far between. But as any regular soup slurper would know, there is pho and then there is pho. And Pho Pasteur definitely falls into the latter category; it’s the type of pho that leaves both bellies and souls satisfied.
This Chinatown eatery is definitely not skimping on options; there are over ten pho varieties plus a selection of other soup and dry noodle dishes. The broth is the complex balance of sweet, savoury and salty that would be impossible to mimic at home, particularly for the price. Any of the ten options can certainly be considered some of the best pho in Sydney.
Images: Kitti Smallbone
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Founded by Emma Nguyen in 2011, I Love Pho has a special focus on bringing an authentic Vietnamese experience to Sydney. Decked out with a bamboo-themed interior, the dining room captures the essence of the frantic hustle and bustle of Vietnamese street dining. The service here is classy and casual, and it’s the kind of place you’ll be returning to again and again after discovering it.
As the name suggests, pho is the star of the show. Following a traditional recipe from Hanoi and cooked for 24 hours, this steaming broth is available in several different flavours including vegetable, pork chop, wagyu beef and chicken breast. The chicken broth pho is slow-simmered with a hint of zesty ginger and fresh lime leaves, and the mixed seafood option is especially exciting. There’s even a totally vegan pho with tofu, mixed veg and lotus root broth.
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Situated on the ‘Little Vietnam’ end of Illawarra Road, Eat Fuh has been in the game for many years. But you don’t have to go to Marrickville to try some of the best Vietnamese in Sydney. The team dishes up noodle soups, vermicelli and rice dishes in shopfronts and pop-up market stalls all over the city.
The signature Fuh Noodle Soup is the obvious order. The meat options include rare beef, flank and chicken that are submerged in the perfectly balanced bone broth — layered with star anise, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and onions. Vegan? No worries, opt for the meat-free pho that uses a totally vegetable-based broth.
Image: Cassandra Hannagan.
Top image: Pho Pasteur