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Pho at Pho Bang
Pho at Pho Bang
Bill Addison/Eater

Where to Eat Pho in New Orleans This Winter

15 spots for steaming bowls of pho in and around New Orleans

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Pho at Pho Bang
| Bill Addison/Eater

Pho is a New Orleans staple. The city is home to a large Vietnamese community, dating back to 1975 when many refugees from Vietnam arrived in the area following the Fall of Saigon, particularly in Algiers and New Orleans East. Over the decades, Vietnamese cuisine has made New Orleans's food culture richer and is widely regarded as an integral part of its culinary identity.

It's not very difficult to find a neighborhood restaurant for pho — the Vietnamese soup known for its long-simmered broth containing various proteins, herbs, and thin rice noodles. Here are Eater’s picks for 15 spots to get pho in and around New Orleans, updated for winter.

Don’t see your favorite place for pho? Leave a comment or send Eater a tip and let us know.

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Pho Bang

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While many folks head out to New Orleans East for banh mi at Dong Phuong and less common Vietnamese dishes at Ba Mien, the quiet Pho Bang shouldn't be overlooked when it comes to a lunchtime bowl of soup. Try the ultra meaty Pho Bang house special featuring tripe, flank, brisket, 'navel' and tendon.

Pho at Pho Bang
Pho at Pho Bang
Bill Addison/Eater

Ba Mien Restaurant

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One of the city’s favorite Vietnamese restaurants is in New Orleans East, located in a strip mall with a menu that delivers traditional Vietnamese flavors and lots of options. There’s a tripe pho option —not particularly common — and banh cuon, or steamed rice flour rolls (think feather-light Vietnamese manicotti), stuffed with grilled pork, a Saigon specialty.

Em Trai Sandwich Co.

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Tung Nguyen (hailing from the West Bank’s highly-regarded Thanh Thanh dynasty) has set up shop in Metairie after a stint on St. Claude Avenue, cranking out steaming bowls of pho with 24-hour simmered broth in his own place on Vets Boulevard.

Meatball pho from Em Trai Sandwich Co.
Em Trai Sandwich Co./Facebook

Phở Orchid Restaurant

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The Pho Orchid team runs two Metairie locations, including a speedy Express spot on Airline that’s a better option for fast food. A dine-in only combo offers pho with half a banh mi or 2 spring rolls and a drink for less than $12.

Brisket and meatball pho from Pho Orchid
Pho Orchid Restaurant/Facebook

Rolls N' Bowls

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Rolls N’ Bowls specializes in two things: spring rolls of all flavors and steaming bowls of pho on the quick and cheap. The tasty bowls are crammed with vegetables, nice and fresh. One of few spots in town to offer bubble tea.

Chef Michael Gulotta's intention isn't to be totally traditional. Here the former August chef who also leads the Maypop kitchen serves pho with a contemporary Southern twist — think hogs head cheese, tripe, spicy meatballs and noodles in a build-your-own format featuring rich fowl or beef broth, and a pretty tasty vegetarian broth as well.

Eat Well NOLA

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Located on Canal and Broad near a very busy bus stop and the courthouse, this mini mart with a killer food counter now also has a stall in Pythian Market not too far away. Both locations serve excellent pho including a vegan variety, as well as a “phoritto,” a bowl of pho stuffed inside a tortilla with rice noodles, bean sprouts, jalapeños, herbs, lime and house sauce.

Pho Tau Bay

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A local institution when it comes to pho and banh mi, this restaurant held down a longtime spot on the West Bank, but moved back to its original CBD location a few years back with counter service, a menu of hits, and broth that many consider the richest in town. Open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for dine-in, takeout, and delivery via third party apps. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Ba Chi Canteen

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Operated by Phat Vu and Quinn Nguyen of Tan Dinh fame, this is one of the best options for contemporary Vietnamese with lots of specialty items and pork belly dishes. No shock that the pho is fantastic, including vegetarian variations with kimchi and tofu.

Ba Chi Canteen’s rare brisket pho
Ba Chi Canteen/Facebook

MINT Modern

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Mint Modern Vietnamese doesn’t follow any rules when it comes to Vietnamese food. Beyond its popular banh mi burger (one of the city’s greatest) and banh mi, it’s the spot vegetarians will want to head for a bowl of great pho.

MINT Modern Vietnamese
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Lilly's Cafe

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Some New Orleanians claim the the rich pho broth simmered for eight hours at this longtime LGD cafe is the best in town, and the spicy shrimp is a known cure for colds. Lucky for us, owners just announced a second location due late 2021.

Le's Baguette Banh Mi Cafe

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Open from 11 a.m. to 8 or 9 p.m. every day but Tuesday, Le’s is yet another family-owned Viet cafe that exceeds expectations. Fans appreciate spring rolls, steamed buns filled banh mi, and of course, pho.

Magasin Vietnamese Cafe & Magasin Kitchen

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Nola native Kim Nguyen's Magazine hot spot basically kicked off a contemporary Vietnamese boom in 2012. Magasin has a sleek, comfortable interior and serves polished pho at affordable prices, at the second location in the Warehouse District, Magasin Kitchen, (611 O’Keefe Avenue) as well.

Thanh Thanh Restaurant

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Situated in the heart of Old Gretna steps from the river, Thanh Thanh serves a surprisingly wide range of food — including traditional American breakfast items and Southern fried chicken with fries, but the Vietnamese fare is the real deal, especially the pho.

Tan Dinh

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This West Bank favorite is a great spot for pho, from meaty to vegetarian options, but the menu reaches well beyond that with many flavorful soups, from bun bo hue (spicy beef soup) to shrimp hot and sour.

Pho Bang

While many folks head out to New Orleans East for banh mi at Dong Phuong and less common Vietnamese dishes at Ba Mien, the quiet Pho Bang shouldn't be overlooked when it comes to a lunchtime bowl of soup. Try the ultra meaty Pho Bang house special featuring tripe, flank, brisket, 'navel' and tendon.

Pho at Pho Bang
Pho at Pho Bang
Bill Addison/Eater

Ba Mien Restaurant

One of the city’s favorite Vietnamese restaurants is in New Orleans East, located in a strip mall with a menu that delivers traditional Vietnamese flavors and lots of options. There’s a tripe pho option —not particularly common — and banh cuon, or steamed rice flour rolls (think feather-light Vietnamese manicotti), stuffed with grilled pork, a Saigon specialty.

Em Trai Sandwich Co.

Tung Nguyen (hailing from the West Bank’s highly-regarded Thanh Thanh dynasty) has set up shop in Metairie after a stint on St. Claude Avenue, cranking out steaming bowls of pho with 24-hour simmered broth in his own place on Vets Boulevard.

Meatball pho from Em Trai Sandwich Co.
Em Trai Sandwich Co./Facebook

Phở Orchid Restaurant

The Pho Orchid team runs two Metairie locations, including a speedy Express spot on Airline that’s a better option for fast food. A dine-in only combo offers pho with half a banh mi or 2 spring rolls and a drink for less than $12.

Brisket and meatball pho from Pho Orchid
Pho Orchid Restaurant/Facebook

Rolls N' Bowls

Rolls N’ Bowls specializes in two things: spring rolls of all flavors and steaming bowls of pho on the quick and cheap. The tasty bowls are crammed with vegetables, nice and fresh. One of few spots in town to offer bubble tea.

MoPho

Chef Michael Gulotta's intention isn't to be totally traditional. Here the former August chef who also leads the Maypop kitchen serves pho with a contemporary Southern twist — think hogs head cheese, tripe, spicy meatballs and noodles in a build-your-own format featuring rich fowl or beef broth, and a pretty tasty vegetarian broth as well.

Eat Well NOLA

Located on Canal and Broad near a very busy bus stop and the courthouse, this mini mart with a killer food counter now also has a stall in Pythian Market not too far away. Both locations serve excellent pho including a vegan variety, as well as a “phoritto,” a bowl of pho stuffed inside a tortilla with rice noodles, bean sprouts, jalapeños, herbs, lime and house sauce.

Pho Tau Bay

A local institution when it comes to pho and banh mi, this restaurant held down a longtime spot on the West Bank, but moved back to its original CBD location a few years back with counter service, a menu of hits, and broth that many consider the richest in town. Open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for dine-in, takeout, and delivery via third party apps. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Ba Chi Canteen

Operated by Phat Vu and Quinn Nguyen of Tan Dinh fame, this is one of the best options for contemporary Vietnamese with lots of specialty items and pork belly dishes. No shock that the pho is fantastic, including vegetarian variations with kimchi and tofu.

Ba Chi Canteen’s rare brisket pho
Ba Chi Canteen/Facebook

MINT Modern

Mint Modern Vietnamese doesn’t follow any rules when it comes to Vietnamese food. Beyond its popular banh mi burger (one of the city’s greatest) and banh mi, it’s the spot vegetarians will want to head for a bowl of great pho.

MINT Modern Vietnamese
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Lilly's Cafe

Some New Orleanians claim the the rich pho broth simmered for eight hours at this longtime LGD cafe is the best in town, and the spicy shrimp is a known cure for colds. Lucky for us, owners just announced a second location due late 2021.

Le's Baguette Banh Mi Cafe

Open from 11 a.m. to 8 or 9 p.m. every day but Tuesday, Le’s is yet another family-owned Viet cafe that exceeds expectations. Fans appreciate spring rolls, steamed buns filled banh mi, and of course, pho.

Magasin Vietnamese Cafe & Magasin Kitchen

Nola native Kim Nguyen's Magazine hot spot basically kicked off a contemporary Vietnamese boom in 2012. Magasin has a sleek, comfortable interior and serves polished pho at affordable prices, at the second location in the Warehouse District, Magasin Kitchen, (611 O’Keefe Avenue) as well.

Thanh Thanh Restaurant

Situated in the heart of Old Gretna steps from the river, Thanh Thanh serves a surprisingly wide range of food — including traditional American breakfast items and Southern fried chicken with fries, but the Vietnamese fare is the real deal, especially the pho.

Tan Dinh

This West Bank favorite is a great spot for pho, from meaty to vegetarian options, but the menu reaches well beyond that with many flavorful soups, from bun bo hue (spicy beef soup) to shrimp hot and sour.

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