South Korea’sPresident Lee Jae-myung and his wifevisited the small pho shop “40 Dinh Liet Street” in Hanoi’s Old QuarterPhở Lý Quốc Sư” on the night of April 23, 2026, enjoying a 25-minute meal with the family of owner Tu Van Mui and others. The order was17 bowls of pho and 2 plates of beef fried rice.This shop of just 15 square meters with 5 tables saw its lines swell to three times the usual from the day after the visit, with reservation inquiries pouring in from tourists in other cities and from South Korea.VnExpress InternationalandTuoi Tre NewsHere we organize the full picture based on the local reporting of.
The 25 minutes that unfolded at a small back-alley shop
The presidential couple arrived at “Pho Ly Quoc Su” on April 23 ataround 7 p.m.The party of over 10 including their entourage took off their shoes and were shown to the 2nd-floor kitchen-cum-dining area. The center of the order was the shop’s signature,well-done beef pho,to which they added 2 plates of fermented vegetables and beef fried rice. Owner Mui told the media, “The couple finished everything and smiled, nodding that it was delicious.”
Having been told in advance that “Korean customers tend to shy away from cilantro,” Mui made an adjustment for the couple’s bowls,leaving out the cilantro and bringing out the aroma with only spring onions.The broth was made by simmering 30 kg of beef bones for 18–20 hours, and the recipe is characterized by going light on fish sauce and drawing out sweetness with beef bones, dried sa sung (peanut worm), and dried squid.
Why was a 15-square-meter, 5-table alley shop chosen?
“Pho Ly Quoc Su” is a family-run shop located in a narrow alley of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Before sidewalk operations were restricted, it sold300–400 bowls a day,but after the restrictions, sales reportedly slumped. Its Google reviews are high at★4.4, and it frequently appears in tourist guides. The price setting of55,000 dong a bowl (about 324 yen)is conscientious for the heart of a tourist area.
The presidential office is said to have selected the shop as a place to experience Hanoi’s common-people flavors, after choosing several candidate shops in advance. Mui recounted the excitement of that night, “I never thought a small shop like ours would be chosen,” and plans to enlarge the photo taken with the couple and display it in the shop.
Strolling the Old Quarter between diplomatic engagements
President Lee Jae-myung was on a state visit to Vietnamfrom April 21 to 24at the invitation of Vietnam’s General Secretary and President To Lam. This was his first Southeast Asia tour since taking office in June 2026. On the night of the 23rd, between official events, the couple strolled around Hoan Kiem Lake and stopped by the pho shop on Dinh Liet Street.VietnamNetAccording to, the main purpose of the visit was deepening the Vietnam-South Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Hanoi's Old Quarter gathers within walking distance of Hoan Kiem Lake, along withGiang Cafe, the birthplace of egg coffee,and it’s a district where long-established pho shops are concentrated, known as a stage for various leaders’ “culinary diplomacy.” In 2016, the anecdote of former President Obama eating bun cha in the same Old Quarter spread around the world.
Order details and price data (yen conversion 1 JPY = 170 VND)
| Menu | Quantity ordered | Unit price (VND) | Unit price (yen) |
|---|---|---|---|
| well-done beef pho, | 17 bowls | 55,000 | About 324 yen |
| Beef and fermented-vegetable fried rice | 2 plates | 80,000 | About 471 yen |
| Total (estimated) | 19 items | About 1,095,000 | About 6,440 yen |
The presidential couple were billed as usual. In Vietnam, it’s customary not to provide free service even when VIPs visit, and Mui also said, “I received the same charge as other customers.”
Reactions on social media and from local diners
“For a president to come to a pho shop in my neighborhood—as a Hanoian, I’m proud. The 17 bowls the couple ate are just so striking.” (Facebook, paraphrased post from a man in his 40s living in Hanoi)
“As a Korean tourist, I’m going to Dinh Liet Street tomorrow. I want to check the taste the president chose.” (Threads, paraphrased post from a woman in her 20s living in Seoul)
“The sense to deliberately choose a common-people shop that isn’t touristified is good. This is real pho diplomacy.” (X, paraphrased post from a food blogger living in Hanoi)
From Vietnamese users, many voices say“The president’s sense in choosing a small family-run shop”was praised by many, and Korean users responded one after another with “I’ll definitely go on my next trip.”
Impact on Japanese tourists
Hanoi’s Old Quarter is a standard area for Japanese tourists too, and even afterthe mandatory digital arrival card,visitors are on an increasing trend. “Pho Ly Quoc Su” is openfrom 6 a.m. to around 9 p.m.,and although there’s no English menu, an order sheet with photos is provided. Since seating is limited, at peak visit times (the 11 o’clock hour, the 7 o’clock hour) await of over 30 minutesis expected.
If you add a word, “No coriander,” when ordering, they’ll accommodate you. Payment is cash (VND) only; QR-code payment and direct payment in Japanese yen aren’t accepted.
Ripple effects on the industry and society
Since the news of the presidential visit went out on April 24, the shop’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing, andreservation inquiries from outside Hanoihave started coming in too. Mui said, “I couldn’t sleep all night from excitement,” and even with all three family members handling it, the situation is more than they can manage.
In Vietnam’s tourism industry, the phenomenon of such “common-people shops chosen by leaders” drawing tourists from around the world via social media is called“pho diplomacy.”At Obama’s 2016 visit, the bun cha shop “Huong Lien” that served as the venue was packed with tourists daily, and repeat customers still keep coming. From that shop’s case, Pho Ly Quoc Su too,the recent talk surrounding phoin contrast to this, a development in which the transparency of a family-run business is valued is expected.
Practical information to grasp before visiting
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Shop name | Pho Ly Quoc Su |
| Address | 40 Đinh Liệt, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội |
| Hours | 06:00–around 21:00 (ends when sold out) |
| Closing days | Irregular |
| Signature menu | Well-done beef pho (55,000 VND) |
| Shop size | About 15 square meters / 5 tables |
| Payment methods | Cash (VND) only |
| Access | About a 3-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake |
| Nearby spots | Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, Hang Gai Street |
Summary: an era when a common-people’s small shop becomes a diplomatic stage
What the presidential couple chose was not a high-end restaurant polished for tourists, but a back-alley family-run shop overflowing with local customers.That a 15-square-meter, 5-table small shop was broadcast to the worldbecame an event symbolizing the depth of Hanoi’s food culture. A bowl of pho for 324 yen is becoming a new flagship of Vietnam’s culinary diplomacy.
When visiting Hanoi from Japan, it’s recommended to stop by in the early morning hours to avoid crowded times. Savor the simple, spring-onion-only pho amid the aroma of the owner simmering beef bones every night.
Source
- Dân trí｜Tổng thống Hàn Quốc và phu nhân ăn phở, cơm rang dưa bò giữa phố cổ Hà Nội
- Tuoi Tre News｜Hanoi ‘pho’ restaurant draws crowds after South Korea’s Lee Jae Myung visit
- VnExpress International｜Inside Hanoi pho shop that serves South Korea’s president
- VietnamNet｜RoK President, spouse conclude state visit to Vietnam
