A temple of "molecular pho" appears in District 1, Ho Chi Minh
On December 21, 2025, a 14-seat counter restaurant, "Pot Au Pho 2.0," opened at 91 Ton That Dam street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. It is run by Peter Cuong Franklin, chef of Anan Saigon, which earned Vietnam's first Michelin star. Across a 12-dish tasting course, he reconstructs pho — the national dish — using molecular gastronomy techniques.
About 3.5 million VND (about 20,600 yen) per person. In Vietnam, where a bowl of pho can be had for around 30,000 VND, this pricing is bold. Yet bookings fill up day after day, and the waiting list keeps growing.
Peter Cuong Franklin — from refugee to Michelin-starred chef
The Vietnamese-American Franklin trained at Le Cordon Bleu, then honed his skills at world-class restaurants such as Caprice in Hong Kong, Alinea in Chicago, and Nahm in Bangkok. Anan Saigon, which he opened in Ho Chi Minh in 2017, earned Vietnam's first Michelin one star in 2023, rewriting the history of Vietnamese fine dining.
Pot Au Pho 2.0's origin is a small pho noodle bar he ran in Hong Kong more than 10 years ago. "Pho is my mother's taste and my roots. I wanted to evolve it with world-class technique," he says.
A full breakdown of the 12-dish tasting menu
The course runs about two hours. The components of pho — broth, noodles, beef, herbs — are broken down and each reconstituted as an independent dish.
| Dish | Technique | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| One Bite Molecular Pho | Spherification | Broth simmered for 12 hours is sealed into a jelly-like sphere that bursts in the mouth |
| Caviar Egg Pho | Caviar-style beading | Pho's flavor condensed into caviar-like beads |
| Pate Chaud | French pastry technique | A dish wrapping pho's ingredients in pastry dough |
| Black Chicken Pho | Consommé clarification | Clear soup of black-boned chicken with pho noodles |
| Le Pot Au Pho | Inspired by VGE soup | A signature dish referencing Paul Bocuse's truffle soup |
Especially eye-catching is "One Bite Molecular Pho." Using the spherification technique pioneered by Spain's three-star chef Ferran Adrià, 12-hour beef-bone broth is wrapped in a jelly membrane. Pick it up with chopsticks and the clear sphere wobbles; the instant it enters your mouth, the rich umami of pho spreads all at once.
Space design — a beef-bone door handle and a 14-seat theater
The design is by Dix design+architecture. The 14-seat counter is arranged theater-style around an open kitchen, so the chef's hands are visible from every seat. The brass door handle at the entrance is shaped like a beef bone, like a ritual to step into the world of pho. Hand-painted ceramic tiles adorning the walls depict pho spoons, with "pho love" running through every detail.
A separate room also houses a 4-seat cocktail bar. Original cocktails using pho spices and wine pairings (an additional 2.2 million VND, about 13,000 yen) are on offer too.
Voices of those who ate there
On social media and review sites, voices of astonishment have gathered since just after the opening.
- "The moment the pho came out as a sphere, I laughed. But the taste is genuine pho. The depth of the broth is even better than an ordinary shop's" (a Japanese food blogger living in Vietnam)
- "It's an extension of Anan, but here it's a universe entirely of pho. By the time you finish all 12 dishes, you're overwhelmed by the depth of pho as a dish" (a Hong Kong-based food writer)
- "3.5 million VND is expensive. But if you had the same experience at Alinea in Chicago, it would cost five times as much. A price range that only works because it's Ho Chi Minh" (a travel media editor)
A practical guide for Japanese travelers
Direct flights from Japan to Ho Chi Minh operate daily from Narita, Haneda, and Kansai, taking about six hours each way. Pot Au Pho 2.0 is in the Ton That Dam market area, a 10-minute walk from Ben Thanh Market, andUNU Cocktails & EateryandLai Raiand other notable restaurants are within walking distance too. A fine-dining crawl is possible.
Bookings are most reliable via Instagram (@potaupho2.0) DM. English is available. It runs in two seatings, 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., open Wednesday through Sunday. Note that it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Ripple effects on the Vietnamese fine-dining market
The Vietnam Michelin Guide first landed in 2023, selecting starred restaurants in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. Pot Au Pho 2.0 stands at the forefront of the trend to elevate traditional cuisine into fine dining.After Eden NYCThe move to carry the essence of Vietnamese cuisine overseas, and the move to deepen it at home — these two wheels are lifting the global reputation of Vietnamese food culture.
Especially noteworthy is the strategy of "pho specialization." The approach of expanding one dish into 12 courses shares the idea behind Japanese sushi omakase, and it's a familiar format for Western gastronomes too.
Basic information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Shop name | Pot Au Pho 2.0 |
| Address | 91 Ton That Dam, Sai Gon Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City |
| Hours | Wed-Sun from 17:00 (closed Mon and Tue) |
| Seats | 14 counter seats + 4 cocktail-bar seats |
| Tasting menu | 3.5 million VND (about 20,600 yen) / 12 dishes |
| Wine pairing | Additional 2.2 million VND (about 13,000 yen) |
| Reservations | Instagram @potaupho2.0 DM or helloanan.my.canva.site/pot-au-pho-2-0 |
| Chef | Peter Cuong Franklin (Anan Saigon, Michelin one star) |
| Language | English and Vietnamese supported |
Summary — a pho "omakase" experience in Ho Chi Minh
Pot Au Pho 2.0 is a place that transforms pho, an everyday food, into a two-hour extraordinary experience. Molecular gastronomy is a means, not an end, and every dish is imbued with deep respect for pho. On your next Ho Chi Minh trip, after tasting both street-stall pho andHOP Vietnamese Londonoverseas-expanded Vietnamese cuisine like this, sit down at this 14-seat counter. The way you see pho will surely change.
