On the morning of September 2, 2026, Vietnam's National Day, long lines formed at pho restaurants in Hanoi. According to VnExpress, which reported the same day, crowds nearly double the usual size packed in everywhere from old-quarter institutions to Michelin Guide-listed shops. With people returning to the city over the holiday, the rush for a pho breakfast compounded the crowds.
Deciding where to eat is often the first thing travelers arriving in Hanoi struggle with. Knowing the length of the lines and what makes each shop distinctive makes it easier to fit them into a short stay. Here's a rundown of the shops named in the report, by location and character.
30-40 people lined up during the holiday at Phở 49 Bát Đàn, over 100 years old
Phở 49 Bát Đàn on Bát Đàn Street has a history spanning more than 100 years. It still follows the custom from the subsidy era (bao cấp): customers line up first, pay when their turn comes, then carry their own bowl to their seat, the reverse of how staff bring dishes to the table at most restaurants today.
According to VnExpress, the line on weekdays runs about 10-15 people, but during the National Day holiday it held steady at 30-40 people. Drawn by the beef pho, customers kept coming from right after opening. The shop is also counted among the pho restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide.
Paying before receiving your bowl tends to confuse first-time travelers most. The line moves fast, and the order is almost always just beef pho. Watching how the customer ahead of you handles it once is enough to get through your own turn without hesitation. The wait itself has become part of what travelers come to photograph at this shop.
Two Michelin-listed shops on Hàng Vải Street, Khôi Hói and Lâm, serve beef-core-cut pho
On Hàng Vải Street in the Old Quarter stand two Michelin Guide-listed shops side by side: Phở Khôi Hói at No. 50 and Phở Lâm at No. 48. Both are known for phở lõi, made with the tender core cut of beef.
The firm cut is sliced thin, giving a lean texture with little fat. Alongside regular local customers, tourists are a common sight, and both shops saw more visitors over National Day. Since they're just doors apart, if one is crowded you can simply head to the other.
Phở Ấu Triệu beside the Cathedral: full inside, with the line spilling onto the sidewalk
Phở Ấu Triệu, tucked beside St. Joseph's Cathedral (Nhà thờ Lớn), is a small alley shop that stays full inside, with customers who can't fit lining up on the sidewalk. The cathedral is a natural starting point for exploring the Old Quarter, making it easy to swing by while walking the area.
Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư, built entirely around beef
Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư stands on the corner of Lý Quốc Sư and Chân Cầm streets. It specializes in beef pho and lets you choose your combination of cuts. It's listed in the Michelin Guide and draws many foreign customers. Within walking distance of the cathedral and Hàng Vải Street, it fits easily into an Old Quarter pho tour.
Beef pho's flavor changes with the cut. The basics are tái (rare, quickly seared), chín (well-cooked), nạm (brisket), and gầu (fatty brisket), and shop menus are built around these combinations. If you can't decide, a bowl combining tái and chín lets you try both lean and cooked beef at once. The texture runs in a different direction from shops that highlight the beef core cut, so visiting two Old Quarter shops makes the contrast easy to spot.
No sign, 30 people from morning at Phở Hồ Lợi near West Lake
Outside the Old Quarter, near West Lake (Tây Hồ), about 30 people lined up on the National Day morning at Phở Hồ Lợi as well. VnExpress reported that customer numbers that day reached double the usual figure. This shop, known for its inconspicuous sign and a broth simmered for 18 hours, is covered inour article visiting this unmarked pho shop by West Lakein more detail. It's a good option for those willing to venture a little beyond the Old Quarter.
The Michelin Guide Vietnam began in 2023
The Michelin Guide published its first Vietnam edition covering Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2023, then added Da Nang in 2024. Beyond the starred selections, there's a Bib Gourmand category for affordable, high-quality shops, and in Hanoi many noodle dishes such as pho and bun cha made the list. Some of the shops named here have turned that listing into a draw for customers.
The listing has helped bring foreign customers into Hanoi's local eateries. The sight of tourists lining up at Old Quarter pho shops has become established over the past few years.
Quick guide for Japanese travelers on the food trail
Here are the shops named in the report, listed by location, specialty, and typical line length. Business hours and prices couldn't be confirmed from the report, so please check locally.
| Shop name | Area | Specialty | Typical line (during National Day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phở 49 Bát Đàn | Old Quarter, Bát Đàn Street | Over 100 years old, subsidy-era style, beef pho you carry yourself | Usually 10-15 people / 30-40 during the holiday |
| Phở Khôi Hói | Old Quarter, 50 Hàng Vải Street | Michelin-listed, phở lõi with beef core cut | Tourists line up too |
| Phở Lâm | Old Quarter, 48 Hàng Vải Street | Michelin-listed, phở lõi with beef core cut | Tourists line up too |
| Phở Ấu Triệu | Beside the Cathedral | Small shop, always full, line spills onto the sidewalk | Full inside, line outside |
| Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư | Old Quarter, Lý Quốc Sư × Chân Cầm | Michelin-listed, beef specialist, choose your cut | Many foreign customers |
| Phở Hồ Lợi | Near West Lake (Tây Hồ) | No sign, 18-hour simmered broth | About 30 people in the morning, double the usual |
Pho is established in Hanoi as a breakfast dish. Right after opening, the line tends to be shorter and you're more likely to get a bowl from a freshly made batch of broth. A route that shifts to bun cha at lunch and egg coffee in the evening is covered inour Hanoi Old Quarter food-trail article. If you're looking for lunch after pho,our midday food trail centered on bun chais worth reading too, to help plan your route.
Factor in the lines on holiday and long-weekend mornings
On holidays like National Day, people return to the city and lines concentrate at morning pho shops. If your stay falls on a holiday or weekend, aim for right after opening or keep two or three candidates in the Old Quarter to hold down your wait time. Shops located close to each other make it easy to switch based on how crowded each one is. The line itself is a reflection of the shop's reputation.
Sources:
VnExpress「Xếp hàng ăn phở Hà Nội ngày lễ 2/9」
MICHELIN Guide — Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư
