A popular Vietnamese restaurant from Dallas advances into Manhattan
"Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen," which won the Michelin Bib Gourmand for two consecutive years, 2024 and 2025, in Dallas, Texas, will open its second store in the East Village of Manhattan, New York in the summer of 2026. The location is 85 2nd Ave (corner of 5th Street), a two-story space of about 362 m².
Owner Carol Nguyen — from Hanoi to the U.S.
Owner Carol Nguyen is from Hanoi. After building over 10 years of experience in the dining industry, she opened at 1907 Greenville Avenue, Dallas in the thick of the 2020 pandemic. Michelin inspectors highly praise "cuisine inspired by Hanoi street food, and an atmosphere friendly to families too."
The motivation for the NY expansion has a personal reason too. Nguyen says her daughter lives in New York and that she "wanted to set up another base near family."
NY's dining market — the standing of Vietnamese cuisine
While Thai and Japanese restaurants are saturated in New York, shops offering authentic Vietnamese cuisine are limited. The East Village is a fierce battleground of multinational cuisine, but Michelin-recognized Vietnamese restaurants are few. Ngon pierces this gap with a strategy of "bringing Hanoi's taste over as is."
Menu highlights
| Dish | Overview |
|---|---|
| Bún Chả Hà Nội | Charcoal-grilled pork and dipping noodles — a Hanoi standard |
| Phở Hà Nội | Rice noodles in a clear, mellow broth |
| Cà Phê Trứng | Vietnamese-style egg coffee |
| Green Papaya Salad | A refreshing green-papaya salad |
| Tropical Rolls | Carol's original creative spring rolls |
Reactions from the industry and media
- CultureMap Dallas reported that "it's the first case of a Dallas Michelin-recognized restaurant advancing into NY"
- EV Grieve (a local East Village blog) confirmed the sign installation along 2nd Ave, with voices of welcome from nearby residents
- "I want to watch whether a shop with a queue in Dallas works in NY too" (a NY food-media person)
Impact on Japanese travelers and Japanese residents in the U.S.
The East Village is an area familiar to Japanese travelers too. Nearby is the ramen-shop strip of St. Marks Place. It draws attention as a place where people who touchedthe depth of phoon a Vietnam trip can re-experience Hanoi's taste during a NY stay.
The trend of Vietnamese cuisine's overseas expansion
Trung Nguyen Legend's first Taiwan storeFollowing it, the overseas expansion of Vietnamese dining brands is growing active. Vietnamese specialty shops are increasing not only in Asia but in major Western cities too, a sign that pho and banh mi are shifting from "ethnic cuisine" to "everyday food."
Venue information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Shop name | Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen NYC |
| Address | 85 2nd Ave (corner of 5th Street), East Village, Manhattan, NY |
| Area | About 362 m² (3,900 sq ft), two stories |
| Opening planned | Summer 2026 |
| Dallas main store | 1907 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX |
| Awards | Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024 and 2025 |
| @ngonvietkitchennyc |
Summary
Hanoi-born Carol Nguyen brings her Dallas Michelin-recognized shop to Manhattan. Scheduled to open at 85 2nd Ave in the East Village in summer 2026. Bun cha, pho, and egg coffee become savorable in NY. Confirm opening information at @ngonvietkitchennyc.
Source: CultureMap Dallas / EV Grieve / Michelin Guide
