“Pho Chi Mo,” a pho specialty shop in Ho Chi Minh City, received a Michelin honor the day after announcing a temporary closure due to relocation. In a twist, it announced the closure on June 3 and learned of its entry into “Bib Gourmand” at the Michelin awards ceremony on the 4th. The owner reportedly learned of the award from a friend’s phone call, and the coincidence of a closure notice overlapping with the recognition has become a talking point.
The closure notice on June 3, and the reason
On June 3, Pho Chi Mo announced a temporary halt to operations. The reason was a move to a more central area within Ho Chi Minh City—not a closure itself, but a suspension to relocate. The shop plans to move to a more central location, in what was formerly District 1. It’s run by founder and owner Hung Nguyen.
The next day, the 4th, it made Bib Gourmand at the Hanoi awards ceremony
The day after the closure notice, on June 4, the awards ceremony for the Michelin Guide Vietnam 2026 was held in Hanoi. Pho Chi Mo was named a “Bib Gourmand” there. Bib Gourmand is a category given to shops that serve high-quality food at reasonable prices. The owner wasn’t there that day, and reportedly learned of the award from a friend’s message in the evening. The table below organizes the sequence of events.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 3 | Announced a temporary closure due to relocation |
| June 4, | Michelin awards ceremony in Hanoi / made Bib Gourmand |
| Evening of June 4 | The owner learns of the award from a friend’s phone call |
| June 6 | Local media report it |
The owner’s words: “I was told by phone”
Owner Hung Nguyen recalls the moment he learned of the award like this: “On the night of June 4, friends called to tell me, ‘Pho Chi Mo made the Bib Gourmand list.’ That’s how I found out.” He didn’t apply for it or aim for it himself; the recognition arrived crossing paths with the closure notice.
Bib Gourmand grew in the 2026 edition
In the Michelin Guide Vietnam 2026, Bib Gourmand reached 72 shops in total. Of these, 11 were new additions, and Pho Chi Mo is one of them. In Ho Chi Minh City, five shops were newly added to this category. Its restaurant-making, offering pho as “a cultural experience to savor more deeply,” was recognized.
The difficulty of relocation and recognition overlapping
For a restaurant, making Michelin is a recognition directly tied to drawing customers. On the other hand, because it coincided exactly with entering a closure for relocation, a situation also arose where it was hard to carry the momentum of the award straight to the storefront. Whether the recognition carries over even after the location changes rests on operations after reopening.
Summary
Pho Chi Mo’s Bib Gourmand entry arrived at the coincidental timing of the day after a closure notice due to relocation. Including the episode of the owner learning of the award by phone, it’s drawing attention as a case where recognition and relocation crossed paths. How it makes use of Michelin’s boost at its new central-area location after reopening will be worth watching.
Related articles:
・Michelin-selected banh mi
・The closure of a long-established eatery
・A food street bustling until late night
Source:DTiNews / HCM City pho restaurant earns Michelin honor a day after closure notice / Dan Tri / Lifestyle
