A hidden oasis in Shoreline, this cozy pho shop feels like something likely to be found in Vietnam. The beef-based pho has perhaps the best depth of flavor in the Seattle area. There are non-beef options as well, including a vegetarian broth with tofu and vegetables, but beef is the main draw here. Do as the Vietnamese patrons do by ordering lychee water as a refreshing treat upon getting seated.

Lotus Pond brings new energy and quality Vietnamese food to North Seattle. The menu features a pho section that goes on and on — there’s pho with beef short ribs and tripe, duck pho, seafood pho, and an unusual spicy mala pho with rare steak. There’s also vegetarian pho and a version for kids. If you’re looking for a second noodle soup to order, the Hai Phong crab red noodle soup with wide red rice noodles is a unique one to try.

Mekong Village has been a mainstay of North Seattle, and its extensive pho selection essentially the centerpiece of its menu (but by no means the only thing to order there). Beef options include rare beef, flank, brisket, tendon and tripe in various combinations, with the dac biet offering the combination of everything. If what you see isn’t sufficient, you can also order extra of items like meat, meatballs, noodles, banh mi, and fried egg.

This Queen Anne restaurant and bar has incredibly rich broth — it’s deep and savory and almost peppery, perfect winter food. There’s oxtail pho on the menu here, and even a bowl of pho with a whole dang beef shank in there. It’s like... how do you even eat it? Try to strip the meat off with your chopsticks? Or just pick the bone up caveman-style and tear the tender meat off with your teeth? The latter option is definitely more fun.

This Capitol Hill restaurant offers a twist on the basic pho pho-rmula. You can get dried rice noodles or fresh ones, which are wider and chewier, imparting a different texture than the thinner noodles common around town. (If you get fresh, eat them fast, as they will otherwise start to crumble.) Beyond that, the broth is excellent — fresh and onion-y and full of flavor even without the hot sauce or jalapenos. Xom is the sibling restaurant to Ong Lam Bistro in Roosevelt, both of which opened in 2023 and serve the same pho.

The Pham family’s Pho Bac “boat” restaurant was a pioneer in the Vietnamese dining scene — and the more modern Pho Bac Sup Shop continues its legacy in Little Saigon. Sup Shop is renown for its various forms of pho (including short rib and beef belly), but the pho tron (“dry pho”) is truly the gem with its turmeric noodles and choice of protein. You can further indulge by ordering fries with bone marrow pate as a dip. 

This restaurant in the Little Saigon section of the C-ID serves up a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes. That said, there’s good reason to get the namesake dish. The delicious broth (a little less sweet than at nearby restaurants) earns the #1 mention in the restaurant name in the minds of many. You can customize what meat you want in that broth, with the dac biet offering a combination of all the beef options.

You can still see the missing “C” on the original “Pho Bac” sign outside, but Pho Ba in the C-ID is worthy on its own. It’s a no-nonsense shop with straightforward service by staff with limited English-speaking ability, and it’s a cash-only operation. Steamy, hot pho comes to the table quickly after ordering, which is ideal if you’re seated anywhere near the slow-closing front door on a cold day.