Pho Lovers is a family-owned restaurant that opened on Valentine's’ Day in 2015, with the goal of recreating the ambience of homemade breakfasts in Vietnam. The restaurant is committed to not adding MSG to their pho and intends to reflect flavors that prompt a sense of home, nostalgia, and camaraderie. Make sure to try the Pho Lovers Special Combo, which comes with rare steak, meatballs, and oxtail that falls off the bone, as well as their bun bo Hue and bo luc lac, a dish known as shaking beef.

Since opening eight years ago, GOGO Pho has been committed to the savory flavor of their broth. Not only does the restaurant slow cook their bone marrow and beef short ribs for many hours, but they also extract impurities and excess fat to ensure the soup is clean and crisp. Their Rare Steak Pho, a fan favorite, is topped with a bundle of fresh herbs and thin slices of filet mignon. Aside from the pho, visitors also rave about the banh mi and the grilled lemongrass pork vermicelli, which is served with an amalgam of green apples, mangos, and cucumbers.

Though Tay Ho started in SoCal and now has numerous locations across California, it’s still a family-owned venture at heart, as each spot is run by a family member. Named after the Tay Ho District in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, the restaurants serve a variety of Vietnamese dishes from recipes that have been passed down through generations. For pho, the difference in Tay Ho’s lies in the satisfying and refined broth. The Special Pho, in particular, incorporates different cuts of beef each day — reminiscent of what other restaurants refer to as “chef’s choice.”

Pho Kim Long is one of the oldest pho spots in the South Bay and opened its doors 35 years ago. When the owners left Vietnam and immigrated to California, they aimed to bring a piece of home with them. To this day, the restaurant still relies on the same original recipes. The Pho Combo comes with a rich, beef-based broth that’s simmered for more than 20 hours and the noodles are topped with a generous array of meat – filet mignon slices, tendon, tripe, flank, and brisket. If you’re not feeling soupy, the barbeque vermicelli bowls, sizzling grilled fish, and rice dishes are also solid options.

Eight years ago, an entrepreneur, a business woman, and a hospitality expert came together to start Pho Cong Ly. While their Special Pho incorporates the usual beef suspects, their Gourmet Pho boasts a uniquely harmonious combination of beef shank, filet mignon, beef tongue, and oxtail. Even without MSG in their pho, the flavors in the broth are robust and fragrant. As for appetizers, the chicken wings are a crowd favorite. And for those who want pho without the meat, Pho Cong Ly is one of the only pho restaurants in the area that offers a fully vegetarian noodle soup.

Pho Ha Noi serves Northern-style pho, which comes with thick, silky noodles and a clean, lighter broth. But that doesn’t mean the broth is simple to make. More than 500 pounds of bone marrow are cooked in a large 500-liter pot for almost 24 hours. Pho Ha Noi also promises consistent quality with their meat, as they say they source all of their beef from Whole Foods or Costco, while their free-range chicken comes directly from local farms. Aside from the beef and chicken pho, the egg rolls, egg noodles, and spring rolls are also fan favorites. And for those on the other side of the South Bay, you’re in luck — there’s another location in Cupertino.

Pho Ga Nha sets itself apart from many of the other pho spots in San Jose through its specialization in all things chicken. Over the past six years, the restaurant’s owners have consolidated the menu down to focus mostly on poultry items, while integrating some of their family’s long-standing recipes from Vietnam. The Combination Chicken Pho is made with locally raised, free-range chicken and provides an option for those who may be craving a lighter bowl of pho. Another commonly ordered dish is the com ga roti, or roti chicken, in which chicken is marinated, fried, and slathered in the restaurant’s signature sweet and savory sauce. 

For those who’ve made San Jose their home for many years, Pho 54 may ring a bell as another one of the original, no-frills pho spots in the area. Don’t let the unassuming strip mall or lines on the weekend turn you away — the clarified broth, slick noodles, and large portions will likely make the visit worth it. You can’t go wrong with the Special Beef Combo Pho, which comes with steak, brisket, flank, tendon, and tripe, as well as plentiful accoutrements like basil, bean sprouts, and lime. And if you’re looking to order a side with your noodle soup, the crispy egg rolls are a solid option.