Why I'm Qualified to Judge Phở
I'm Vietnamese-Australian, born in Saigon, raised in Sydney. I've eaten phở from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to every Vietnamese neighborhood in Sydney. My grandmother made phở from scratch. My mother's phở is legendary in our community. I've judged phở competitions.
More importantly, I've eaten bad phở. I've had cloudy broth, overcooked noodles, wrong cuts of beef, synthetic-tasting msg bombs, and phở that made me question the restaurant's commitment to Vietnamese cuisine.
This guide comes from someone who cares deeply about phở done properly. Not just 'good enough for white people who don't know better' - actually good phở by Vietnamese standards.
What Makes Great Phở: The Technical Standards
The Broth (Everything)
Phở lives or dies by its broth. Everything else is negotiable, but bad broth ruins everything.
What to look for:
- Clarity: Good phở broth is crystal clear, not cloudy. Cloudiness means improper technique
- Depth: You should taste beef bones (at least 12 hours of simmering), star anise, cinnamon, but nothing overpowering
- Balance: No single spice dominates. The broth is complex but harmonious
- Clean finish: No greasy aftertaste, no MSG headache
- Aromatic: You smell it before you taste it - star anise, charred onion, ginger
How to test: Drink a spoonful of broth before adding anything. Great phở broth is delicious on its own. If you need to add fish sauce, sriracha, or hoisin immediately, the broth isn't good enough.
The Noodles (Non-Negotiable)
Fresh bánh phở is essential:
- Soft but with slight resistance
- Pure white color (off-white or gray means old or preservatives)
- Slippery texture, not sticky
- Should be cooked fresh when you order, not pre-cooked and reheated
Red flag: If noodles stick together in clumps or have uneven texture, they're not fresh or not cooked properly.
The Beef (Quality and Cuts)
Traditional phở bò uses specific cuts:
- Tái (rare beef slices): Paper-thin, cooks in the broth, bright pink to medium-rare
- Chín (well-done brisket): Tender, not tough, falls apart slightly
- Nạm (flank): Slightly chewier, good beef flavor
- Gầu (fatty brisket): Rich, melts in your mouth
- Gân (tendon): Chewy, collagen-rich, not everyone's favorite but traditional
- Sách (tripe): Requires proper preparation to avoid rubber texture
Quality indicators: Fresh beef should be bright red, not brown. It should smell clean, not fishy or off.
The Herbs and Accompaniments
Proper phở comes with a plate of fresh herbs and vegetables:
- Giá (bean sprouts): Fresh, crisp, not slimy
- Ngò gai (sawtooth coriander): Essential, not negotiable
- Húng quế (Thai basil): Aromatic, fresh leaves
- Chanh (lime wedges): Fresh lime, not lemon
- Ớt (chilies): Fresh chilies, preferably bird's eye
Western additions (not traditional but common in Sydney):
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha
Vietnamese perspective: My grandmother would never put hoisin or sriracha in phở. But Sydney Vietnamese have adapted - if the broth needs help, add what you want. If the broth is great, respect it by tasting it pure first.
The Best Phở in Sydney: Neighborhood by Neighborhood
Cabramatta: The Phở Capital
1. Phở Tau Bay (John Street)
The verdict: The best phở in Sydney, possibly Australia.
Why it's legendary:
- Broth that's been perfected over 30+ years
- They simmer bones for 18 hours minimum
- Crystal clear broth with incredible depth
- Fresh noodles made in-house daily
- Massive bowls, cheap prices ($12-14)
What to order: Phở đặc biệt (special with everything) - $14
Personal take: This is my measuring stick. Every phở I eat gets compared to Phở Tau Bay. The broth is so good that adding anything feels disrespectful. My grandmother approved of this place, which is the highest praise possible.
Timing tip: Lunchtime is packed (wait 15-20 minutes). Go 2-3 PM for no queue but still fresh ingredients.
2. Phở An (John Street)
The verdict: Serious competition for best in Sydney.
What sets it apart:
- Slightly sweeter broth (Southern Vietnamese style)
- Excellent beef quality
- Generous portions
- Faster service than Phở Tau Bay
What to order: Phở tái nạm (rare beef and flank) - $13
Personal take: If Phở Tau Bay is too busy, Phở An is equally good. The difference in broth style is personal preference - I slightly prefer Tau Bay's complexity, but my Southern Vietnamese friends swear by Phở An.
3. Phở Hoa (John Street)
The verdict: Solid, consistent, sometimes overlooked.
Why it's good:
- Very clean broth (less spice presence)
- Perfect for those who find traditional phở too intense
- Excellent for first-timers
- Good quality beef
Personal take: This is where I take non-Vietnamese friends first. The broth is approachable without being dumbed down.
Marrickville: Inner West Phở
Pho Pasteur (Illawarra Road)
The verdict: Best phở in the inner west, no contest.
Why it's special:
- Fantastic broth that rivals Cabramatta
- Trendy location without trendy prices
- $13-15 for excellent phở
- Mixed clientele (Vietnamese community + hipsters)
What to order: Phở bò (beef pho) - $13
Personal take: This is my local. I eat here weekly. The broth is proper Vietnamese-standard - my parents approve, which means it's good. The noodles are fresh, never overcooked.
Read more: Complete Marrickville Vietnamese Guide
Bankstown: Underrated Phở Scene
Phở Hong (Chapel Road)
The verdict: Bankstown's hidden gem.
Why locals love it:
- Strong Vietnamese community following
- Very traditional Hanoi-style phở
- Less sweet, more herbal
- Cheap ($11-13)
Personal take: Northern Vietnamese phở is different - less sweet, more emphasis on herbs and clear flavors. If you've only had Southern-style, this is educational.
CBD and Surrounding Areas
The Pho (CBD Multiple Locations)
The verdict: Controversial. Not traditional, but successful.
Why it's polarizing:
- Very commercialized, chain-like feel
- Broth is decent but not exceptional
- Expensive by Vietnamese standards ($15-18)
- Convenient CBD locations
- Good for business lunch, not authentic experience
Personal take: I don't hate it, but I don't love it. It's phở for office workers, not phở for Vietnamese people. If you're in the CBD and desperate, it's fine. If you have time to get to Cabramatta or Marrickville, do that instead.
Kingsford (UNSW Area)
Multiple Vietnamese Restaurants on Anzac Parade
The verdict: Student-focused, variable quality.
What to know:
- Very cheap ($10-12)
- Quality varies significantly
- Some places cut corners to keep prices low
- Good for students, not for phở purists
Personal take: I ate here constantly as a student. It's adequate when you're broke. Now that I have income, I make the trip to Cabramatta.
Phở Variations: Beyond Beef
Phở Gà (Chicken Phở)
How it's different: Lighter broth made from chicken bones, cleaner flavor profile, less intense.
Best in Sydney:
- Phở Tau Bay (Cabramatta): Their phở gà is underrated, excellent broth
- Thanh Binh (Marrickville): Very clean chicken broth
When to choose chicken:
- You want something lighter
- Hot summer day (chicken phở is refreshing)
- You don't eat beef
- You're feeling unwell (Vietnamese penicillin)
Personal take: When I'm sick, I want phở gà. When I'm hungry and want flavor, I want phở bò. Both are valid.
Phở Chay (Vegetarian Phở)
Increasing demand, improving quality.
The challenge: Creating depth without animal bones. Most use mushroom and vegetable stock with careful spice balance.
Where to find good vegetarian phở:
- Various Buddhist temples: They make phở chay for religious occasions
- Some Cabramatta restaurants: Offering vegan options for modern Vietnamese-Australians
Personal perspective: As someone who eats meat, I was skeptical. Good phở chay changed my mind - it's different, but it's good in its own right.
How to Eat Phở Properly
The Traditional Vietnamese Way
Step 1: Respect the broth
- Taste a spoonful of broth first, before adding anything
- Appreciate the clarity, complexity, depth
- This tells you how good the restaurant is
Step 2: Add herbs gradually
- Start with just lime and herbs
- Add bean sprouts if you want crunch
- Taste after each addition
Step 3: Noodles and beef together
- Use chopsticks to lift noodles
- Include some beef in each bite
- The rare beef continues cooking in the broth
Step 4: Drink the broth
- Use the spoon, or drink directly from the bowl (acceptable in Vietnamese culture)
- Don't leave broth behind - it's the soul of phở
The Sydney-Vietnamese Adapted Way
Many second-generation Vietnamese-Australians add:
- Hoisin sauce (not traditional, but common)
- Sriracha (definitely not traditional)
- Extra fish sauce
My perspective: I don't add hoisin or sriracha to great phở. If the broth needs help, then add what you want. There's no shame in making it taste good to you.
Common Mistakes Non-Vietnamese Make
- Adding all the herbs at once: Overwhelming, kills the broth balance
- Drowning it in sauce: Disrespectful to good broth
- Not eating the herbs: They're essential, not garnish
- Overcooking the rare beef: It should be pink-ish, not gray
- Leaving broth: Drink it all, that's the point
Phở Etiquette and Cultural Context
What's Acceptable
- Slurping (actually encouraged - shows enjoyment)
- Eating quickly (phở is fast food in Vietnam)
- Drinking broth directly from bowl
- Using chopsticks and spoon simultaneously
- Asking for more herbs
What's Considered Rude
- Leaving most of the broth (wasteful)
- Being overly loud about 'authenticity' if you're not Vietnamese
- Complaining it's not spicy (add your own chilies)
- Saying 'foe' instead of 'fuh' (pronunciation matters to us)
Restaurant Etiquette
- Ordering: Know what you want, Vietnamese restaurants move fast
- Seating: Expect to share tables during busy times
- Service: Don't expect overly friendly service - efficiency is the priority
- Paying: Usually at the counter, not table service
Making Phở at Home: Is It Worth It?
The Honest Truth
Making proper phở at home takes:
- 12-18 hours of simmering bones
- Multiple kilos of beef bones
- Specialized spices
- Fresh rice noodles
- A very patient family
My mother's phở: She starts the day before. The house smells like phở for 24 hours. It's incredible, better than most restaurants, but it's a production.
When to Make It at Home
- Special occasions (Tết, family gatherings)
- You have time and family to feed
- You want to learn the traditional method
- You're teaching younger generation
When to Just Go to Cabramatta
- Weeknight dinner
- You want one or two bowls
- You don't have 24 hours
- Honestly, most of the time
Economic reality: A bowl at Phở Tau Bay costs $13. Making it at home costs $50+ in ingredients plus a full day. Unless you're feeding 10+ people or doing it for cultural reasons, restaurants make more sense.
Phở Across Generations
First Generation (My Parents)
- Phở is nostalgia, connection to Vietnam
- They're very particular about quality
- They compare everything to phở in Vietnam
- Will travel to Cabramatta specifically for good phở
Second Generation (Me)
- Phở is both comfort food and cultural identity
- We appreciate good phở but are more flexible
- More likely to try fusion or modern interpretations
- Value convenience alongside authenticity
Third Generation (My Cousins' Kids)
- Phở is just good food, less cultural weight
- They like it but don't obsess
- More open to non-traditional versions
- 'Pho' is as Australian as Vietnamese to them
All valid perspectives. Culture evolves, and that's okay.
The Cultural Significance of Phở
Why Phở Matters to Vietnamese People
Phở is:
- The dish everyone knows from Vietnam
- A connection to home for refugees
- Something Vietnamese people globally recognize
- Our most successful cultural export
- A point of pride when done well
Personal reflection: When my family fled Vietnam in 1981, they couldn't bring much. But they brought recipes, memories, tastes. Phở in Sydney isn't exactly like phở in Saigon, but it's close enough to trigger memory, to feel connection, to pass down tradition.
Why Non-Vietnamese Love Phở
- Comforting and healthy
- Customizable (herbs, spice level)
- Affordable
- Fresh ingredients, not heavy
- Increasingly mainstream
The fact that phở has become so widely loved in Sydney is both gratifying and complicated. We want our food appreciated, but we also don't want it diluted or bastardized.
Rating System: How I Judge Phở
My Personal Criteria (Out of 10)
- Broth clarity: Must be crystal clear (2 points)
- Broth depth: Complex, layered flavors (3 points)
- Noodle freshness: Fresh, perfect texture (2 points)
- Beef quality: Fresh, proper cuts, right cooking (2 points)
- Herb freshness: Fresh, variety, generous (1 point)
By this system:
- Phở Tau Bay: 10/10
- Phở An: 9.5/10
- Pho Pasteur: 9/10
- The Pho (CBD): 6.5/10
Final Verdict: Best Phở in Sydney 2025
Overall Champion
Phở Tau Bay (Cabramatta) - The best phở in Sydney, possibly Australia. If you want to understand what phở should be, eat here.
Best Inner West
Pho Pasteur (Marrickville) - Excellent phở without the Cabramatta trek. Proper Vietnamese standards.
Best Value
Phở Hoa (Cabramatta) - $12 for excellent phở. Hard to beat.
Best for First-Timers
Pho Pasteur (Marrickville) - Good introduction, nicer atmosphere, English-friendly.
Most Authentic Hanoi-Style
Phở Hong (Bankstown) - For those who prefer Northern Vietnamese style.
Phở is more than soup to Vietnamese people. It's home, identity, cultural continuity. Sydney does phở well - really well. The Vietnamese community here has maintained quality while adapting to Australian context.
When you eat phở in Sydney, you're not just eating soup. You're participating in a cultural tradition, supporting refugee communities, experiencing something that's traveled halfway around the world and taken root here.
That's worth respecting. That's worth getting right.
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