Michelin does not award stars for flashy dishes, but rather recognizes places where people find seriousness, passion and consistency in every smallest detail of the dish. Pho Khoi Hoi's honor of being on the Michelin list for 2 consecutive years 2024 and 2025 is not a surprise to those who have visited. With prices ranging from only 40,000 to 90,000 VND for a bowl of pho, diners can rest assured to enjoy a full, quality meal without worrying about the price.
Nestled on the bustling Hang Vai street in the heart of Hoan Kiem district, Pho Khoi Hoi has long been a familiar meeting place for gourmets in Hanoi. Without flashy signs or loud advertising, this small restaurant has existed steadily and quietly for more than 25 years, as a humble witness to the capital's culinary scene.
What is special is that not only locals but also celebrities, coaches and players of the Vietnam National Team are also regular customers here. They come not because of the flashiness, but simply to find the traditional, rich, and unique flavor of Pho that Pho Khoi Hoi still preserves.
Ms. Minh Nguyet, the restaurant owner (Mr. Khoi Hoi's wife), shared that she did not pay attention to when the Michelin Guide reviewers came to eat because the restaurant was always crowded. When she learned that her pho brand was awarded the Bib Gourmand award, the restaurant owner was not too surprised. "The restaurant has always maintained a large and stable number of customers thanks to good service quality and delicious food."
Pho restaurant attracts customers thanks to its attractive flavor
A “Michelin Bib Gourmand” pho restaurant in the heart of the old town
The name "Khoi Hoi" - from a funny nickname to a brand
The name “Pho Khoi Hoi” sounds a bit rustic and curious, but it comes from the distinctive appearance of the restaurant owner - a middle-aged man with a bald head, cheerful and always enthusiastic with customers. But behind that humorous name is a process of serious work, full of passion for cooking pho. Mr. Khoi is not only the restaurant owner but also the main chef, directly supervising every step from choosing ingredients, simmering bones, slicing meat to serving each bowl of pho to the table. Perhaps, it is this meticulousness that has helped the restaurant build trust with customers, especially in a Hanoi where more and more restaurants are springing up with all kinds of modern styles.
Pho Khoi Hoi does not follow trends or elaborate recipes. Instead, the restaurant retains the spirit of the old Hanoi pho: clear broth, fragrant with grilled ginger, shallots, star anise and cinnamon, and a light sweetness from well-stewed beef bones. What makes Khoi Hoi the most different is the quality of the broth - the "soul" of the pho dish. Each pot of broth here is simmered from fresh beef bones for many hours, without using MSG, but instead using radish, onion and natural spices to create sweetness.
Pho Khoi Hoi serves many attractive choices from different cuts of beef.
Even the beef - an equally important part of the pho bowl - is handled with great care. Unlike many places that usually pre-slice the meat to save time, at Pho Khoi Hoi, the meat is only sliced directly after the customer orders. This helps the meat retain its freshness and ensures that the natural sweetness is not lost. In particular, the rare beef shank here is cut into moderately thick slices, crunchy and soft but still has a characteristic toughness, creating an extremely interesting dining experience.
Delicious Pho - just enough space, a familiar place for food connoisseurs
Although not spacious and luxurious, Khoi Hoi restaurant space brings a feeling of closeness and airiness. The seats are arranged neatly and cleanly. Every morning, the restaurant welcomes customers early, the sound of meat cutting knives clacking together with the aroma of hot broth rising up, creating a cozy and very Hanoi atmosphere.
Customers sit close together but no one feels uncomfortable, because they come to enjoy, to enjoy a real bowl of pho. The restaurant does not need air conditioning or high-class tables and chairs. The simplicity of the restaurant is the soul that makes customers feel familiar, as if they are sitting in a small family kitchen.
Pho Khoi Hoi serves many attractive choices from different parts of beef: well-done pho, flank pho, crispy flank, rare crispy flank, rare well-done, brisket, brisket, crispy flank core, special pho... Especially, those who love beef brisket will not be able to forget the golden, crispy but not greasy fat of the brisket, along with the light, crispy meat that melts in the mouth.
In addition to pho noodle soup, the restaurant also has stir-fried pho, fried noodles, rare beef, pan-fried beef and even red wine sauce - side dishes that help diversify the experience for diners while still maintaining the spirit of the traditional dish. Each dish is prepared with meticulousness and skill, ensuring that the flavors are distinct and not mixed together. It is the investment in each small part like this that has helped Pho Khoi Hoi retain customers for all these years.
Pho Khoi Hoi is not just a restaurant. It is a place that reminds us of an old Hanoi, where people come not only to eat but also to chat, to start a new day with the aroma of the broth, the sweetness of the beef and the delicacy in each soft and chewy noodle. Those who have eaten here can leave the city, but will always keep in their hearts the image of the friendly bald owner, the steaming bowls of pho and the unforgettable rich flavor.
No matter how life changes, no matter how modern the city develops, Pho Khoi Hoi still stands there, like a “small flame” smoldering to preserve the quintessence of traditional cuisine. A bowl of Pho, sometimes is not just a dish, but a memory, an emotion, a symbol of meticulousness, sincerity and perseverance.
Among the myriad of pho restaurants that spring up every year in Hanoi, Pho Khoi Hoi at 50C Hang Vai still maintains its position as a “milestone” of traditional flavors. No need for marketing gimmicks, no need for elaborate decoration, the restaurant conquers people’s hearts with its simplicity, sophistication and dedication put into each bowl of pho. That is what makes people love, respect and always come back - as a thank you to those who do the job properly and know how to cherish the original values of Vietnamese culinary culture.
Among the myriad of pho restaurants that spring up every year in Hanoi, Pho Khoi Hoi at 50C Hang Vai still maintains its position as a "milestone" of traditional flavors.
