Brian Jeffrey
Located in the cramped passageway at 61 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, directly across from Hoan Kiem Lake, lies a quaint pho shop that has delighted patrons for seventy years.
Throughout the decades, the pho shop has retained its simple charm, featuring a handful of small tables against the aging alleyway wall, a no-nonsense kitchen with an ever-busy chopping board and knife, a simmering pot of broth, a basket overflowing with noodles, and platters filled with brisket, rare beef, and flank.
Visitors casually take their seats wherever available, as there are no reserved tables for groups. Occasionally, a motorcycle may zip through the tight alley, prompting diners to pull their chairs back. However, local riders are adept at navigating through such confined spaces.
When all seats are occupied, regulars often find a chair at the adjacent iced tea stand or grab a coffee at a nearby café while waiting for a spot to open up.
The author To Hoai, in his book Old Stories of Hanoi, wrote about Pho Thin: “During the U.S. bombing of Hanoi, when the city fell silent at night, only Mr. Thin’s pho shop on Hang Dau Street remained operational,” he noted. “At times, when the air raid sirens sounded, patrons would carry their pho bowls to nearby bomb shelters by Hoan Kiem Lake to finish their meals.”
This literary reference signifies Pho Thin’s deep-rooted connection with many residents of Hanoi, even during their most challenging times.
Pho Thin, located at 61 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, was established in 1955 by Bui Chi Thin (1928–2001). His grandson, the current proprietor Bui Chi Thanh, shared that Mr. Thin hailed from Hoai Duc, which was previously part of Ha Tay province (now a part of Hanoi). In his youth, he joined the militia and was imprisoned by the French colonial authorities at Hoa Lo Prison.
After his release in 1952, he remained in Hanoi and began helping a relative sell pho from a vendor’s gánh (carry pole). Over time, he honed his skills and launched his own pho enterprise.
Initially, Mr. Thin transported his pho between Ham Long Street and the Yen Phu water plant. He later found a permanent spot at “Au Tri Vien” (now the Hanoi Children’s Palace) on Ly Thai To Street.
Following the liberation of the capital, he and his wife, Nguyen Thi Ty, opened a pho shop at the entrance of their alley to support their family of nine children.
“My father recounted how challenging it was during those times. They had to fetch water from the street. Electricity was erratic; some days it worked, others it didn’t. But my grandfather was renowned for his sense of humor and his warm hospitality. While making pho, he would recite verses from The Tale of Kieu or sing traditional songs,” Thanh recounted.
His pho bowls, characterized by their clear broth devoid of excess beef fat, quickly garnered popularity through word of mouth.
Mr. Thin passed on his pho-making expertise to his offspring. “My grandfather had five sons and four daughters. At one time, all five sons operated their own pho shops, while two of the daughters also entered the business,” Thanh reminisced.
The original establishment at 61 Dinh Tien Hoang was inherited by the eldest son, Bui Chi Hoa (1955–2021), and is now managed by Thanh, the first grandson.
“I grew up in this alley, beside the ever-burning coal stove of my grandparents and parents,” Thanh shared. “Even when I was just five or six, and my grandfather had retired from selling pho, he would sit in the alley every morning, observing my parents cook, while engaging with loyal customers.”
Thanh recalls how his grandfather would often bicycle around for surprise checks on other family-run pho establishments, scrutinizing their ingredients and methods to ensure they aligned with his high standards.
“While the sons managed their pho shops, the daughters supported with ingredients like beef and noodles. Our family business operated efficiently, akin to a closed-loop system, thanks to my grandfather’s innovative thinking,” Thanh noted.
Over the years, some of Thanh’s aunts and uncles have passed away, and others lacked successors for their businesses. Today, in addition to the original venue, family-run Pho Thin branches continue to thrive on Hang Tre, Le Van Huu, Kim Ma, and an upcoming location on Nguyen Van Tuyet.
For the past 70 years, Pho Thin Bo Ho (Pho Thin by the Lake) has delighted customers with its signature pho featuring rare beef, brisket, and flank in a crystal-clear broth.
Having grown up in the pho business, Thanh initially helped wash dishes and attend to customers. Although he studied graphic design at university and later ran a coffee shop, he returned in 2015 to help as his parents’ health began to decline.
“I already had the fundamentals from childhood—how to clear tables, slice meat, and prepare broth. Therefore, stepping in wasn’t overly challenging,” he explained.
With his wife, Ngoc Thu, Thanh revitalized the shop, repainting walls blackened by coal smoke and refurbishing the furnishings.
“For six decades, we cooked the broth using coal. When I married into the family, they gifted me a cherished iron poker for the coal stove,” Thu recounted.
“When Hanoi mandated the phase-out of coal, we transitioned to gas. However, Thanh insists on using gas stoves—only flames allow him precise control over the cooking process.”
Pho Thin still adheres to the original Hanoi pho recipe—eschewing star anise, cinnamon, or fish sauce in favor of simple spices and ginger.
“I adapt the simmering time based on the daily quantity of bones and beef used. With experience, I can judge the broth’s potency just by its color or smell,” Thanh elaborated.
The shop uses aged yet fresh beef, contributing a deeper sweetness to the broth. Cooked beef is sliced fresh to retain its moisture. Rare beef is tenderized, compressed, and placed into the bowl before being quickly dipped in boiling broth for optimal doneness.
The busiest hours are between 8:00 and 9:30 AM, with every spot in the alley filled to capacity. As one customer departs, another arrives. Thanh and a team member alternate in slicing the meat, while the sounds of chopping, customer interactions, and passing motorbikes create a vibrant atmosphere unique to Pho Thin.
In recent years, Pho Thin has garnered mixed reviews, yet its renowned reputation continues to draw both international visitors and media spotlight.
As Thanh and Thu assumed ownership, they embraced modern marketing strategies, designing their signage, launching a website, and creating a fan page to share their family’s pho narrative.
“We also participated in culinary events to broaden our brand’s reach,” Thu added. These efforts have paid off, with Pho Thin Bo Ho now featured at significant events.
In 2019, Pho Thin was selected by Hanoi’s government to prepare 4,000 bowls of pho for the U.S.–North Korea summit, receiving accolades from foreign media.
By the end of 2023, Pho Thin was
During the event “Vietnam Day in France 2023” held in Paris, Thanh took the opportunity to personally serve pho to attendees, embodying the theme “Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future.”
The establishment has gained attention from global media, notably featured in Channel News Asia’s “In Search of Umami (S1E3: Hanoi – Sauces and Essences),” which celebrated its authentic flavors preserved through time.
Many patrons wonder why the shop is located in a narrow alley. Thanh replies, “This is where our journey started. This alley carries memories spanning three generations amidst the ebbs and flows of Hanoi’s history.”
“I aim to keep that nostalgic vibe alive. For newcomers, I wish for them to encounter something both familiar and distinctly Hanoi.”
However, there are plans in Hanoi to shift several homes and offices in the eastern Hoan Kiem Lake region to expand public spaces, which could jeopardize Pho Thin’s original site.
“This year, we planned to celebrate our shop’s 70th anniversary. Learning about the city’s intentions caught us off guard. Now we’re searching for a new location, hoping to stay close to the lake where we’ve been for 70 years,” Thanh expressed.
The news of a potential closure has incited a rush of customers eager to savor one last bowl.
“We’ve been coming here since childhood – back when pho was just 15,000–20,000 VND (approximately USD 0.60–0.80). Now we’ve grown into grandmothers,” remarked Pham Thi Ngoc Lan from Bac Tu Liem.
“Whenever we visit, Pho Thin is our go-to. If it moves from this alley by Hoan Kiem Lake, I know many, including myself, will feel a profound sense of loss.”
“Yet, if the family continues their pho legacy, I’m confident people will follow them wherever they go,” she concluded.
