Where to get pho in Toronto: how to read the bowl and where to slurp it

How to order Vietnamese pho in Toronto, what the cuts and the herbs are for, and the kitchens that make a proper broth. Every place with its own phone number.

Pho is a broth dish, and the broth is the whole argument. A good one has been going since morning, beef bones and charred onion and ginger and star anise, skimmed and clear and deep. If the bowl in front of you tastes flat, no amount of hoisin will save it, and the kitchen has told you what it thinks of you.

Toronto does pho well and does it cheap, mostly in downtown Chinatown and out in Scarborough. Here is how to order it and where to go.

How to read the bowl

  • The cuts. Pho tai is rare beef, sliced thin and cooked by the hot broth at the table. Pho dac biet is the works: rare beef, brisket, flank, tendon, and tripe. Order tai the first time, dac biet once you trust the place.
  • The plate on the side is not garnish. Bean sprouts, thai basil, lime, and fresh chilli go in as you eat, a handful at a time, so they stay bright. Basil in early goes limp.
  • Hoisin and sriracha are a matter of faith. The purist tastes the broth first and adds nothing. If you must, put them in a side dish and dip the meat, rather than drowning the bowl.
  • Slurp it hot and fast. Pho is not a slow meal. The noodles soften and the broth cools, so eat it while it is alive.

And if it is not a pho day, a banh mi is the other thing these kitchens do well: a Vietnamese sandwich on a light baguette with pate, pickled carrot and daikon, coriander and chilli, for a few dollars.

Downtown, around Chinatown

  1. And Banh Mi, vietnamese kitchen at 13 Elm Street in Old Toronto, Toronto
    And Banh Mi13 Elm Street, Old Toronto
    +1 416-348-8999
  2. Anh Dao Restaurant, vietnamese kitchen at 383 Spadina Avenue in Old Toronto, Toronto
    Anh Dao Restaurant383 Spadina Avenue, Old Toronto
    +1 416-598-4514
  3. Banh Mi Ba Le, vietnamese kitchen at 538 Dundas Street West in Old Toronto, Toronto
    Banh Mi Ba Le538 Dundas Street West, Old Toronto
    +1 416-977-2168
  4. Banh Mi Boys, vietnamese kitchen at 392 Queen Street West in Old Toronto, Toronto
    Banh Mi Boys392 Queen Street West, Old Toronto
    +1 416-363-0588
  5. Banh Mi HP, vietnamese kitchen at 1015 Kingston Road in Old Toronto, Toronto
    Banh Mi HP1015 Kingston Road, Old Toronto
    +1 416-400-3686
  6. Banh Mi Journey, vietnamese kitchen at 53 Bloor Street East in Old Toronto, Toronto
    Banh Mi Journey53 Bloor Street East, Old Toronto
    +1 437-299-2703
  7. Banh Mi SALA, vietnamese kitchen at 879 Bay Street in Old Toronto, Toronto
    Banh Mi SALA879 Bay Street, Old Toronto
    +1 416-900-7648
  8. BeLeaf Vietnamese Cuisine, vietnamese kitchen at 45 Carlton Street in Old Toronto, Toronto
    BeLeaf Vietnamese Cuisine45 Carlton Street, Old Toronto
    +1 416-977-8668
  9. Beyond Banh Mi, vietnamese kitchen at 398 College Street in Old Toronto, Toronto
    Beyond Banh Mi398 College Street, Old Toronto
    +1 437-880-8497
  10. Bun Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant, vietnamese kitchen at 252 Spadina Avenue in Old Toronto, Toronto
    Bun Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant252 Spadina Avenue, Old Toronto
    +1 416-504-2188
All 47 vietnamese restaurants in Old Toronto →

Scarborough

  1. Bong Lua Vietnamese Restaurant 禾花, vietnamese kitchen at 2572 Birchmount Road in Scarborough, Toronto
    Bong Lua Vietnamese Restaurant 禾花2572 Birchmount Road, Scarborough
    +1 647-351-0809
  2. Di An Vietnamese Cuisine Scarborough, vietnamese kitchen at 2361 Brimley Road in Scarborough, Toronto
    Di An Vietnamese Cuisine Scarborough2361 Brimley Road, Scarborough
    +1 416-609-9095
  3. Minh’s (Scarborough), vietnamese kitchen at 4271 Sheppard Avenue East in Scarborough, Toronto
    Minh’s (Scarborough)4271 Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough
    +1 437-225-2250
  4. MS PHO Saigon (Scarborough), vietnamese kitchen at 4002 Sheppard Avenue East in Scarborough, Toronto
    MS PHO Saigon (Scarborough)4002 Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough
    +1 416-335-8689
  5. Pho Quinn Scarborough, vietnamese kitchen at 2900 Warden Avenue in Scarborough, Toronto
    Pho Quinn Scarborough2900 Warden Avenue, Scarborough
    +1 647-350-8819

Before you go

Ring first if you are going out of your way, because the small rooms keep their own hours and a good pho house can sell through its broth and close early. The number on each page is the restaurant's own.

Written by See The Six · kept current from the directory, last checked 2026-08-24

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