Continuously honored by the world
As one of the most unique dishes of Vietnamese cuisine, in recent years, pho has continuously appeared in international prestigious rankings, culinary handbooks and evaluation systems.
Recently, the Michelin Guide announced the list of selected restaurants and eateries in Vietnam in 2026. Among them, many pho restaurants in Hanoi are featured in the Bib Gourmand and Michelin Selected categories such as: Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su (Hoan Kiem), Pho ga Nguyet, Pho Gia truyen (Hoan Kiem), Pho Ha Hang Hom, Pho Khoi Hoi...
After four Michelin seasons of presence in Vietnam, pho is still a dish highly appreciated by international experts. Michelin considers it "one of the most famous dishes of Vietnam", emphasizing the appeal of the broth that is simmered for many hours from beef bones with cinnamon, anise, cardamom, ginger and traditional spices, creating a clear but rich flavor.
Previously, at the end of 2025, the culinary website TasteAtlas announced the list of 100 best dishes in Southeast Asia, in which pho ranked 9th.
When enjoying pho, diners will feel the wonderful harmony between the ingredients. A hot bowl of pho has soft and chewy pho noodles, on top are diverse types of meat such as gourami, lean meat, rare meat, tendon and beef balls, dotted with green of scallions, herbs in the mild taste of bean sprouts, onions... creating a whole that is both beautiful and delicious," TasteAtlas commented.
At TasteAtlas' 100 Best Food Awards 2025 (100 best dishes in the world in 2025), pho bo is the only representative of Vietnam to be on the list, ranked 93rd with a score of 4.44/5.
At the end of 2024, CNN continued to include pho in the list of 20 best soups in the world. According to CNN, pho is a combination of rich broth, pho noodles, herbs and meat, most commonly beef. This media channel especially appreciates the elaborately simmered broth and the balance between spices, the factors that create the unique identity of Vietnamese cuisine.
Besides the rankings, many international travel guides such as Lonely Planet or Condé Nast Traveler have also repeatedly recommended tourists to enjoy pho when coming to Vietnam.
For many foreign tourists, a hot bowl of pho is not only a taste experience but also the clearest way to feel the rhythm of life, culture and people of Vietnam.
Conquering famous chefs and heads of state
Not only highly appreciated by international organizations, pho has also conquered many famous chefs in the world.
Former chef Anthony Bourdain is one of the people who made great contributions to bringing Vietnamese cuisine closer to Western audiences. After many trips and experiences in Vietnam, he once shared: "You don't need to look for delicious food in Vietnam. Delicious food will come to you by itself. It is everywhere".
Although not only talking about pho, this opinion has become one of his famous sayings when mentioning Vietnamese cuisine. In his programs, Anthony Bourdain always reserves a special place for ordinary pho restaurants and the story behind each bowl of pho.
Chef Gordon Ramsay has also explored Vietnamese street food many times. He highly appreciates the meticulousness in the way Vietnamese people prepare dishes, especially the technique of simmering broth for many hours and the balance between seemingly very simple ingredients. These experiences contribute to helping the image of pho and Vietnamese cuisine appear more often on international culinary television programs.
Not only highly appreciated by chefs, pho has also conquered many international stars. Former player David Beckham once enjoyed pho during his visit to Vietnam in 2014 and shared images on social networks.
Many Korean stars also expressed their love for this dish, in which Choi Si-won (Super Junior) revealed that he ate up to 12 bowls of pho in three days in Vietnam, and actor Lee Jong Suk said that even though he was on diet, he still enjoyed two bowls of beef pho when he came to Ho Chi Minh City.
Photos shared about pho by famous artists such as Blackpink, Seung Hoon, Kang Seung Yoon (WINNER group), Bi Rain, Hyun Bin, Tae Yang (Big Bang)... have contributed to bringing the image of Vietnamese pho closer to fans around the world.
In particular, pho has also become the choice of many heads of state during their visits to Vietnam.
In 2000, former US President Bill Clinton enjoyed pho during his official visit to Vietnam. Images of the president sitting and having a meal at a popular pho restaurant at that time were published by many international news agencies, contributing to bringing Vietnamese traditional dishes closer to the world public.
In April 2026, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his wife continued to choose to enjoy pho during their visit to Vietnam. The simple image of two international guests at a Hanoi pho restaurant quickly spread in Asian media.
From a popular dish, pho has become a symbol of Vietnamese cuisine on the world map. International honors not only affirm the attractiveness of the dish, but also contribute to promoting Vietnamese culture and image.
