Seattle isn’t renowned for its sunny weather, especially in the winter months. Although, with gloomy skies and chilly air, it sets up the perfect quest for finding the best pho in Seattle.
On a typical winter day, I did as the locals do and made my way to Seattle to find the best pho in town. After reviewing mouth-watering photos and quite a few positive recommendations, I had to see if Pho Viet Anh on 5th Ave is as enjoyable as it looks. With chopsticks in hand and a steaming bowl in front of me, I was ready to find out if this was truly one of Seattle’s best pho.
First Impressions & Vibe
By 11:30 a.m., the restaurant was already vibrant with customers, though the atmosphere remained calm as diners quietly enjoyed their lunches. A friendly but busy waitress greeted me and quickly seated me with the menu in hand. The close quarters, vibrant colors, and unique framed artwork created a cozy, inviting space—perfect for warming up with a bowl of pho.
With only one waitress, pacing from the kitchen to the tables, greeting incoming guests, and taking orders, I was very impressed with how she handled what seemed to be a busy time of the day for the restaurant.
The Menu & Pho Selection
Diving into the menu—it features a clean, minimalist layout, free from an overwhelming number of choices—a style I appreciate.
One unique aspect of ordering pho here is the choice of three different broths:
- Traditional beef broth
- Chicken broth
- Vegan broth
Being able to customize your broth based on your preference is a rare offering, and I can easily see this being one reason why many pho consumers like coming here.
Regarding meat selection, they offer all the classics—brisket, tendon, meatballs, tripe, fatty flank, and steak—along with less common options like chicken, shrimp, tofu, and vegetables. Pho Viet Anh seems to cater to all kinds of unique eaters.
One thing to note is that they serve only one bowl size. While I don’t mind this, bigger eaters might find a single bowl insufficient. Fortunately, the menu has plenty of appetizers and other dishes to complement your bowl of pho.
Tasting the Pho
Within five minutes of ordering a beef broth pho with brisket and fatty flank, a delicious-looking bowl was placed in front of me.
Things I look for when evaluating a bowl of pho are broth quality, noodle texture, and the taste of the meats.
Broth quality
Before tasting the broth, the broth’s aroma mixed with onions, cilantro, and brisket was extremely pleasant and enticing. My first sip before any additives, was a delicious one. It had a deep beef flavor and was perfectly salted. It did have a strong sweet note, which didn’t overpower the broth, but the presence was there—maybe stronger than I liked. Overall, the broth was extremely enjoyable and passed the grade for being delicious.
Noodle texture
These noodles were plentiful in this bowl and surprisingly firm throughout my eating experience. One complaint about rice noodles is that they can get too soft while in a hot bowl of broth—but these noodles seemed slightly thicker than most which could be the reason why the firm texture lasted throughout the experience. Definitely a positive for me!
Meat flavor
The thinly sliced brisket and fatty flank paired well with the broth and for me made this pho stand out. Both meats absorbed the flavor of the broth—extremely tender to chew. The fat from the flank gave an extra punch of flavor with every bite. Honestly, I am sure you can’t go wrong with any of the meat selections but a must-try needs to be either the brisket or fatty flank.
The Extras on the Table
Any pho can’t be complete without the complimentary sauces and fresh herbs. The table was equipped with the standard salt, pepper, sriracha, and hoisin sauce—but also had chili oil, which for me was quickly added to my bowl.
Rather than sharing with the table, each bowl of pho comes with your plate filled with lime, bean sprouts, basil, and jalapenos—a nice touch you don’t always see in other restaurants.
I accompanied my pho with a side of fried rolls—filled with shrimp and pork. Very fresh and crispy but even more tasty when dipped in the sweetened fish sauce. I also ordered a strong Vietnamese iced coffee, which you can never go wrong with being that I am in Seattle.
Along with fried vegan rolls and fried chicken wings, they also have fresh rolls wrapped with either shrimp, tofu, or shrimp and pork.
Is this the Best Pho in Seattle?
Now, can I consider this the best pho in Seattle?
Well—time will tell.
There are still plenty of pho restaurants for me to discover, although I believe this is a great start. The atmosphere, speed of service, and the quality of meats are what stands out for me and set the bar high for other pho restaurants I will try.
I definitely want to come back here again to try other dishes besides the pho, to see if the quality is just as good. From browsing pictures online and other people’s plates, the rice and noodles plates look worthy of another visit.
Come Get a Bowl
I encourage all travelers and even locals to check out Pho Viet Anh and let me know in the comments how your experience went. Rain or shine, I’m always on the lookout for the best pho in Seattle and I will gladly share my findings with you all!