In the final days before the relocation, the more than 70-year-old pho shop, tucked away in a narrow alley off Dinh Tien Hoang Street in Hanoi, has been packed with customers eager to enjoy a last bowl at the familiar location.
Customers at Pho Thin Bo Ho
Bui Chi Thanh, 35, the third-generation descendant of founder Bui Chi Thin, currently manages and preserves the Pho Thin Bo Ho brand at the Dinh Tien Hoang site.
Asked about his family’s feelings over the move, Thanh said they were saddened but ready to cooperate with authorities to facilitate the public project.
The shop's owner, Bui Chi Thanh, preparing the dish.
“At the moment, the official relocation date has not been finalised, so we are still operating here,” Thanh said. “To prepare, we have opened a new outlet on Hang Voi Street, about 400 metres away. The signboard, layout and service style have been kept the same to maintain a sense of familiarity and avoid unsettling regular customers.”
Since news of the relocation emerged, many loyal patrons have expressed regret and have returned to savour what may be their final bowls at the historic address. These days, customers come not only for pho but also to check in and capture memories of the old space.
One diner, 21-year-old Khanh Ngoc, said: “I love old-style spaces, so eating pho here is really special. When I heard the shop was relocating, I made sure to come back once more to keep the memory.”
Minh Quang, a regular who eats at the shop once or twice a week, said he had already visited the new outlet to try it out.
“Although the new place is more modern, I still prefer sitting at the old location because it holds so many memories and the flavour of the old quarter,” Quang said. “The pho suits my taste, and every bowl makes me feel like I’m returning to old Hanoi.”
Customers at the new Pho Thin shop on Hang Voi Street.
Reflecting on his family’s journey, Thanh spoke of three generations devoted to the craft. His grandfather, Bui Chi Thin (1928-2001), founded Pho Thin Bo Ho in 1955, opening the shop in Alley 61 on Dinh Tien Hoang Street.
“I’ve been involved in the trade since I was a child,” Thanh recalled. “When the shop was busy, I worked alongside my parents, learning every small step. When they grew weaker, I had to take over. If I hadn’t, the shop would have closed, which would have been a real loss.”
He said that while each generation has its own way of running the business, the identity and flavour of Pho Thin Bo Ho have remained unchanged.
Long-time customers also remember wartime stories associated with the shop. When enemy planes flew overhead and bombs fell, the shop stayed open. Thin would joke with diners: “Even if we die, we should die full.” On several occasions, customers carried their bowls down to bomb shelters, then rushed back up for hot broth once the air-raid sirens ended.
These stories have turned Pho Thin Bo Ho into more than a culinary landmark, serving as a vivid testament to the resilience of Hanoi’s people.
Despite decades of price fluctuations, a bowl of pho now costs between VND 60,000 and VND 100,000 (USD 2.30 and USD 3.80), higher than at many other shops. Yet with its rich broth and tender beef, the dish continues to earn praise and retain loyal customers across generations.
“Whether customers return depends entirely on the quality of the pho,” Thanh said. “If the pho isn’t good, no amount of advertising can keep them coming back.”
