There’s nothing quite like a big bowl of steaming pho when you need a little comfort food and South Australia is awash with plenty of great places to get your fix. A squeeze of lime, slippery rice noodles, a tasty broth as unique as a fingerprint, every restaurant has their own special take on this quintessential Vietnamese soup. One thing is for sure though, each is absolutely delicious. The proof is in the eating and these are the best bowls of pho in South Australia, as crowned in the delicious. 100.
The fair hike from Adelaide’s main dining zones doesn’t stop legions regularly filling its tables. Open the front door to the soothing aroma of bubbling beef soup that wraps its arms around you like a warm hug. With rare and cooked beef, tendon, tripe and meatballs, Pho is available in multiple combinations. And it tastes as good as it smells. 199 Waymouth St, Adelaide.
Housed within an elegant former bank building, this family business built a reputation on the care put into home-spun Vietnamese dishes such as noodle soups. A few unadorned spoonfuls of NNQ’s pho broth is enough to see what the fuss is about – the depth of flavour, the fragrance of star anise, the lip-sticking, spirit-lifting joy of it all. 65 Woodville Rd, Woodville; nnqwoodville.com.au.
Now expanded beyond its original home in Bank St, Sit Lo has long been a favourite for a grab-and-go banh mi or bao. Settling in with a steaming bowl of beef noodle soup, however, turns a quick lunch into something more therapeutic, particularly when you load the pho with plenty of fresh herbs and chilli. It’s also available as takeaway. 30 Bank St, Adelaide & 2/11 Waymouth St, Adelaide; sitlo.com.au.
This nondescript lunch spot is filled by members of the local community. It’s a positive sign backed up by a steaming bowl loaded with noodles and tissue-thin slices of raw beef poaching in the broth. A smidge on the sweet side, the balance is easily remedied with a squeeze of lemon and a few tiny portions of particularly ferocious chillies. 7/86 Wilson St, Mansfield Park; pho-minh-vietnamese-restaurant.business.site.
The noodles in the soup at Pholicious are cut into shorter lengths that makes them easier to eat. Sensible or sacrilege? You decide. What isn’t up for argument is the quality of a fragrant beef broth that underpins the pho in an area not normally known for Vietnamese food. More fresh herbs would take it to the next level. 54 Winston Ave, Clarence Gardens.
