Born in Vietnam and gifted to the people of Melbourne, chef Jerry Mai has a winning way with her family’s own recipes and a steely focus on top quality, ethically raised meats from producers such as Warialda beef, Milawa chicken and Sher wagyu. Taste the excellent KPIs on Collins Street, where 24-hour simmered broths are spicy in the Southern Vietnamese style. Sliced rare brisket that cooks in the fragrant broth alongside meatballs is a winner, while shredded chicken will cure whatever ails you. Meanwhile, mini serves, hovering around the $8.50 mark, are a blessing to the office crowd. T4/567 Collins St, Melbourne; phonom.com.au

The popularity of this joint – set amid some serious Victoria Street competition – says plenty about the intoxicating quality of its broth, the silkiness of its noodles and the convivial nature of its service. This is the perfect place to go face-down in a bowl of Vietnamese soul; its bo tai (sliced beef) and bo nam (beef brisket) share the podium as the most popular choices, or be bold and venture into super-rich territory with bo gau (beef fat), or scratch that offal itch with chicken giblets. As an added bonus, they open at 9am every day. Pho for breakfast, anyone? 264 Victoria St, Richmond; pholove.com.au

You can pick this northside neighbourhood stayer out of a High Street line-up by its signature lime-green facade (you’ll also find a Pho Hung in Springvale – less green, same great soup). The dining rooms are utilitarian, but there will be no besmirching the pho, which has been gracing the city’s best cheap eats guides for 25 years. Load up on bean shoots, lime and chilli and get stuck into the usual array of beef and chicken choices, elevated by a super redolent broth. The boxed tissues on each table are woefully inadequate for the task at hand, but who cares? 447 High Street, Preston; 268-274 Springvale Road, Springvale

Direct from Hanoi, Pho Thin celebrates the iconoclastic recipe developed by Nguyen Trong Thin more than 40 years ago, when he decided to stir-fry his beef in garlic before adding it to the soup. The concept has been brought to Melbourne by two Pho Thin aficionados, who convinced the founder his concept was in good hands. Judge for yourself at the buzzing spot, where regulars pimp their soup with raw egg yolk and Chinese doughnut. Another point of difference lies in the fresh coriander and shallots riding shotgun rather than bean sprouts and Vietnamese mint. Vive la Northern Vietnam difference. 399 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne; instagram.com/phothinaus

Nam Nguyen’s smart noodle shop pays homage to the good looks of a mid-century bar and adds a vegetarian pho that could convert the staunchest carnivore. A shiitake and kombu base rounded out with four types of mushrooms is as meaty as a plant-based meal has a right to be, but there’s no shame in hitting the ethically raised Bannockburn chook or powering up the beef with brisket, topside and marrow. This is the kind of place where you might want to linger at the counter and make an evening of it with a neat wine list and Bia Saigon. 165 Sydney Rd, Brunswick; good-days.com.au

Vietnam’s unofficial national dish is done proud here. A star anise-heavy broth that’s perfect in the current weather, finely shaved beef that goes from pink to cooked before your eyes, the crisp crunch and herbal oomph of the bits and pieces that make it the one-dish approximation of the food pyramid. The boisterous joint popular with the area’s Vietnamese population has plenty of other strings to its bow, including the eternally popular spring rolls to wrap in lettuce leaves. You can BYO booze, too, or stick to the assiduously topped-up tea. There are also traditional fruit drinks on offer. 128 Hopkins St, Footscray

It’s hard to imagine there were no other Vietnamese restaurants in Box Hill – and scant Chinese presence – when Tien Dat opened in 1983. Still run by the same family more than 40 years later, it boasts better interior design principles than many of its competitors, a wine list and a pho worth travelling for. Order the pho bo dac biet (which we’re guessing translates loosely as ‘one with the lot’) for a bowl of all-beef brothy goodness. The lemongrass-forward, chilli-rich bun bo hue is no slouch in the slurpable stakes, either, with its life-affirming beef, chilli and lemongrass broth. 3 Carrington Rd, Box Hill; tiendat.com.au

The menu isn’t the most expansive in town, but this jumping little joint near Footscray train station is a cult favourite for a good reason. Operated by two sisters who command the daily soup circus with practised aplomb, its pho is addictively good. Just ask its legions of fans. The broth is rich yet not overpoweringly so; be sure to load up with extras like fiery red sliced chillis and pickled red onions for the full sensory experience. Bowls come in three sizes, with the largest capable of feeding a small army. Having trouble choosing? Go for the special beef.92 Hopkins St, Footscray; instagram.com/phochuthe

If you’re looking for a good reason to brave the Swanston Street foot traffic, this student favourite has also served its signature soup to former US President Bill Clinton. See what all the fuss is about with a bowl (or two, like Clinton allegedly downed) at the eternally busy venue where the broth is rich and the servings generous. Beef it up with the bovine delight of rare sliced beef along with brisket, meatballs, tendon, tripe, sausage and bone marrow; or hit the chargrilled pork for something different. Try not to be distracted by the mirrors reflecting your splattery technique. 241 Swanston St, Melbourne; facebook.com/mekong.melbourne

Back to Springvale we go, this time beelining for a stalwart of the scene that’s been feeding the masses for time immemorial (okay, two-and-a-bit decades). Spread across two levels near the market (where they buy all their fresh ingredients), this proudly family-run business delivers noodle soup-based comfort in a delicate broth that’s elegantly aromatic rather than a knockout blow to your nasal passages. The beef and chicken combos stick to a well-worn path that we’re more than happy to keep treading, but if you want to expand your horizons a little, the lime-marinated raw beef salad is a winner. 246A Springvale Rd, Springvale