Pho Side Dishes Locals: A Vietnamese Food Guide

Pho isn’t complete without its essential companions. Beyond the broth and noodles, pho side dishes are what bring the full Vietnamese experience to life. In this guide from Vietpower Travel, you'll discover exactly what locals eat with pho—and why each side dish matters.

1. Crispy Dough Sticks (Quay): The Hanoi Essential

In Northern Vietnam, no bowl of pho is complete without quay—lightly salted, deep-fried dough sticks that absorb broth like a sponge while staying chewy inside.

Details:

• Made from: fermented wheat flour, rolled and fried at 180–200°C
• Texture: crispy exterior, soft interior
• Length: 12–15 cm standard
• How it's eaten: dipped into the broth or soaked until it melts into the soup
• Cultural insight: Locals consider stale or chewy quay a clear sign to avoid a pho shop.
• Price: 3,000–5,000 VND (≈ $0.13–$0.21 USD)

You can find more posts related to this topic in our Vietnam food & cuisine category. Explore traditional dishes, street food highlights, and insider recommendations for your next culinary journey.

2. Garlic Vinegar with Chili

In Hanoi, many locals do not use lime in their beef pho. Instead, the preferred pho side dish is a glass jar filled with fermented garlic vinegar, often paired with sliced red chili.

Breakdown:

• Ingredients: garlic (thinly sliced), bird’s eye chili, naturally fermented rice vinegar
• Usage: 1–2 teaspoons per bowl, stirred directly into the broth
• Why locals care: The color, clarity, and aroma of the vinegar jar reflect the attention to detail of the establishment.

This isn’t just a condiment—it’s a test of Vietnamese etiquette in culinary craftsmanship.

Price: Free at the table in most local restaurants

Let’s explore more posts on this topic to discover even more about Vietnam’s rich cuisine:

• Vietnamese Soup Guide: Best Street Foods for Tourists
• Vietnamese Bun Cha Gio: Must-Try for Authentic Food Lovers

3. Herb and Vegetable Plates

Down south, what to serve with pho often starts with a plate of fresh herbs and vegetables. Unlike the more minimalistic Northern style, Southern Vietnam serves pho with an explosion of color and freshness.

Typical Components:

• Bean sprouts (gia)
• Thai basil (hung que)
• Sawtooth coriander (ngo gai)
• Mint, rice paddy herb (ngo om), sometimes lettuce
• Optional: banana blossom, shredded morning glory, lime wedges

Regional Behavior:

• Southern eaters often blanch sprouts briefly in broth
• Herbs are torn into the bowl mid-meal for aroma and bite
• Serves to counterbalance the sweetness of Southern broth

Price: Usually included or 5,000–10,000 VND (≈ $0.21–$0.42 USD)

4. Poached Egg (Trung Chan)

A soft-poached egg, gently simmered in broth, adds richness and nutrition to pho—especially at breakfast.

Nutritional Insights:

• Over 60 essential nutrients (per PGS.TS Le Bach Mai – former deputy director of Vietnam’s Nutrition Institute)
• Rich in HDL (“good” cholesterol), vitamin D, and albumin
• Boiled under 5 minutes to preserve nutrients
• Often served in a small bowl of broth or added directly to the pho

Food Safety Tip: Only consume eggs from reputable restaurants. Avoid cracked or unclean shells to prevent salmonella.

Price: 6,000–10,000 VND (≈ $0.25–$0.42 USD)

5. Cha Gio & Cha Lua

If you’ve only eaten pho with herbs and vinegar, you're just scratching the surface. Step into the Southern Vietnamese kitchen, and you'll find pho side dishes that bring crunch, richness, and cultural depth to your bowl of pho—starting with cha gio (fried spring rolls) and cha lua (Vietnamese pork sausage).

What Are They?

• Cha gio (spring rolls): Typically made from minced pork, shrimp, black fungus, glass noodles, and shredded taro or carrot, all wrapped in rice paper and deep-fried until golden.
• Cha lua (Vietnamese pork roll): A smooth-textured pork sausage made by pounding lean pork with fish sauce, then steaming the mixture tightly wrapped in banana leaves.

How Locals Enjoy Them with Pho

In Southern Vietnam, these vietnamese side dishes are served on a side plate or added directly to the noodle soup. Locals typically:

• Cut cha gio into bite-sized pieces, dipped in dipping sauce, or soaked in broth
• Slice cha lua thin and layer it on top of noodles or serve it separately

In some eateries, they are paired with pho cuon (fresh rice noodle rolls), herbs, and fish sauce—a full, satisfying meal.

Cultural Significance

Cha gio is more than just a snack. It is an essential dish during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) and family reunions, where people roll and fry together as a symbol of unity.

Discover more posts on the same topic to deepen your culinary inspiration:

• Exploring Vietnamese Dry Noodles: 15 Delicious Dishes
• Rieu Noodles: The Ultimate Guide To Vietnam’s Crab Noodle Soup

6. Bo Vien: A Saigon Favorite That Packs a Chewy Punch

You haven’t truly tasted Southern pho until you’ve tried it with bo vien—firm, juicy Vietnamese beef meatballs.

Texture and Taste:

• Standard bo vien: Ground beef blended with tapioca starch and seasonings, giving a firm, elastic texture.
• Bo vien gan: Includes chopped tendon for extra chewiness, favored by Saigon locals for its "squeaky" texture.

Bo vien is not just a topping—it’s a category of pho in itself. Many people order pho with only bo vien for a lighter, protein-packed breakfast.

How It Completes the Bowl:

• Added to the soup in the final minute to avoid overcooking
• Often sliced in half to let hot broth permeate the inside
• Paired with sauces like hoisin, fish sauce, or chili garlic paste

Price: 10,000–15,000 VND (≈ $0.42–$0.63 USD)

7. Meat Cups, Nuoc Tiet, and Nuoc Mo

In Saigon, pho comes with a surprising set of pho side dishes—tiny cups of concentrated umami that locals quietly treasure.

Chen Thit (Meat Cups)

This is a bowl of sliced or minced beef (sometimes chicken), pre-soaked in hot broth to preserve tenderness. It’s perfect for those who want more protein without a double order.

• Volume: 50–70 grams
• Price: 15,000–20,000 VND (≈ $0.63–$0.83 USD

Nuoc Tiet (Blood Broth)

Made from myoglobin-rich liquid collected from freshly cut beef, occasionally enhanced with egg yolk. Once heated, it thickens into a savory broth booster.

• Must be consumed fresh
• Not always listed—ask discreetly
• Often requested by regulars familiar with traditional butchers

Nuoc Mo (Fat-Infused Broth)

Rendered beef fat, either spooned into the main bowl or served separately. Adds silkiness and depth—especially popular with rare beef pho.

Warning: Not suitable for all palates. Some find the fat-heavy profile too intense. Always taste before mixing in large quantities.

8. Conclusion

Vietnamese pho side dishes aren't random extras. They represent the country's diversity, climate, and deeply held culinary values. Whether it’s cha gio sizzling in oil, chewy bo vien, or rich nuoc tiet, each element adds flavor, texture, and identity.

Explore our Vietnam food & cuisine tour for delicious ideas and travel inspiration. From traditional recipes to market adventures, Vietpower Travel can turn your foodie dreams into a flavorful reality.