Photograph by Jennifer Zyman.
Ask any pho lover which restaurant makes the very best Vietnamese soup on Buford Highway, and you are bound to get a dozen different answers. The usual suspects Pho Dai Loi, Nam Phuong, and Lee’s Bakery are all solid choices, but my current favorite is I Luv Pho, which has been quietly serving unbelievable pho for years.
The decor inside the large free-standing restaurant is a touch gaudy, but the service is friendly and attentive. When I ordered some fresh spring rolls for my table, our server brought two separate dishes of dipping sauce so we didn’t have to share. Hooray for double dipping!
The menu is large and has practically every Vietnamese dish you could imagine, including a handful of Vietnamese beef stews. But I come here for the beef pho, which is thankfully served in different sizes. (Sometimes a small bowl of pho is just right!) The broth tastes incredibly beefy, as if the cooks poured every ounce of love and attention into developing a deep and rich broth studded with sliced white onions and chopped scallions. The thin rice noodles don’t clump together, and the meat is more tender than any pho I have had in recent years.
Another big plus about I Luv Pho? The restaurant opens at 10am, making this a unique breakfast alternative for those who like a savory start to their day.
