Given its large Vietnamese community, it’s no surprise that Boston boasts a wide variety of authentic and delicious Vietnamese foods. This is my roundup of the best Boston Vietnamese restaurants in 2023 and what to order at each place.
Most of these restaurants are located in Boston’s Little Saigon, aka Dorchester. However, I made sure to include some in the city center. I include everything from your classic pho to seven-course beef to Vietnamese fusion. Enjoy!
Last Updated: December 2nd, 2023
Pho Le
First on the Boston Vietnamese restaurants list is Pho Le in Dorchester’s Fields Corner. It’s an authentic Vietnamese restaurant that’s popular among the local Vietnamese community. Their wide menu of Vietnamese fare includes pho, vermicelli, rice plates, and seafood platters. It’s my go-to for a comforting bowl of pho.
The most popular pho here is the pho dac biet. The specialty rice noodle soup comes with thinly sliced eye-round steak, well-done flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe. If you don’t like all the meat options, get the pho tai. It only comes with a generous portion of eye-round steak.
The pho’s beef-stock broth is light, aromatic, and flavorful. Toppings include sliced onions, scallions, and cilantro. You can add hoisin and hot sauce for extra flavor, but it’s also typically eaten as is to savor the broth taste.
1356 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02122 / Website
Banh Mi Ba Le
Also located in Fields Corner, Ba Le is THE place to get a banh mi, or Vietnamese sub sandwich. Their homemade bread is similar to a baguette, but softer and airier. The sub is cut lengthwise, smeared with liver pate, and filled with mayo, scallion oil, fish sauce, cilantro, pickled daikon, carrots, cucumber, and optional jalapenos.
The most popular banh mi proteins are cold-cut deli meats and grilled beef. The sandwich is HUGE (it’s 8 inches long), tastes fresh, and has a complex flavor profile from a variety of ingredients. It’s also only $7 per sandwich – a great deal for Boston!
While you’re here, don’t skip on the other Vietnamese street foods. The bo kho is a salty and comforting beef stew with big chunks of beef. It’s perfectly paired with a baguette for dipping.
Banh cuon and banh bo are both variations of savory rice flour cakes. They don’t have much flavor themselves but absorb the flavor from accompaniments such as shrimp, pork, and fish sauce. The taste is light and earthy.
Ba Le has a separate counter just for drink orders. I recommend their avocado shake and sugar cane juice. They make them fresh!
There’s often a long line, but it moves pretty quickly. It’s takeout only.
1052 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02125 / Website
Further Reading: 17+ Best Cheap Eats in Boston
Banh Mi Huong Que
This Chinatown hole-in-the-wall is another spot for banh mi. There are plenty of sandwich protein options including classic cold cuts, beef, chicken teriyaki, meatballs, etc. Each banh mi is around 8 inches long and is packed with classic fillings.
One sandwich is about $6-6.50, making it a cost-efficient option. They also have a few prepared foods like spring rolls and vermicelli noodles. NOTE: It’s cash only!
696 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111
Saigon Chicken House
Have you ever tried a Vietnamese-style breakfast? It was just recently that I discovered bo ne, or Vietnamese sizzling steak and eggs. Saigon Chicken House is one of the only Boston Vietnamese restaurants where you can get it!
The bo ne here includes steak, a fried egg, pate, cilantro, green bell peppers, and onions. The dish is served sizzling in a cow-shaped cast iron skillet along with french fries and a baguette on the side.
The steak is more like thin, buttery beef slices, but it’s still very tender and flavorful. You can either break apart the bread and dip it into the skillet’s sweet-and-savory sauce, or you can make your own sandwich.
The bo ne comes in a size large or extra large. I recommend getting the extra large and sharing it with a friend – it’s a LOT of food!
December 2023 Update: I had it again recently, and it’s been a hit or miss these days.
223 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02122 / Website
Pho 2000
The next dish I’m recommending is perfect for the carnivores here. Pho 2000 specializes in Vietnamese seven-course beef, which is exactly what it sounds like. You receive seven courses of beef cuts that are each prepared differently. Courses include vinegar beef, marinated raw beef slices (yes, you eat them raw), butter beef, beef congee, beef skewers, meatballs, and more.
Many people’s favorite course, including myself, is the butter beef. You cook beef slices in a pan of melted butter before wrapping it in rice paper with vermicelli noodles and vegetables.
It’s around $30 per person for two people minimum. They serve the seven-course beef family-style, so I suggest going with a group of at least 2-3 other people. I went with only one other person and by the fifth course, we hit our limit and couldn’t even enjoy the food.
198 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02122 / Website
Cicada Coffee Bar
Cicada is a trendy, Vietnamese-fusion cafe with an emphasis on Vietnamese coffee. Don’t expect anything authentic here. Their most popular food items include pho noodle salads, duckfit banh mi, and baked salmon banh mi. The noodle salad reminds me of a poke bowl with a Vietnamese twist.
The cafe also has a variety of interesting vegetarian/vegan items, like its charred eggplant banh mi and roasted mushroom banh mi.
Cicada’s food is great, but most people swear by their Vietnamese iced coffees. If you’ve never had Vietnamese coffee before, know that it’s sweet and very strong.
Their Sai Gon Latte is made with condensed milk and is sweet and creamy. In fact, it’s a bit too indulgent for me. If that’s a concern for you, ask for less sweetness.
The Sea Salt Shaker is another very popular drink. It’s made with Viet phin-dripped coffee, sweetened condensed milk, Maine sea salt, and lush foam on top. The sea salt perfectly balances out the condensed milk, resulting in a sweet-savory flavor profile. Note: Before you take your first sip, make sure to mix it a bit. Otherwise, you’ll get an unpleasant mouthful of sea salt.
The interior of Cicada Coffee Bar is casual and aesthetic. There’s plenty of natural sunlight, plants for greenery, and other hipster decor. There’s also a seating area in their zen-garden-themed backyard. It’s a great spot for a date or meal with a friend.
It gets very busy on the weekend, so don’t be surprised if you see a line out the door. I recommend going on a weekday morning to avoid crowds. It’s also pricy for Vietnamese food – each dish is around $10-16.
106 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139
Further Reading: 15+ Best Boston Cafes
Pho Viets
Located in Allston, Pho Viets serves all your typical Vietnamese foods like banh mi, pho, vermicelli, and rice plates. My favorite item here is the vermicelli with lemongrass grilled chicken. The dish comes with vermicelli noodles and a fresh mix of vegetables including shredded lettuce, bean sprouts, mint, scallions, and roasted peanuts. I always douse the dish in fish sauce for a salty-savory umami flavor.
As a whole, vermicelli tastes healthy yet filling. Alternative protein options include grilled lemongrass beef, pork, shrimp, or spring rolls.
I also like their pho tai. It doesn’t look like much, but they’re very generous with noodle portions!
Pho Viets’ ambiance is very casual. Its counter service with some seating both inside and outside. All the food comes in styrofoam boxes or plastic bowls.
1022 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215 / Website
Another option for the best fusion Boston Vietnamese restaurants is Phin Coffee House in Downtown. They have a pho burrito and banh mi’s with vegan options.
Pho Pasteur
For anyone who’s craving pho but doesn’t want to venture out to Dorchester, Pho Pasteur in Boston’s Chinatown is a solid option. You’ll find all your typical Vietnamese dishes on their huge menu, so there’s something for everyone. I always order the pho tai here. They also sell bun bo hue, a spicy Vietnamese beef noodle soup.
There’s plenty of seating inside and service is extremely fast. Once you order, expect to receive your meal within 5-10 minutes. Considering how cramped and busy the neighboring restaurants are, it’s my go-to for a convenient and inexpensive meal near Downtown.
Check out my Boston Chinatown guide for more restaurants in the neighborhood!
682 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111 / Website
Saigon Fusion
Another amazing pho spot that’s located outside of Dorchester is Saigon Fusion near Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. They specialize in premium beef pho and banh mi. The beef pho is incredible — the beef bone broth is simmered for up to 20 hours, giving it a rich flavor. I always order the premium sirloin steak as my protein, which is extremely tender and tasty. You can even add a rib to your pho for a surcharge!
With some added beansprouts, basil, jalapenos, and a squeeze of lime, this is my FAVORITE pho on this entire best Boston Vietnamese restaurants list.
201 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115
Huong Que
A popular restaurant for bun bo hue is Huong Que in Field’s Corner.
While the bun bo hue broth is richer than other restaurants in the area, I think the beef and ingredients fall flat. I’m still including Huong Que best Boston Vietnamese restaurants list because their bun rieu is great!
The flavor-packed soup comes with crab, pork, pig blood cubes, and tofu! The meat-based broth is seasoned with shrimp paste, tomatoes, and fish sauce. The resulting flavor is tart, a little sweet, and spicy.
272 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02122
Coco Leaf
Once you’ve eaten through all of the best Boston Vietnamese restaurants, try some Vietnamese desserts. First up is Coco Leaf, a homey dessert cafe in Dorchester & Back Bay. They specialize in a variety of che, which is a type of Vietnamese parfait.
Che has plenty of layer combinations, but its ingredients mainly include coconut milk, chia seeds, pandan jelly, red beans, mung beans, and white beans.
Some people may be put off that there are beans in this dish. Before you completely cross che off your list, the beans have a nutty, slightly sweet flavor.
As a whole, che is a refreshing dessert with a subtle sweetness. Between the ice, seeds, and beans, each layer has a different texture. The signature che here is the “Che Coco Leaf”.
Coco Leaf also serves a variety of other desserts including crepes, boba, coffees, and smoothies. I especially love their mangonadas. I know it’s not a Vietnamese dessert, but it’s SO good here.
The smoothie is sweet from the mango, but also tart from the chamoy that’s mixed in. They top it off with a straw covered in tamarind. Altogether, it’s an addictingly sweet and sour dessert. It’s super refreshing, especially in the Boston summer heat.
Further Reading: 23+ Best Activities in Boston Summer
Bambu
Last on the Boston Vietnamese restaurants list is Bambu. Despite it being a national chain, Bambu in Dorchester is pretty good. Like Coco Leaf, they sell a great che and mangonada.
287 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02122 / Website
Honorable Mentions: Boston Vietnamese Restaurants
- 163 Vietnamese Sub Sandwich –> Located in the heart of Boston’s Chinatown, this tiny stall is a no-frills option for subs, packaged vermicelli bowls, spring rolls, and smoothies.
These last restaurants are far for a Boston Vietnamese restaurants list, but are still worth a mention!
Pho 89 in Randolph, MA –> While this restaurant is pretty far out for a Boston Vietnamese food list, nearly all my Vietnamese friends say it’s their favorite spot for pho near Boston MA. For appetizers, I recommend their beef skewers.
I also really enjoyed their grilled chicken and eggroll vermicelli entree.
- Pho Linh in Quincy for pho noodle soups and rice plates. They even have a filet mignon pho!
Menu Translations for Boston Vietnamese Restaurants
To better understand what to order at any of these Boston Vietnamese restaurants, here are some menu translations:
- Pho –> rice noodle soup in a broth. The most iconic pho in Boston is the pho dac biet, which comes with tendon, tripe, eye-round beef, etc. If you’re basic like me, get the pho tai (just comes with eye-round beef).
- Vermicelli –> rice vermicelli noodles served dry with meat, vegetables, and fish sauce.
- Fish sauce –> a liquid condiment made with fish/krill, covered in salt, and then fermented for 2 years.
- Banh Mi –> Vietnamese sub sandwich on a baguette with liver pate, cilantro, carrots, pickled daikon, protein, or other fillings.
- Bo Ne –> sizzling steak and eggs (a popular Vietnamese breakfast item).
- Seven Course Beef –> Seven courses of beef prepared a different way.
- Banh Cuon –> thin sheet rice batter with mushrooms, ground pork, and minced shallots. It’s served with fish sauce.
- Banh Beo –> steamed rice cakes with mung bean paste and dried shrimp.
- Vietnamese Coffee –> coffee made with a phin filter and has condensed milk to sweeten it.
- Mangonada –> Not even Vietnamese, but it’s a Mexican mango sorbet and chamoy with chili powder.
Conclusion: Best Boston Vietnamese Restaurants
That wraps up my list of Boston’s best Vietnamese restaurants! I tried to include a variety of Vietnamese dishes and not just your typical pho and banh mi.
After you try the best Boston Vietnamese food, check out these other Asian foods:
- Best Thai Food in Boston (More Than Pad Thai)
- 15 Best Japanese Restaurants Boston
- 11 Best Korean Restaurants Boston
- Best Boston Southern Food
Or, see what else there is to do in the city:
Did I miss your favorite spot on this top Boston Vietnamese restaurants list? Send a message on my contact page for all inquiries and suggestions.
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