Bò Kho, or Vietnamese Beef Noodle Stew by Bò Kho Gánh Sài Gòn, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Michelin Bib Gourmand)

 Bò Kho, or Vietnamese Beef Noodle Stew

by Bò Kho Gánh Sài Gòn, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Michelin Bib Gourmand)

I recently returned from a trip to Vietnam, and on my first morning in Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in the country, I decided to sign up for a morning food tour by motorbike. Over the course of a few hours, I tried a number of really amazing dishes, but my favorite one was bo kho, or beef noodle stew at Bò Kho Gánh Sài Gòn, a famous restaurant that's been serving up bowls of its legendary noodles since 1975, the year that the war ended.

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Michelin Bib Gourmand beef stew in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

What makes the soup so special, besides the huge chunks of tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, is the rich red broth. The rich, aromatic broth is savory and meaty and lightly sweet, flavored with spices like cinnamon and star anise, and is served over a huge mountain of delicate rice noodles. The entire bowl is topped with fresh greens and crunchy slivers of onion, and all of the flavors meld together to create the perfect savory bowl of hearty beef stew.

It's really no wonder why the shop has been so popular for over half a century!

There's seating inside as well as out in front of the shop on Vietnam's iconic tiny plastic stools, but I recommend arriving early as the restaurant gets very busy during the lunch rush (especially since getting featured in the Michelin Guide!).

the best beef noodle soup in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

More amazing soups and stews in Southeast Asia

• Wattana Panich: Legendary 50-Year-Old Beef Soup in Bangkok, Thailand
• David's Noodles - The Best Handmade Noodles in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Kuay Jab Nai Ek: peppery rolled noodle pork soup in Bangkok's Chinatown
• Wagyu Ribeye Boat Noodles by Thong Smith: The Best Noodles in Bangkok?
• Penang Asam Laksa, or Spicy and Tangy Tamarind Soup with Noodles in Penang, Malaysia

Menu and Prices

Bo Kho Ganh's menu and prices are posted below. A bowl of soup runs between 70k VND to 160k VND ($1.50 to $6 USD) depending on the ingredients.

Bò Kho Gánh menu and prices

Location

Bo Kho Ganh Sai Gon is located at Lô H/029 Sư Vạn Hạnh, P.2, Vườn Lài, Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam.

Bò Kho Gánh Sài Gòn, Ho Chi Minh City