Richmond Hill's Vietnamese food scene has matured significantly. Here are the pho specialists worth knowing — chosen for broth depth, noodle quality, and the always-important herb-and-bean-sprout freshness.
1. Pho Pasteur 2 — Hillcrest Mall area
The longstanding gold standard. Deeply layered beef broth, properly cooked rice noodles, and an herb plate that arrives at the table within seconds of ordering. The pho dac biet (special combination) is the move.
2. Pho Linh — Yonge Street
Family-run, busy, and consistent. The rare-beef pho is the everyday workhorse order. The cha gio (spring rolls) are house-made and worth adding.
3. Saigon Star — Highway 7 & Bayview
Most modern interior, slightly larger menu. The bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle) is the standout here, and the vermicelli bowls are generous.
4. Pho 88 — Major Mackenzie
Quiet, lesser-known, and a favourite among the Richmond Hill Vietnamese community. The chicken pho is excellent.
5. Pho Hung — Carrville Road
The most casual on this list. Workhorse pho for a quick lunch, reliable broth, fair prices.
What to order beyond pho
Most of these spots also serve excellent banh mi, vermicelli bowls (bun), and broken-rice plates (com tam). If you're with a group, mix it up — the variety is part of the experience.
How to spot a quality pho restaurant
Three signals: (1) the broth is clear, not cloudy; (2) the herb plate has Thai basil, sawtooth, and bean sprouts, all visibly fresh; (3) the menu is short rather than sprawling. The shorter the menu, the more they care about the soup.
Browse the full Vietnamese restaurant directory for more.
About the Author
Food & Dining Editor
Marcus Wong has been writing about food in the Greater Toronto Area for over a decade. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Unionville, he brings a lifelong appreciation for Cantonese and Pan-Asian cuisine to his restaurant reviews, alongside an enthusiasm for the increasingly diverse dining scene across Markham and Richmond Hill. He visits every restaurant he writes about, almost always more than once, and pays for his own meals.
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