Pho Ga Ha is on Hang Hom Street in Hanoi's Old Quarter. It was named one of 11 new Vietnamese establishments to receive a Bib Gourmand distinction in the Michelin Guide 2026.

The restaurant got a Michelin invitation, but they thought it was a scam.

The restaurant serves rich and flavorful bowls of chicken pho. It has tender chicken, silky rice noodles, fresh herbs, and steaming broth. The restaurant is busy from morning until midnight.

The owner, Bui Thu Ha, and a restaurant representative got an invitation to attend Michelin's award ceremony. They thought it was a scam at first.

Bui Thu Ha said she was cautious because they got many fake food orders. She regrets not attending the ceremony.

Pho Ga Ha has been a neighborhood favorite for nearly two decades.

The restaurant started as a sidewalk stall in 2008. It now has a modest 40-square-meter space with a ground floor and mezzanine level.

The restaurant operates from 6 a.m. until midnight. It has peak crowds between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and again from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

During lunch hours, diners fill every table. The staff works continuously to serve them.

Bui Thu Ha developed the chicken pho recipe herself. She refined it over time with feedback from neighbors.

Bui Thu Ha said she has a knack for the business. The restaurant became popular just a few years after opening.

The restaurant added dry chicken pho, mixed noodles, sticky rice with chicken, cabbage salad, and chopped chicken platters to the menu.

The restaurant serves roughly 30 chickens per day. They source free-range laying hens from local farms.

The chickens offer the best balance between quality and price. They have firm, naturally sweet meat and crisp yellow skin.

A fully loaded bowl of pho costs VND80,000 ($3.10).

The broth is simmered from pork bones for eight to ten hours. Chicken bones are added for another two to five hours.

The broth must be cooked slowly and carefully skimmed. Using a large quantity of bones creates a naturally sweet flavor.

Chicken is sliced and served throughout the day. This means customers often wait longer during peak hours.

Pho Ga Ha is a favorite among international visitors.

The restaurant's dry chicken pho and sticky rice dishes are particularly popular.

The dry pho features softened rice noodles topped with sliced chicken. It is dressed with a sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce, and vinegar.

The restaurant uses premium Nep Cai Hoa Vang glutinous rice for sticky rice.

The rice is soaked for two hours and steamed for 10 to 15 minutes. It sells well during winter evenings and late-night hours.

Yalinie from Sri Lanka visited the restaurant with her friends. They tried dry chicken pho for the first time.

They added garlic vinegar and chili sauce before mixing everything together.

The flavor is completely different from the pho they had in Melbourne. The combination of chicken, herbs, chili, and crunchy toppings is wonderful.

American visitor Peter Bryan praised the restaurant. He said the pho is balanced, flavorful, and worth trying.

The owner's friendly attitude and flexibility are reasons international tourists enjoy Pho Ga Ha.

Foreign visitors often stop at four to six different eateries during a food tour. They prefer smaller portions at each location.

Tourists can order a bowl of pho for as little as VND25,000 to VND30,000. The portions are smaller but include all the ingredients.

A standard bowl typically costs between VND50,000 and VND60,000 ($1.95-$2.35). The restaurant's narrow frontage means parking space is limited.

Several other chicken pho restaurants in Hanoi have been recognized by Michelin.

Linh Trang - Nguyen Huy