A bowl of pho costs 25,000 VND at the "cheapest restaurant in Hanoi", the price has not increased for many years.

Pho is the same price of 25,000 VND

In an alley on Han Thuyen Street, a pho restaurant has maintained the price of 25,000 VND for many years, becoming a familiar destination for workers, students and pupils.

Seen from Han Thuyen street, the pho restaurant is hidden in a deep alley, with only a small sign as the only sign, making it easy for diners to miss if they pass by quickly.

Going about 30m into the alley, diners will see a small restaurant with a space of only a few square meters. The owner is Ms. Vu Thi Van (born in 1961), currently living on Lo Duc street.

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, Ms. Van said that the shop makes use of the area in her biological mother's house, helping her both earn a living and conveniently take care of her elderly mother who lives alone.

Although cramped, the shop is always clean and airy, with a few plastic tables placed close together, often full during peak hours.

Notably, despite being located deep in the alley, the restaurant still has convenient parking. Thanks to the neighborly spirit, customers can park their vehicles for free right at the entrance of the alley.

“As neighbors, helping each other is a sense of duty. It has been like this for years, I am very grateful,” said Mrs. Van.

From 5am, Mrs. Van was busy opening the shop, getting everything ready to welcome customers. The shop is open until about 1:30pm, with peak hours from 11am to 1pm.

Customers are mainly students, office workers and regulars who have been with the shop since its opening.

Despite selling at a reasonable price, Mrs. Van is absolutely not careless in the preparation stage. The bones are stewed from the previous afternoon, and just need to be reheated in the morning. In particular, the cooked meat and beef are all prepared by her own hands, absolutely not left overnight.

“Food must be clean and fresh for customers to eat for a long time. If people trust me, I must respect it,” Ms. Van said.

Ms. Van recounted that in the past, her pho restaurant had a golden age when it was still selling on Han Thuyen street, with a large number of customers, consuming 60 to 70kg of pho every morning and having to hire up to 8 workers.

After clearing the sidewalks, she moved to sell deep in the alley. Although the number of customers has decreased significantly, now only about 15-20kg of pho per day, Ms. Van still has no regrets.

“I am old, selling this little is enough for me. I also don’t need to hire many people because now I sell in the alley, I can do it myself,” she said.

What makes Mrs. Van's pho restaurant famous is the uniform price of 25,000 VND per bowl for all dishes, from rare, well-done, with meatballs, to mixed.

The restaurant serves both beef and chicken, meatballs... to satisfy the diverse tastes of diners. This is a rare price in the center of Hanoi , helping the restaurant retain many long-time customers.

Many people joke that this is one of the cheapest pho restaurants in Hanoi, because in the middle of the capital, it is very difficult to find a place that keeps prices lower.

A generous portion of pho for a cheap price

On the first visit to the restaurant, the reporter ordered a bowl of chicken pho. The portion was served in a generous portion, with pho noodles and chicken almost filling the bowl.

The broth is clear, the sweetness of the stewed bones is evident, mixed with familiar herbal aromas such as star anise and cinnamon, with a moderately strong, round and smooth aftertaste. The chicken covers the bowl, everywhere you touch it, completely different from the "scarce" imagination often seen in cheap dishes.

At first, the reporter was skeptical when he heard the price of 25,000 VND, but when he saw with his own eyes that each bowl was divided by the owner with meat, each portion was full, his doubts quickly gave way to surprise. Diners who come here all receive hot bowls of pho, full of meat, whether they eat at the restaurant or take away.

Among the regular customers, Mr. Tran Hiep Ha (born in 1966) has been with the restaurant for more than 10 years, often coming here 1-2 times a week. He especially likes the pho tai moc dish, a combination of beef and moc.

In addition, he often buys pho to take home for his family and everyone in the family also likes it very much. Mr. Ha commented that the prices here are very cheap, the customers mainly serve regular customers, and it is difficult for strangers to know, because the restaurant is located deep in the alley.

“Ms. Van is very friendly. The first time I tried it, I liked it. Since then, I have had to visit the restaurant every week. It has gradually become a habit for the past 10 years. When she saw me, she immediately knew to order pho tai moc,” Mr. Hiep Ha excitedly said.

Having started selling pho since 2008, Ms. Vu Thi Van turned to business after having a stable job at a state agency. After being laid off and not receiving a pension, she decided to open her own restaurant to make a living.

Initially, she sold pho for 12,000 VND per bowl. Over time, the price gradually increased according to the cost of living to 15,000 VND, 17,000 VND, 22,000 VND, and then stopped at 25,000 VND as it is now. This price has been maintained for many years, despite the escalating cost of living.

“Nowadays, many pho restaurants sell for 40,000 VND, 50,000 VND, even 70,000-80,000 VND/bowl, but I still keep this price.

“In fact, the price of raw materials has not increased much, mainly the cost of premises and hiring new employees is the burden. Selling in the alley, I do not have to pay high rent so I can keep this price,” Ms. Van said.

Currently, her children all live and work in the South. Mrs. Van said that sometimes regular customers and neighbors tease her: "You cook such delicious pho, why don't you go to Ho Chi Minh City? Living with your children and selling pho will definitely be in high demand!"

However, she still chose to stay in Hanoi. For her, selling pho is not only a job but also a joy, helping her exercise, stay healthy and connect with life.

“It’s familiar here, and it helps me exercise and stay healthy. Being home alone is so boring. The small pho restaurant is not only a place to make a living but also a part of my daily life,” Ms. Van said.

When asked if the restaurant might increase prices in the future, Ms. Van said: “The prices might have to increase a little if the market fluctuates, but I will always try to keep them at the most suitable level for students and workers.”

Pho is the same price of 25,000 VND

A generous portion of pho for a cheap price

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