Pho Thin Bo Ho officially closed in the old town, ending its 70-year-old symbol

Pho Thin Bo Ho Restaurant, a nearly 70-year-old culinary icon of Hanoi, is about to say goodbye to its small house at Lane 61 Dinh Tien Hoang, Bo Ho area. The move marks the end of a piece of memory in the heart of the Old Quarter.

A Small Corner of a Few Square Meters – A Whole Fortune of Memories

Mr. Thin’s family pho restaurant is located in a narrow alley, the aisle is just enough for a row of tables and chairs nestled against the old wall. Although only a few square meters in area, this modest space has witnessed many ups and downs, attached to many generations of Hanoians.

Mr. Thanh, the grandson of Mr. Thin and the person who is directly in charge of the restaurant, shared about the family's unique entrepreneurial journey. In the beginning, before 1954-1955, Mr. Thin did not have a fixed restaurant or his own kitchen, but was just a pho vendor on the streets. The turning point came when a beloved regular customer advised him to sell permanently in his house, even giving him the "old pigpen" so he could build the first stove. From then on, the Pho Thin business officially took root at its current address.

At that time, there was no need for a signboard or fancy restaurant name. Customers came because they were familiar with the face, and ate because they trusted the seller's skills. Over the decades, the name "Pho Thin Bo Ho" was born in a simple, natural way, but has become a solid brand for seven decades.

Continuing the Pho Career: "Making Pho Requires Feeling"

Although he grew up with the smell of pho, Thanh never thought he would follow in his parents’ footsteps. He studied graphic design, then ran a coffee shop and a wine shop. It was only when his parents were old and could no longer support them that he decided to return home.

Mr. Thanh confided about the unique nature of the pho profession: "I used to think that selling is the same for all jobs. But making pho is not just about cooking. It requires feeling. Whether the fire is big or small, when the broth is clear enough, when the meat is done... you have to feel it." He also recounted his father's special teachings: "There are things my father cannot explain, he just said: 'Smell it and you will remember'."

The shop has kept almost everything intact since Mr. Thin's time: the cement roof, the layer of pressed bamboo underneath. The family only made patchwork repairs, absolutely not replacing the whole thing. The reason is very simple: "If we renovate too much, it will lose the essence of the old shop. Many customers come here to find memories" - Mr. Thanh explained.

Three Generations Together - Keeping Our Word

The restaurant's current customers are mostly regulars from the wartime of his grandparents and parents. There are families where three generations have eaten here: the boy who followed his grandfather until now brings his own children. "Some people bring their girlfriends to eat here, and after getting married, they bring their whole family. It's become a habit after nearly 70 years," Mr. Thanh said.

This traditional pho profession was passed down by Mr. Thin to his five children. The most important advice that Mr. Thanh's father ever gave him was: "This profession is hard, the most important thing is reputation. First, don't think about profit, but think more about customers, then customers will come."

When news of Alley 61 being cleared came out, the number of customers flocking to the area increased significantly. Everyone felt a sense of regret. "I've been eating here since I was a kid, and now that I hear we're about to leave, I feel a sense of loss," one customer shared.

Mr. Thanh and his family are also full of worries because Alley 61 is not only a place to sell pho but also a place to preserve history for seven decades. However, his family is willing to comply with the city's policy and find a new location to continue the profession.

"We just hope the new location is big enough to continue the business. Wherever we go, the taste of my grandfather's pho will remain the same," Thanh affirmed.

The bustling mornings at Alley 61 are about to become a memory. When Pho Thin Bo Ho restaurant moves away, Alley 61 will change with the development of the city, but for Hanoians, the rich flavor of this pho will linger for a long time.

"Maybe we have to start over somewhere else," Thanh said, "But everything my grandfather and father built, I will keep at all costs."

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