The two-day Pho Day 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City was abuzz with the presence of many international visitors, including both tourists and expatriates living in Vietnam.

Whether they happened to stop by after noticing the buzz of the city-center event or came specifically after reading about it, all shared one thing in common: pho was already familiar to them.

Pho Day is an annual event supported by the Department of External Relations and Cultural Diplomacy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, and the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association.

It has been organized for many years in coordination with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper with diamond sponsorship from Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company.

This year’s event, taking place on Saturday and Sunday at the former District 1’s Tax Trade Center site, now 135 Nguyen Hue Street in Saigon Ward, was also supported by additional partners, including HDBank, Cholimex Food JSC, SATRA, and Suntory PepsiCo, among others.

One bowl a week 

On Sunday morning, Ashley Els and Nico Beneke from South Africa were among the crowds strolling around Pho Day 2025 to enjoy the festive atmosphere and enjoy a bowl of pho.

A regular reader of Tuoi Tre News, Beneke learned about Pho Day from the publication and invited Els to join him.

She immediately agreed, as pho is her favorite dish. 

“I usually eat pho every week, especially on Saturday mornings when we go out for the dish,” she said.

“Pho is delicious. It feels homey, warm, and hearty.

"Especially when you eat it in the morning, it's fresh but it's also tasty. 

"Everything about it is delicious.”

The two have lived in Vietnam for about six years. 

Before moving to Ho Chi Minh City, they spent time in Hanoi, so they are familiar with both northern- and southern-style pho.

Els said she personally prefers southern-style beef pho.

“My very first bowl of pho in Ha Long and I became a fan from that moment,” she recalled.

Meanwhile, Dana and her husband Jamie Buchan were surprised to learn that Pho Day brought together nearly 30 pho brands from across Vietnam, including varieties they had never heard of, such as roast duck pho and crab pho.

“In Houston, Texas, there are many Vietnamese restaurants, so we are quite familiar with both banh mi and pho,” Jamie Buchan said.

Dana Buchan added that she enjoyed the structure of pho, with protein, noodles, and vegetables all in one bowl, and the freedom to choose her preferred toppings.

Before leaving, the couple even asked how to pronounce the word 'pho' correctly in Vietnamese.

First time trying fresh pho

For the Exell family from New Zealand, tasting pho at Pho Day was a particularly special experience, as it was their first time trying freshly–made pho.

Visiting Pho Day just two days after arriving in Vietnam, each family member finished a bowl before moving on.

“The pho was very tasty, but a bit spicy because I added too much chili,” Lee Exell, the father, said with a laugh.

In the family of four, preferences were split, with one side favoring beef pho and the other opting for chicken pho.

“We were just passing by, saw how lively it was, and noticed the logo with a bowl of pho, so we decided to stop,” his wife Rachel shared.

Previously, the family had only been familiar with instant pho, so tasting a steaming bowl cooked on the spot and watching artisans make fresh rice noodles right before their eyes delighted all four of them.

Lee and Rachel Elhad visited Vietnam 22 years ago, and this time they wanted to bring their children, Jacob and Cleo, to see first-hand a vibrant Vietnam with its abundance of good food, which they had previously known only through their parents’ stories.

Marrion and Sarah Maclaeod, an Australian mother and daughter, stopped by Pho Day after being drawn in by the festive atmosphere on the very first day they arrived in Vietnam.

The pair said they regretted having already eaten lunch before stopping by, as they found the crab pho particularly tempting but were too full to try it.

“Pho is very popular in Australia and is one of our favorite Vietnamese dishes. We often eat it in Melbourne. It’s delicious and healthy,” the daughter said.

Meanwhile, American visitor Alex Cruz came to Pho Day with his parents and a Vietnamese friend.

Having eaten pho in both Pennsylvania and Vietnam, Cruz said the pho he had in the U.S. tasted stronger, suggesting it may have been adjusted to suit American preferences.

He also noted that northern-style pho has a clearer broth, while southern-style pho tends to be slightly richer.

When told that crab pho was also available at Pho Day, Cruz responded knowingly, asking, “Is it like bun rieu?” 

He nodded with satisfaction when he learned that it was not.

Many foreign visitors also took their time strolling around the booths, watching noodle sheets being made and pho being cooked.

Quite a few brought cameras and video equipment to capture the lively atmosphere of the festival.