Pho in Minneapolis runs from strip-mall counters to a Northeast dining room with a national reputation, and broth quality still separates the pack. This list weighs clarity of stock, kitchen consistency, and what else is worth ordering alongside the noodle soup, from banh mi counters on Eat Street to a full Vietnamese menu in Dinkytown.
№ 01
Pho 79
$
2529 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404 · +16128714602
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A no-frills Vietnamese counter built around the noodle soup itself, with a menu that keeps to the essentials rather than chasing trends. The room is casual and fast, the kind of place suited to a solo lunch or a quick weeknight bowl without ceremony. It holds its own among Minneapolis pho rooms on the strength of a straightforward, well-run kitchen.
№ 02
Pho Mai Dinkytown
$$
319 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 · +16122364538
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Dau hu, the fried tofu dish, comes out crisp and generously portioned for ten dollars, a better bet here than the pho, which runs salty with noodles that can go soft if the order sits. Banh mi rounds out the menu. This Dinkytown room works best as a fast, inexpensive lunch stop rather than a destination for broth purists.
What to orderDau Hu, Pho, Banh Mi
№ 03
Pho Tau Bay
$$
2837 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408 · +16128746030
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A long-standing Minneapolis pho counter that keeps its focus narrow: noodle soup, done without extra flourish, for diners who want the classic bowl and nothing more elaborate. The room moves quickly and stays unpretentious, the kind of everyday spot that earns repeat weekday visits rather than special-occasion ones.
№ 04
Jasmine 26 | Hot Pot Restaurant & Bar
$$
8 E 26th St, Minneapolis, MN 55401 · +16128703800
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Individual hot pots let a party of two or three build their own broth and protein combinations without committing to a shared communal pot, a format that works well for smaller groups. Beef, shrimp, and vegetable versions cover most cravings. Service runs attentive even when tables stack up, and the room stays comfortable for families and larger gatherings alike.
What to orderbeef hot pot, shrimp hot pot, vegetable hot pot
№ 05
Cadao Express
$
6637 Penn Ave S, Richfield, MN 55423 · +16128619901
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The cream cheese wontons are the reason to detour into this Minneapolis strip mall counter, fried until the shell shatters around a filling balanced between sweet and rich. Banh mi and pho round out a compact menu built for speed. Parking is tight and the space is small, but it rewards a stop between errands nearby.
What to ordercream cheese wontons, banh mi, pho
№ 06
Pho Hoa Noodle Soup (Minneapolis)
$$
2450 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404 · +16128708000
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The broth here draws serious praise from diners who have worked through most of the pho counters in the Twin Cities, and it holds up: clean, well-seasoned, the kind of bowl that justifies a plain storefront exterior. Banh mi and spring rolls fill out the menu. This is a room for people who take their pho seriously.
What to orderpho, banh mi, spring rolls
2719 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55408 · +16128704739
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One of the longer-running Vietnamese kitchens in Minneapolis, with a spacious dining room built for family tables and a menu deep enough to satisfy diners who grew up eating this food at home. Pho, banh mi, and spring rolls anchor the lineup. It draws comparison to restaurants in Vietnam itself, a bar few local kitchens invite.
What to orderpho, banh mi, spring rolls
2121 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN, 55418 · +16122238640
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The Bun Cha Lettuce Wraps and Adobo Pork Ribs lead a Vietnamese menu built for sharing, with a Northeast Minneapolis dining room that carries real polish for a group dinner or date night. The kitchen layers flavor into nearly every plate. Service has drawn some inconsistency at busy hours, but the cooking remains the draw.
What to orderBun Cha Lettuce Wraps, Adobo Pork Ribs, Banh Mi
112 N 3rd St, Minneapolis, MN, 55401 · +16123437696
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Tagliatelle with foie gras meatballs is the dish regulars order first, rich and slightly spiced, followed by a lamb pasta that has earned its own following. This North Loop room built its reputation on exactly this kind of plate: confident, unfussy, and consistent enough that longtime Minneapolis diners still call it a benchmark for what a great meal should feel like.
What to orderTagliatelle with foie gras meatballs, Lamb pasta, Dumplings
№ 10
Lotus Restaurant
$$
113 W Grant St, Minneapolis, MN 55403 · +16128701218
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Pork eggrolls arrive with a reliable crunch, split in half rather than left whole, and the Vietnamese noodle soup has kept families coming back for years. This is a neighborhood room built for repeat visits rather than one-time novelty, with lotus wings adding a distinctive option beyond the standard menu. Consistency across visits is the draw.
What to orderpork eggrolls, lotus wings, Vietnamese noodle soup
№ 11
Que Viet Village House
$$
2211 Johnson St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418 · +16127814744
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Meatballs pho has become the order kids ask for by name, a sign of how this casual Minneapolis room has settled into neighborhood routine near schools and homes. Banh mi and spring rolls round out the menu. Staff greet tables quickly and keep drinks filled, and the bakery counter up front adds an extra reason to stop in.
What to ordermeatballs pho, banh mi, spring rolls
№ 12
Lu's Sandwiches
$
2624 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408 · +16128700350
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The banh mi with headcheese stands out as a serious cold cut sandwich built on real, house-made headcheese rather than a shortcut version, a rarity even among Eat Street's crowded sandwich options. Pho rounds out the menu. Counter service keeps things quick, and a full meal here still comes in under ten dollars.
What to orderbanh mi with headcheese, banh mi, pho
Frequently asked
What is the best pho in Minneapolis right now?
Based on the Insider Score, Pho Hoa Noodle Soup and Quang Restaurant stand out for broth quality and consistency, while Hai Hai offers a more upscale Vietnamese menu built around shared plates rather than pho alone. No restaurant on this list pays to be included; placement follows the Insider Score.
Where can I find good pho near me in Minneapolis?
This guide covers Minneapolis rooms from Dinkytown to Eat Street to Northeast, so proximity depends on the neighborhood. Pho 79, Pho Tau Bay, and Que Viet Village House serve straightforward neighborhood bowls, while Cadao Express and Lu's Sandwiches work well for a quick stop near shopping or errands.
Is Hai Hai the same as ordering pho at a noodle counter?
No. Hai Hai is a full Vietnamese restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis built around shared plates like Bun Cha Lettuce Wraps and Adobo Pork Ribs rather than a noodle soup counter. It carries a higher price point and a more polished room than the pho-focused spots on this list.
How is the Insider Score for these restaurants determined?
The Insider Score reflects the pattern in the public review record for each restaurant: consistency of the food, service, and value over time. It is not paid placement. No restaurant on this list, or any guide on this site, pays for inclusion or ranking.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Kou Thao
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Kou Thao is the St. Paul & Corridors Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born in St. Paul and raised in Frogtown, he grew up working the family egg-roll stand at Hmongtown Marketplace. He covers the marketplaces, University Avenue, the East Side and West Side, and every corridor counter worth the trip across the river.
