University Avenue carries more pho than any single strip in the metro, and St. Paul's Vietnamese kitchens have been feeding the Green Line corridor for decades. This guide skips the chains and sticks to the counters and dining rooms that St. Paul actually keeps returning to, bowl by bowl.
№ 01
Trieu Chau Restaurant
St. Paul $
500 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16512226148
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On University Avenue, where pho options run for blocks, Trieu Chau stands out for a broth that stays clear and clean rather than muddy or oversalted. The warm spice mix comes through without overwhelming the beef, and the proteins arrive generous. The room is plain and the pace unhurried, the kind of St. Paul storefront that draws repeat customers over new ones.
What to orderpho, banh mi, spring rolls
№ 02
Pho Ca Dao
St. Paul $
439 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16512224615
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Pho Ca Dao keeps to a short, focused menu built around the bowl itself rather than a sprawling list of Vietnamese and pan-Asian dishes. It is a straightforward St. Paul stop for a fast, no-fuss bowl, the kind of counter-service room where the broth does the talking and the rest of the menu stays secondary. Reliable, unfussy, easy to order from quickly.
№ 03
Tay Ho
St. Paul $$
302 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16512287216
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Tay Ho's beef pho and bun bo hue share the menu with strong Vietnamese coffee, and the combination has made it a go-to for regulars in this stretch of St. Paul. Service moves fast and stays friendly even at lunch volume. It sits kitty corner from a Thai neighbor, easy to miss unless someone points it out, but the bowls hold their own.
What to orderbeef pho, bun bo hue, banh mi
№ 04
IndoChin Vietnamese Restaurant
St. Paul $
1702 Grand Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105 · +16516902728
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IndoChin's menu runs long, but regulars gravitate toward the chicken hotpot and drunken noodles more than the pho itself. The tofu noodle salad is a lighter option that holds up well for lunch. This St. Paul room works best for takeout, close enough to home for some diners that it becomes a default order rather than an occasional stop.
What to orderchicken hotpot, drunken noodles, tofu noodle salad
Saint Paul $
704 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN, 55104 · +16512258751
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iPho by Saigon has built a following on portion size as much as flavor: the bun bo hue and Pho Tai both arrive generous, and the egg rolls are a reliable add-on. Families in this part of St. Paul have kept coming back for years, drawn by prices that stay affordable even as portions stay large. Friendly, unpretentious service matches the food.
What to orderPho Tai, Bun Bo Hue, Egg rolls
№ 06
eM Que Viet Restaurant and Bar
St. Paul $$
1332 Grand Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105 · +16513304363
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eM Que Viet handles groups well, with cream cheese wontons and veggie egg rolls built for sharing before the pad Thai and other mains land. It works as a quick Vietnamese dinner option in St. Paul when a larger party needs a fast table and fast service. The bar side adds flexibility that a straight noodle shop would not have, and the staff keep pace even when tables run long.
What to ordercream cheese wontons, veggie egg rolls, pad Thai
№ 07
Pho Pasteur
St. Paul $$
694 Snelling Ave N, Saint Paul, MN 55104 · +16517568562
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Pho Pasteur runs a large, spacious room and an extensive menu, but the oxtail pho and straightforward pho tai are the reasons regulars return. Spring rolls hold up, and the strawberry smoothie with tapioca has its own following separate from the soup. This St. Paul spot suits families and groups who want table space along with the bowl, without the wait of smaller storefronts.
What to orderpho tai, spring rolls, strawberry smoothie with tapioca
№ 08
Eastside Thai Restaurant
St. Paul $
879 Payne Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55130 · +16517766599
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Eastside Thai draws on both Thai and Hmong cooking, and the catfish curry stands out alongside the pad Thai and drunken noodles that keep neighborhood regulars loyal. Portions run large for the price, and street parking outside makes it an easy stop on St. Paul's east side. Service tends to be quick, with tables seated fast even during a weeknight rush.
What to orderpad Thai, drunken noodles, catfish curry
№ 09
I Heart Pho
St. Paul $
850 Maryland Ave E, Saint Paul, MN 55106 · +16516003724
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Speed and friendliness count for more than reinvention here: the menu covers the same pho and banh mi ground as its University Avenue neighbors, but the staff's warmth and quick turnaround set it apart. Parking is tight given the small storefront, but the kitchen moves fast. A dependable St. Paul stop for a fast bowl without much wait.
What to orderpho, banh mi, spring rolls
№ 10
Hoa Bien Restaurant
St. Paul $
1105 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55104 · +16516471011
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Hoa Bien's pho dac biet loads in tendon, tripe, brisket, meatballs, and sliced beef, a full combination bowl that has made it a repeat stop along University Avenue. Service greets tables quickly and stays consistent visit to visit, which is why regulars treat it as their default rather than an occasional choice. A steady, dependable room in St. Paul's Vietnamese corridor.
What to orderpho dac biet, banh mi, spring rolls
№ 11
Vina | Vietnamese Restaurant
St. Paul $$
756 Cleveland Ave S, Saint Paul, MN 55116 · +16516988408
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Vina's rice noodle salad comes in portions large enough to take home for the next day, and the banh mi and pho round out a menu built for groups. Service has drawn praise for attentiveness at every stage of a visit. This St. Paul room works well for a table of friends looking for variety beyond a single bowl of pho.
What to orderrice noodle salad, banh mi, pho
№ 12
China Chef Restaurant
St. Paul $
2240 Highway 36 E, Saint Paul, MN 55109 · +16517779790
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China Chef keeps a small owner-run feel even though the menu leans Chinese American, with hot and sour soup and chow mein alongside a pho that has earned its own following. Regulars call it consistently dependable, a neighborhood room in St. Paul where the same order works every time. The owner's steady presence has helped keep loyal customers coming back for years.
What to orderpho, hot and sour soup, chow mein
Frequently asked
What is the best pho in St. Paul right now?
Based on the Insider Score, Trieu Chau Restaurant and Hoa Bien Restaurant rank among the strongest choices on University Avenue, both known for full, well-balanced broth and generous combination bowls. No restaurant pays to be listed here; rankings come from the Insider Score alone.
Where can I find good pho near me in St. Paul?
University Avenue holds the highest concentration of Vietnamese pho kitchens in St. Paul, with Trieu Chau, Tay Ho, iPho by Saigon, and Hoa Bien all within that corridor. Checking the Insider Score for each address is the most reliable way to find the closest strong option near me or any given St. Paul neighborhood.
Is University Avenue the center of Vietnamese food in St. Paul?
Yes. University Avenue, part of the Green Line corridor connecting St. Paul and Minneapolis, carries a dense run of Vietnamese restaurants alongside the Lao, Thai, and Hmong kitchens of Little Mekong. Several rooms on this list sit directly on or near that stretch.
How is the Insider Score determined for these restaurants?
The Insider Score reflects the accumulated pattern of customer feedback for each restaurant, weighing consistency and standout dishes over time. It is independent of advertising: no restaurant pays for placement or a higher score in this guide.
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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.
