Best Pho in Montreal: Noodle Soup and Vietnamese Food

The best pho in Montreal arrives in a bowl so hot that the first thing you do is wait. The Vietnamese community has shaped the city's food for decades, and Montreal Chinatown, centred on rue de la Gauchetière and Saint-Laurent, is compact and walkable. Judge the broth first, then the noodles and toppings.

Noodle shops are quick and casual, and the easiest way to compare is to go with friends, order different bowls and trade tastes. Vegetarian bowls are available in some shops, made with vegetable broth, tofu and mushrooms.

What makes the best pho in Montreal?

Pho has three parts: the broth, the noodles and the toppings. The broth is simmered for hours with beef bones, charred onion, ginger and spices such as star anise, cinnamon and clove. It should be clear and fragrant, with a clean beef flavour. The noodles are flat rice noodles, soft but not mushy. The toppings are thin slices of beef, brisket or meatballs, with onion and herbs.

Judge the bowl by the broth. A good one tastes complex and balanced, sweet from the bones and warm from the spices, with no heavy salt or sugar. Add herbs and lime at the end, and taste before you add sauce.

Where do you find Vietnamese food in Montreal?

Montreal Vietnamese food is spread across the city. The pho shops of Chinatown are the obvious place to start, and the Côte-des-Neiges area and the streets near the markets have more. Tastes differ, so a bowl that one person loves may disappoint someone else.

A simple way to choose is to look for a short menu built around pho, a busy room at lunch and a broth that smells of star anise and charred onion.

What is Montreal Chinatown food like?

Montreal Chinatown food is compact and walkable, centred on rue de la Gauchetière and Saint-Laurent. The district has Chinese, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores. A morning here can include pastry, an afternoon can include noodles and the evening can end with dessert.

Chinatown is also a good place to learn by looking. Read the specials on the windows, watch what regulars order and ask the server for a recommendation. Many shops have a short menu and fast service.

What other Montreal noodles should you try?

Montreal noodles go beyond pho. Look for bun, a bowl of cold rice vermicelli with grilled meat, herbs and fish sauce. Look for hu tieu, a pork and seafood noodle soup, and for bun bo hue, a spicy beef soup. Japanese ramen shops, Chinese hand-pulled noodle counters and Thai noodle kitchens also dot the city.

If you are with friends, order different bowls and trade tastes. A cold noodle dish pairs well with a hot soup.

How should you order pho if it is your first time?

Pick a size and a protein. A classic starter is pho tai, with rare beef slices that cook in the hot broth. Pho chin has well-done brisket. Pho ga is chicken. Ask for the herb plate and bean sprouts on the side.

Taste the broth before you add anything. Then add lime, herbs and chili to your own taste. Hoisin and chili sauces are on the table, and many people dip the meat rather than pour sauce into the bowl.

What is the etiquette at a noodle shop?

Noodle shops are quick and casual. Seat yourself if there is no host. Order, eat and be mindful of the line. It is fine to slurp, and it is polite to finish what you can. Pay at the counter if that is the custom.

Check the payment method before you go. Some small shops prefer cash. Bring a few small bills, and a coat in winter, since you will want to sit near the steam.

How do you eat pho the right way?

There is no single rule, but a few habits help. Taste the broth plain with a spoon. Add herbs and sprouts to your taste, tearing basil leaves and squeezing lime. Use chopsticks for the noodles and a spoon for the broth, and bring the two together as you eat. It is fine to pick the bowl up for the last sips.

Vegetarian bowls are available in some shops, made with vegetable broth, tofu and mushrooms. Ask whether the broth is meatless, since some shops use animal stock even in a vegetable bowl.

Finally, give yourself time. Pho is not a dish to rush. A hot bowl on a cold Montreal day is a small ceremony, and a few quiet minutes with the steam rising is part of what you came for. If you leave a little room, many shops serve Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, which makes a sweet end to the meal.

What else should you eat around Montreal?

For a neighbourhood walk, read the Villeray Montreal restaurants guide. For an evening, date night restaurants in Montreal is a good companion, and the Montreal public markets guide covers where to shop. The Canada guides page lists more cities.

Noodle soup rewards a second look. Download the Mosey app, rate each pho by its broth, its noodles and its herbs, and build a Montreal list that tells you where to eat on the coldest day.