Shoreditch Pho Mile: What are the best restaurants in the London hotspot?

Summer rolls galore: BunBunBun on the Pho Mile
Lizzie Thomson12 July 2018

Shoreditch is well known for its curry mile on Brick Lane but east London also has another lesser-known mile to its name – the Pho Mile.

It's taken over Kingsland Road over the past few decades but the spot has always played an important part in Shoreditch's history – it used to be a Roman road that marked the way to Kingsland, an old settlement that sits in modern day Dalston.

What is it?

The Pho Mile refers to the area that’s saturated in Vietnamese restaurants, stretching from Shoreditch High Street station to Hoxton.

Many restaurants are just doors apart, all boasting different kinds of Vietnamese treats. As with the Brick Lane curry houses, these are not high-end spots – but that wouldn’t be in-keeping with the Kingsland Road vibe, after all.

Despite the understated looks, there's a focus on authentic dishes and many make for the perfect pre-going out pit spot with good food and generous BYOB policies, where there's little or no corkage.

The restaurants

Below are our favourites, though it's worth simply heading out and trying to get through them all at one point or another.

BunBunBun

Vietamese feasting: BunBunBun's bites

The clue’s in the name. This restaurant specialises in Bun cha, a traditional Hanoi dish of grilled pork with white rice noodles. As well as Bun cha, it offers both familiar and lesser-known dishes covering delicacies from all over Vietnam. Expect both street food style dishes and traditional hearty mains. Highlights include the honey marinated chargrilled pork belly slices to start and the spicy lemongrass beef brisket bun as a main.

134B Kingsland Road, E2 8DY, bunbunbun.co

LoongKee

This venue's decor is simple and stripped back, with sole attention on the food. Try the prawn and tofu summer rolls here as well as the flavoursome Pho noodle soups. Expect it to be buzzy – after all, it also operates a BYOB policy.

134G Kingsland Rd, E2 8DY

Viet Hoa

Located in the middle of the Pho Mile, this Shoreditch restaurant has a rich history. It was originally established as a small canteen to provide affordable food for Vietnamese refugees who escaped the communist regime in Vietnam. Now the hearty menu boasts all kinds of dishes from traditional Phos, bun noodles, seafood, salads and meats. There’s also a strong veggie offering with a vegetarian platter, veggie tempura and deep fried tofu.

70-72 Kingsland Rd, E2 8DP, viethoarestaurant.co.uk

Mien Tay

This family run restaurant also has branches in Fulham and Battersea but all outlets serve traditional dishes local to the Mien Tay region in Southern Vietnam. The menu consists of familiar favourites like curries (served in clay pots) as well as more adventurous options including stir-fried frogs legs and stir-fried eel accompanied with lemongrass and chilli. This venue operates a BYOB policy with a corkage fee ranging from £2.50-£3.00 per person, depending on the day.

122 Kingsland Rd, E2 8DP, mientay.co.uk

Green Papaya Xi'Viet

This popular haunt combines traditional Vietnam cuisine with dishes of the region of Xi’an (the capital of Shaanxi Province in central China). Make sure you try their selection of Phos including the Pho Bo Tai (rare beef). Menu highlights include a Bun thit & Nem Nuong, which is vermicelli with BBQ belly pork and a spring roll.

97 Kingsland Rd, E2 8AG, green-papaya.com

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