Dining
The 6 Best Vietnamese Restaurants in London
Bone-marrow pho, the Kingsland Road pho mile and sublime Peckham cooking: London's best Vietnamese.
In short: our top picks are Cay Tre, Song Que Cafe and Banh Banh. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
London’s Vietnamese scene has a spiritual home on the Hoxton stretch of Kingsland Road, the so-called pho mile, where family-run cafes have queued diners out the door for twenty years. Cay Tre leads the smarter end with its bone-marrow pho, while Banh Banh flies the flag south of the river in Peckham. It is warming, herby, brilliant-value food. Order a pho, a plate of summer rolls and something grilled with lemongrass, and share.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cay Tre | Shoreditch | ££ |
| Song Que Cafe | Shoreditch | ££ |
| Banh Banh | Peckham | ££ |
| Viet Grill | Shoreditch | ££ |
| Salvation in Noodles | Dalston | ££ |
| Mien Tay | Shoreditch | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
Cay Tre
Why we pick itA long-standing favourite with branches in Shoreditch and Soho, its grilled bone-marrow pho a signature.
modern Vietnamese
-
Song Que Cafe
Why we pick itThe corner-shop king of the pho mile, family-run since 2002 with queues out the door for its noodle soups.
Kingsland Road pho
-
Banh Banh
Why we pick itFive siblings serving sublime Vietnamese in a plywood-clad Peckham room, fresh summer rolls and lemongrass pork.
southeast London Vietnamese
-
Viet Grill
Why we pick itA smarter Kingsland Road option from the Viet family, regional cooking that goes well beyond pho.
Kingsland Road Vietnamese
-
Salvation in Noodles
Why we pick itA Dalston and Finsbury Park favourite built around rich, slow-cooked pho and Vietnamese street food.
pho specialist
-
Mien Tay
Why we pick itA reliable Kingsland Road and Battersea name, southern cooking and a famous chargrilled lemongrass chicken.
southern Vietnamese
Before you book
The Kingsland Road classics like Song Que are cash-friendly, no-frills and often have a queue at peak times, so go early or off-peak. Most are relaxed and quick rather than places to linger. Pho is the signature everywhere, but the grilled and vermicelli dishes are just as good if you want to branch out.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Cay Tre is our editor's choice: A long-standing favourite with branches in Shoreditch and Soho, its grilled bone-marrow pho a signature. Cay Tre, Song Que Cafe and Banh Banh lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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