Hanoi's strange Pho vendor: Starts the sale at 3 am, hundred of customers wait in line

In Hang Chieu street, there is a famous Pho vendor that only welcomes customers from 2.00 am, however, those who want to taste this pho have to wait 2 hours before their dishes are ready

October 13, 2020 | 08:06

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For those who love Hanoi and Hanoi cuisine, "Phở gánh Hàng Chiếu" (the Pho vendor on Hang Chieu street) is no longer a strange name when it comes to a typical dish of this city. However, this seemingly familiar dish turned out to contain many strange things. If you really want to know how the people in Hanoi eat and sell pho, don't miss out the chance to try the pho vendor of Hang Chieu. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

The owner of this special pho diner is Ms. Hoa. The diner was established on the sidewalk of Hang Chieu - Hang Duong intersection (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) in 1990. Initially, Ms. Hoa started selling her dishes from 5 am until around 9 am, just like the other Pho vendors. Later, in order to meet the needs of customers, she changed the opening hours to midnight, around 3 am. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

Normally, at 2:00 in the morning, Ms. Hoa starts to serve customers, but all customers then have to wait for a long time for their dishes to be ready. Many of the customers have become loyal to the humble vendor. They are even willing to arrive at midnight, putting personal belongings on the table to reserve seats. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

"I can only serve from 3:30 am. If you cannot wait, then go eat somewhere else" - That was a familiar saying of Ms. Hoa's husband when he saw customers entering the restaurant. If you are a stranger, you will definitely be surprised by this grumpy service, however, loyal customers usually just wait silently. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

“80% of our customers are regular customers. Those who come here the first time usually do not have enough patience, so they get upset with our service"- Ms. Hoa's husband said. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

Because it's open in the middle of the night, customers who come to eat pho in Hang Chieu are usually those coming home late from work, or young people going out at night. Most people are willing to spend 2-3 hours waiting just to eat a bowl of their favorite pho. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

From 3 - 7 am, Ms. Hoa welcomes nearly 200 dine-in customers. Besides, she also receives online orders from e-commerce sites. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

The pho shop located on the sidewalk, includes only about 25 plastic tables, each with 4 plastic chairs. If you arrive early, you may have an available seat to enjoy your dish. Those arrive late may have to stand on the street to wait until someone finish their meals and leaves. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

Waiters will stop at each table for customers to order. No matter how crowded her shop gets, Ms. Hoa always serves in a leisure manner. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

Each bowl of pho costs 50.000 VND (about 2 USD). (Photo: Vietnamnet)

Ms. Hoa's pho is special thanks to her homemade broth. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

Her shop only consists of two broth pots and a meat tray, but it contains the soul of Hanoi traditional cuisine. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

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