Pho in Columbus runs from strip-mall counters on the north side to a stall inside North Market, and the bowl changes shape at every stop. This guide sticks to the broth, the rare steak, and the banh mi that back it up, judged room by room across the city.
№ 01
Bamboo Thai Kitchen
$$
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Bamboo Thai Kitchen splits its menu between Thai standards and Vietnamese staples, and the drunken noodles and mini Thai rolls draw repeat regulars as often as the pad Thai does. The banh mi holds its own next to the noodle dishes. Service moves fast and the kitchen keeps quality steady across visits, which is the whole case for a place that does not specialize in one cuisine.
What to orderPad Thai, drunken noodles, banh mi
№ 02
PHO CHEF
$$
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PHO CHEF keeps the format simple: a Vietnamese noodle house built around the bowl its name promises. No frills, no fusion menu padding it out. For anyone working through a list of Columbus pho counters, it belongs on the circuit alongside the better-documented rooms, judged the same way: broth first, everything else second.
Bethel Road $$
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Buckeye Phở runs a deep menu behind its pho tai, and the rare steak version with a banh mi thit nuong on the side is the standard order for regulars who treat it as a lunch fixture. The room stays clean and the staff moves fast even when the counter fills up, which keeps a large menu from feeling unfocused.
What to orderpho tai (rare steak), banh mi thit nuong (grilled pork), spring rolls
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Huong Vietnamese Restaurant fills up by mid-afternoon on a weekday, which says something about a Vietnamese lunch spot with no exterior flash. The pho arrives with a clear, seasoned broth rather than a murky one, the ca phe sua da is made properly with condensed milk, and the Vietnamese rice roll gets its own following apart from the soup.
What to orderPho, Café Sữa Đá, Vietnamese rice roll
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Mi Li Cafe pairs its pho with a pork bulgogi plate that comes loaded with side dishes, all handled with care rather than tossed on as filler. The room is unadorned and the pace is unhurried, the kind of place where a bowl of soup works even in July. Staff greet regulars and newcomers with the same warmth.
What to orderPork Bulgogi, Pho, Banh Mi
№ 06
6-1-Pho
$
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6-1-Pho lets diners dial in their own heat with sriracha and hoisin on the table, and the beef pho holds flavor even with a short, focused menu. The meatball banh mi and pork egg rolls round out a small list that does not try to cover every base. Service is quick, which matters on a lunch counter this size.
What to orderbeef pho, banh mi, pork egg rolls
№ 07
Pho Asian Noodle House & Grill
$
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Pho Asian Noodle House & Grill has built a following among regulars who treat it as a standing appointment whenever they pass through Columbus, less for polish than for familiarity. The fried rice and spring rolls hold up as a starter pairing. Execution can be uneven depending on the order, so stick to the dishes locals name first.
What to orderpho, fried rice, spring rolls
№ 08
GC Pho
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GC Pho works as a comfort-food stop for a full bowl of pho or a banh mi without ceremony, and repeat customers describe circling back to it after trying other spots nearby. The room reads as more finished than the average noodle counter, and the service has been consistent enough to become the reason people return.
What to orderpho, banh mi, spring rolls
№ 09
Lieu's Asian Cuisine
$$
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Lieu's Asian Cuisine runs primarily as a to-go operation, built around Chinese American staples like shrimp and broccoli, lo mein, and fried rice rather than a pho-first menu. Portions run generous, and the shrimp and broccoli draws specific praise for flavor and size. Diners looking for real heat should say so plainly when ordering.
What to ordershrimp and broccoli, lo mein, fried rice
the Short North $
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Lan Việt Restaurant sits inside North Market, which shapes the whole experience: quick counter service, food-court pacing, and portions built for a fast lunch rather than a sit-down meal. The pho draws people back on repeat visits to the market, the nem nuong cuon run lean, and the grilled steak banh mi is the more reliable order.
What to orderpho, nem nuong cuon, banh mi
Frequently asked
What is the best pho in Columbus right now?
Based on the Insider Score, Buckeye Phở and Huong Vietnamese Restaurant rank at the top for pho specifically, with consistent broth quality and strong banh mi on the side. No restaurant pays to be listed here; the ranking reflects the review record alone.
Where can I find good pho near me in Columbus?
This guide covers rooms across the city and its immediate area, from North Market downtown to strip-mall counters on the north side. Check the neighborhood listed for each restaurant to find the one closest to you, since Columbus pho spots cluster in a few specific corridors rather than spreading evenly.
Is North Market a good place to get pho?
Yes. Lan Việt Restaurant operates a counter inside North Market downtown, and it runs on food-court pacing: quick service, smaller portions, and a menu built for a fast lunch rather than a lingering meal.
Are these pho restaurants ranked by paid placement?
No restaurant pays for placement or a better spot in this guide. Rankings come from the Insider Score, which is built from the public review record for each restaurant, not from advertising or submissions.
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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 →
Tommy Vu
Staff Writer · Top of Columbus
Tommy Vu is the Corridors and Heritage Editor at Top of Columbus. He grew up rolling silverware in his parents' pho shop in a Bethel Road plaza and has been eating his way through the city's strip-mall corridors ever since. If the best kitchen in the plaza has handwritten specials taped to the register, he has already ordered them.
