Top 5 pho kho restaurants in Pleiku worth trying during festival season
Pho kho hai to, the two-bowl dry pho, is Pleiku's signature dish: one bowl of mixed dry noodles, one bowl of hot broth served alongside. This list ranks five restaurants by the public criteria below, not by the writer's own tasting, since the writer did not eat at these restaurants during the verification round on 25 October 2026.
Ranking criteria
A restaurant makes the list only if it meets all three conditions: it is mentioned repeatedly across independent sources, it sits in central Pleiku within easy reach during festival season, and it opens in the morning to suit festival visitors. The order follows source coverage, from the most frequently mentioned down. Prices and opening hours come from secondary sources, and those sources disagree quite a bit, so each entry gives the recorded price range instead of a single figure. Prices during the festival may differ, so asking at the restaurant before ordering is the safest move.
1. Pho Hong, Nguyen Van Troi street
Pho Hong appears in almost every source checked, and one source describes it as the oldest restaurant on this list, about 70 years old. Sources give the address as 22 or 24 Nguyen Van Troi, Hoi Thuong ward, Pleiku, that is, the same stretch of street. Opening hours are given as 05:00 to 14:00.
Recorded prices vary widely, from 25,000 VND a bowl in one roundup, to 40,000-50,000 VND a bowl in the dulich9 guide, to 60,000 VND for a mixed bowl in another source. That spread likely reflects different bowl types and different recording dates, so no single figure here should be treated as the settled price. A drawback mentioned by several sources: the place gets crowded, so expect a wait at morning peak hours.
2. Pho Ngoc Son, Nguyen Thai Hoc street
Pho Ngoc Son, 15 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi Thuong ward, Pleiku, also appears in almost every source. Sources describe springy noodles, a distinctive black bean sauce and fast service in a spacious room. Opening hours differ between sources, one giving 07:00 to 22:00 and another 05:00 to 14:00, so check before going in the afternoon.
Recorded prices run from 35,000 VND a bowl to 40,000-45,000 VND a serving, depending on the source. The range is narrower than Pho Hong's, but it is still secondary-source pricing, not verified at the restaurant on 25 October 2026.
3. Pho Kho Hiep, Nguyen Trai street
Pho Kho Hiep is described in the sources as a long-standing Gia Lai restaurant with springy noodles and a rich broth. Sources give the address as 60 or 06 Nguyen Trai, Yen Do ward, Pleiku: the same street, but the house numbers disagree, so navigate by restaurant name and street rather than trusting one house number. Opening hours are given as 06:00 to 12:00 or 12:30.
Recorded prices run from 25,000 VND to 40,000 VND a bowl, depending on the source. The restaurant sells mornings only, so late arrivals miss out.
4. Pho Tau Ly, the afternoon option
Pho Tau Ly differs from the other four in that it sells in the afternoon, roughly 15:00 to 20:00 according to one roundup. That makes it the pick for anyone who missed the morning or wants a second bowl after a day out. Sources disagree on its address, giving 5 Doan Thi Diem, Dien Hong ward in one source and 36 Tran Phu in another, so this is the address in the list most in need of on-site confirmation.
The recorded price is 20,000 VND a bowl according to the roundup, the lowest on the list, but it is a single secondary-source figure with no second source to cross-check. Sources describe a fragrant black bean sauce and a light sweet broth.
5. Pho Kho Be Tu, Phan Dinh Phung street
Pho Kho Be Tu is described as a long-running restaurant with generous portions at prices that suit students and larger groups. Sources give the address as 210 or 244A Phan Dinh Phung, Yen Do ward, Pleiku. Opening hours are given as 06:00 to 22:00, all day, which is more convenient than the morning-only spots.
Recorded prices span the widest range on the list, from 25,000 VND a bowl in one source to 45,000-60,000 VND in another. The gap probably reflects different bowl types and recording dates, but this article records only the range found rather than guessing further.
Choosing quickly during the festival
For a morning before the events, Pho Hong or Pho Ngoc Son are the central, most-mentioned choices. For a late lunch, Pho Kho Be Tu, open all day, is the safer bet. In the afternoon, Pho Tau Ly is the only one on the list selling then. Beyond these five, Pho Nu at 50 Nguyen Du is also mentioned by several sources; this article keeps to five restaurants by the highest source coverage and names Pho Nu here so readers can cross-check it themselves.
Photos needed
This article has no real photos yet. Photos to take at each restaurant: the shopfront and sign, one bowl of dry pho beside its bowl of broth, and the price board on the day of shooting. Secondary-source photos are for information cross-checking only and must not be reused as article photos. Once real photos exist, captions should record the shooting date and the price at the restaurant that day, replacing the secondary-source price ranges in the article.
A note on prices and addresses
All prices in this article, and some addresses, come from secondary sources that disagree with each other, especially for Pho Hong, Pho Kho Hiep and Pho Tau Ly. The article deliberately settles on no single figure, because settling a number while sources disagree would be inventing one. The next verification round should visit each restaurant in person during the festival, photograph the price board, confirm the house number, and update the article with a new verification date.
Sources
Verification date: 2026-10-25