You might have already picked up on the fact that here at Manchester’s Finest we’re big fans of Chinatown. The tightly-packed streets that make up one of the most densely concentrated Far Eastern neighbourhoods in Europe are a feast for the senses. Whether you’re here at night, dazzled by neon lights luring the hungry in to any number of landmark eateries or karaoke spots, visiting on one of the significant Chinese celebrations — New Year is a must — or wandering by day, when you’ll find the district moves at a slower pace and bakeries, rather than all-you-can-sing bars, are top of the list. It’s among this veritable dim sum platter of stuff that you’ll find Pho Cue holding it down for the Vietnamese community.
The city isn’t short of great places to grab a pho, but as the Guardian’s highly respected food scribe Jay Rayner said after visiting in 2021, this place is “everything it should be”. That means intimate, informal, extremely good value for money and pretty much always busy. Trust us, we’ve been here enough times to put all that to the test.
Our top tip would be to try the namesake soup, or iconic Banh Mi sandwiches — an East-West hybrid born from French colonial rule over Vietnam which involves a baguette filled with savouries like pickled veg, fried meats, and fresh herbs. There’s much more choice than this, but hopefully you get the point. “Our story is one of tradition and passion, highlighting the meticulous care we take in our kitchen and the freshness of our ingredients,” Pho Cue says on its website. “This journey showcases the culinary heritage passed down through generations: from our family to yours.” Having tasted the menu items, the welcome and the service, we’d happily have to agree. Highly recommended on all fronts if you’re in town and even remotely peckish.
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