A glittery chandelier hangs above the large, otherwise generic beige-tiled dining area—a sharp contrast to the generally casual interior of Pho Dai Loi 2 on Buford Highway. We love the variety here and have yet to try a bowl we don't like—this is easily one of the best pho places in ATL. Goldilocks would be at home with the bowls in three sizes (the large IS large) and the most pho selections of any place in town. It’s hard to recommend just one, but try a bowl with rare beef.

Slide into a booth at Nam Phuong on Buford Highway and settle in because it’ll take a long time to look through their menu, which feels like the size of War and Peace (and makes for better reading). Or just order the pho, because it’s the best thing on the long-ass menu (the pork intestines are a very close second). These bowls of pho are massive and could easily be shared by two people, but that would be weird, and we’re selfish.

What We Suki Suki lacks in aesthetics, it more than makes up for in flavor. It’s a tight squeeze inside the narrow Qommunity, and at lunch time, it’s nearly impossible to find a seat at the few picnic tables inside. We almost always have to wait for our decent sized bowl of broth, but since this is one of our favorite pho spots in Atlanta, it’s always worth it. Their broth is marinated for 24 hours and packed with meat, perfectly cooked noodles, and so much cilantro.

From the bright, loud yellow walls in the one-room dining area to the steady roar of conversation from diners and a constant stream of people picking up carryout orders, it’s safe to say Anh’s Kitchen will assault your senses. But the invasion of flavors is why we keep going back to this casual Vietnamese eatery in the heart of Midtown. Their expansive menu features everything from banh mi to clay pot dishes, but the pho is a crowd favorite.

Whoever designed the interior of Mai Kitchen in VA Highlands had a love affair with cut-out shelves. They are everywhere and filled with bottles, flowers, and other knickknacks. The giant white-domed lighting fixtures make you feel like you might be beamed up at any moment. But it all pulls together to give off laid-back yet trendy vibes that we kinda dig. With only three pho options, it’s easy to feel a little cheated—until you taste the broth.

When we’re craving a meal inspired by the street food scene of Saigon, we head to Lady Ha. It sits beneath the Ford Factory Lofts, just off the BeltLine. Although the interior with exposed brick walls and industrial chic light fixtures would be easy to write off as just more BeltLine development explosion, one bite of their banh mi's slathered with butter mayo will have you eating your words. While this isn’t strictly a pho spot, it’s still a solid stop when we’re craving some hot broth.

For pho purists, Glenwood Park’s Pho Cue might come off as some type of unforgivable sin with its mixture of barbecue and pho. But it’s a tasty union we never knew we needed. There’s only one pho bowl on the menu, and it’s served with a choice of pulled pork, brisket, chicken, or mushrooms. The broth is brisket-based and has a distinct smoky barbecue flavor. We recommend the brisket, which fuses perfectly with the broth and is so tender it falls apart immediately with one poke of a chopstick.

Their trendy half-oval bar with neon blue and purple lights, minimalist interior, and plenty of tables for two make Le Fat a date night destination in West Midtown. With a variety of Vietnamese and Chinese fusion dishes that are our usual go-to’s (like the tasty chicken clay pot or drunken noodles, and always get the spicy green beans because, damn), we’re rarely here just for soup, but there is a brisket and meatball pho on the menu. It’s perfect for broth minimalists.

We Suki Suki is our usual pho spot in EAV but since they have limited hours, we can always come to So Ba when we need a fix. The small, unassuming green exterior is matched by their laid-back interior that squeezes in roughly 10 tables, which are always filled. Whether you’re having a casual date night, eating with your new baby in tow, or grabbing a cơm or bun dish with friends before hitting the bars, anything goes here. The pho is the highlight with three sizes and eight different options.

Dua on Broad Street in Downtown Atlanta serves up a variety of Vietnamese dishes. But as soon as you spy the restaurant’s logo, which includes a steaming bowl of pho, you’ll know what to order. The small interior is usually bursting with hungry GSU students waiting on carryout orders. Dua isn’t doing anything particularly novel with their pho, but the broth is flavorful and the bowls are packed with a decent amount of noodles and cilantro.