Sidestreet Pho | Our Story
Saigon street food, rooted in family tradition
Sidestreet Pho traces its roots to the curbside vendors of pre-war Vietnam, where chef Hanh Nguyen grew up eating simple, fresh food on the streets of Saigon. That tradition — carried across an ocean — is what you'll find in every bowl.
Growing up in Saigon
As a child, Hanh ate the way much of Vietnam did — at the curb, from vendors who made Bún, Gỏi Cuốn, and Phở with quiet skill. Those flavors became the foundation she'd one day build a restaurant around.
A mother's restaurant
After 1975, the Nguyen family arrived in America and couldn't find the food they knew — so Hanh's mother opened one of the earliest Vietnamese restaurants in the country. It was an act of cultural preservation as much as a business.
Full circle in Alameda
Hanh brought those same street-side flavors to Alameda, opening Sidestreet Pho in a modern dining setting. The menu reflects the full breadth of Vietnamese cuisine she grew up with — not just the namesake bowl.
Patience in the pot
The Phở starts with a bone broth that simmers for 24 hours — a patient practice that says more about the kitchen's values than any description could.