What are the two main types of pho based on meat?

What are the two main types of pho based on meat? The two main types are beef pho and chicken pho.

In Vietnamese, beef pho is phở bò and chicken pho is phở gà. Beef pho is the variety most commonly associated with the dish: its broth is usually built from beef bones and may be served with cuts such as brisket, flank, steak, tendon, tripe, or meatballs. Chicken pho uses chicken bones and meat, producing a lighter broth while retaining many of the same toasted spices and charred aromatics.

These categories describe the principal protein, not every possible pho variation. Pho developed in Northern Vietnam in the early twentieth century, and chicken pho appeared later; one historical account places its emergence around 1939. Regional cooking and overseas restaurants have since introduced versions with tofu, vegetables, duck, seafood, or other meats.

The wording “main types” matters. Beef and chicken are the canonical pair for a general quiz, even though modern menus can offer many additional proteins and vegetarian adaptations.