What kind of vendors originally sold pho at dawn and dusk?

Street vendors originally sold pho at dawn and dusk.

Early pho was a mobile street food rather than a dish served mainly in permanent restaurants. Vendors carried a balanced shoulder pole, or gánh phở, with a cooking station and supplies. One side held a cauldron over a small fire, while the other stored noodles, spices, utensils, and serving equipment.

The dawn-and-dusk schedule reflected pho’s role as a convenient meal for workers and residents. Vendors could move through neighborhoods and serve hot bowls when people were starting or ending the day. This mobile tradition helped pho spread through northern Vietnamese cities before fixed shops became more common.

Pho later developed into a full restaurant and household food, with major regional differences. Hanoi-style pho is often presented with a cleaner, more restrained garnish selection, while southern versions commonly add bean sprouts, Thai basil, hoisin sauce, and chili sauce. The old carrying-pole vendors remain an important symbol of pho’s street-food origins.