Café Diem

Been coming here with my wife for over 10 years now. My first introduction to Bun Bo Hue (Hue style beef noodle soup) and, even having been to Hue, in Vietnam itself...this is still one of THE best bowls of Bun Bo Hue I have ever had. It is flavorful, spicy, full of herbs and meat and spices. The Vietnamese style coffee (Cafe Sua) is great too, an amazing morning option in my opinion. I don't believe they serve much else, but considering how good the Bun Bo Hue here is, they don't need too. The place is small, there are only a few tables, so my advice is to get here early, you will be thankful you did!

A great local specialty Bún bò Huế place. The broth taste different than in other pho places in a good way. If you order the large special, it comes with a slice of a pork knuckle with the bones. The soup is spicy by default for a lot of people, and they will ask if you want it spicier for those who love spicy food. There's no dedicated parking place, though you can probably find an empty spot nearby. Seating is limited but most people stop by for a quick in-and-out lunch in about 30 minutes or so. This place is cash only, make sure to bring some.

Such an underrated vietnamese spot! The bun bo hue is definitely one of their specialties and some of the best I've ever had. You can tell alot of time and work goes into every dish and its broth. Consistent quality, highly recommend!!

Hands down one of the best Vietnamese spot to have Bun Bo Hue. We ordered a Banh Cuon, Hu Tieu Tom Thit and it was amazing. The portion was great comparing with the price. Parking was a little tricky but there’s a free parking lot one block away. Will definitely be back for more!

The Bun Bo Hue lived up to its reputation, the food was excellent. Not a lot of ambience, but the folks working there were friendly and we enjoyed our meal a lot. If they offer takeout that is what I would opt for and I would definitely eat here again (visiting from out of town).

The best bun bo hue I've had anywhere. The portions are generous and the broth is extremely flavorful and has a nice spicy kick as well. The pho was also great but the bun bo hue was the star. The Thai ice tea with grass jelly was pretty good as well. Highly recommended.

Hands down the best Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef noodle soup) in town!! The broth is so flavorful and delicious. Their banh cuon cha lua is also good. Portions are big with a reasonable price. The ladies in there are very friendly and food comes out really quick. I highly recommend to try their Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk is so good. Even though this place is small, but cozy with a lot of different Vietnamese food options.

CASH ONLY -^_^- Right, here’s the rundown on this spot—they’ve nailed the Bun Bo Hue in Philly! Now, I’ll say it leans a bit on the sweet side, but it’s not a deal-breaker. The broth is packed with rich, bold flavors, and they’re not stingy with the meat, which is always a plus. But let’s talk about what’s missing—where’s the blood cake? And some crunchy toppings like cabbage or banana flower would really take it up a notch. Still, the service is spot on. Quick, friendly, and the staff genuinely care about making sure you’re sorted. Small place, but no long waits—and a heads up, it’s cash only! Now, their Banh Cuon Cha Lua is fantastic. The rice rolls have just the right chewy texture, filled with savory ground pork and earthy woodear mushrooms. The Nuoc Mam? Perfectly balanced, just the right amount of zing. And the Cha Hue, absolutely delicious, complements everything beautifully. Pair that with the crisp Do Chua, fresh cucumber, and basil, and you’ve got a brilliant balance of flavors and textures on the plate.

- Service: Fast. - Ambiance: Very small restaurant with just 5 small tables at maximum. Tables are super close together so I find it a bit uncomfortable. - Food: As a Vietnamese myself, I find the Bun Bo Hue here pretty authentic and delicious. If you cannot handle too much spice, let them know or else you might end up being choked on the spicy soup like my boyfriend. I got the Hu Tiu Kho Tom Thit which is just okay, nothing too impressive for that dish. They're cash only! Located in South Philly, so very difficult to find parking.

A very tight and cramped spot, but they managed to fit a good amount of tables. We were elbows-to-elbows with each other and our adjacent table, but very glad we managed to snag a table. We ordered 3 bun bo hue, 1 pho and a banh cuon to share for our table of 4. Each noodle dish came in two sizes -- small or large. Small was more than enough for me. Their bbh was loaded with protein and fat, springy rice noodles. It had a reasonable amount of heat, but I wish the lemongrass flavor was more prominent. I recall having the same opinion the last time I came here years ago, but maybe it's just personal preference; nonetheless still a delicious bowl of bbh. The pho was exceptional -- super light broth, but packed with a deep, beefy flavor and protein as well. I saw a lot of reviews on the banh cuon being amazing, but I thought it was rather average for my taste; skin wasn't thin enough and it could've used more rolls and cha lua LOL Overall a good spot and very well-worth the value! CASH ONLY.

My friends and I literally drive down to Philly to eat good Vietnamese food and this is one of the spots we go! The bun bo hue is so great, filled to the brim with meat. I was so surprised to try the banh cuon cha lua and it was so good!! Both of these dishes are a must order. 10/10

BBH breakfast of champion! Just visiting Philly for a couple of day and woke up craving for BBH. Did some research on Yelp and actually found some Viet places open early! The BBH here looks legit! I was so excited to come here! Cafe Diem is a local hole in the wall in Viet Town. There are less than 10 tables. We got there before 10am. Most tables were taken already with Vietnamese local families. You know the place is authentic when it has a small menu. It only has 7 food items on the menu. I looked at the other tables, most people got BBH. I ordered the large BBH and hubby got pho. The BBH was great! The broth was so flavorful. The noodles were silky and chewy. It came with big pieces of meat, tendon and boneless pig feet. The pho broth is a little on the sweet side but it was decent. We left with full happy bellies!

Their BBH is the best that I have ever had. Broth is full of flavor and spicy. Love that the aunties are running this shop. Their iced coffee with condensed milk is strong but not too sweet which I appreciate. The meat is a little tough for my liking. Cash only establishment and does not charge sales tax. I will definitely come back to Cafe Diem.

You can't visit Philly without getting viet. Viet in NY is subpar so I had to have my pho fix. I tried bun bo hue for the first time and loved it. The spices and fragrant broth were so comforting. I'm a lover of all the weird meat bits too. They were very generous with the meat. I almost wishes there was more noodle. Nothing fancy. Just good, authentic tasting food.

Dear lord was the bun ho hue delicious. the broth is the perfect mix of spicy and savory being bold while also not being overwhelming in flavor. The noodles were perfect and the meat was tender and generous in portion size. My only gripe was that the pigs feet was not tender and a kinda tough, but that may have just been a fluke as my friend who ordered the same did not have the same issue. But the broth and the rest of it was so good it more than made up for the pork. The price was average for good vietnamese food but i would. certainly not call this place a cheap spot (the large was 16 and a small was 13). The menu is small but it is mighty and I am looking forward to trying out the rest of their menu.

The best bun bo hue i ever had. Broth was rich spicy full of depth and flavor. I got the large for $16 and portions was more than enough. Lots of tendons, pork, beef brisket, slice beef and noodles were al dente. They also included tea. The service was amazing. Very kind Vietnamese waitress. I wanted to try the banh cuon but they were out. Space is small with only 5 tables and a tiny bathroom. Will be back soon.

Cafe Diem is a tiny restaurant located in South Philly with no frill vibes. Expect to be squeezing by people to get to your seat. Their speciality is Bun Bo Hue, a Vietnamese spicy pork feet soup with thick rice noodles; it's the best in the entire city! The soup is so flavorful and filled with tender meat. The Banh Cuon is filled with ground pork, wood ear mushrooms, and onions. Would highly recommend! The service is always quick and consistent. Cash only!

Coming from a lack of authentic Vietnamese food from NYC, I have been looking forward to my visit here to fulfill my cravings post travels to Vietnam half a year ago. This place was highly recommended to me by my friends from Philly. I came here on a Monday afternoon with 3 other friends. I got the Bun Bo Hue and Banh Cuon to share. Both dishes met expectations and lived up to their hype. The BBH was flavorful and the noodles were delicious. Banh Cuon was also delicious and well fitting for a nice early lunch meal. The service and ambiance is what you expect of a hole in a wall spot. The background music and videos of random vietnamese street eats on the TV gives off the feel of eating in the streets of Hanoi & Saigon. I would definitely come back the next time I'm in town. Also It is a cash only establishment.

Best food for the best price!! Broth is so clean and flavorful !! Meat is really good. Highly recommend getting their signature noodle

The portions were great here at average prices. I'm so grateful this restaurant was open so early! Other vietnamese places were open after 10am. Everyone was super friendly. For the Banh Cuon, my dad had no complaints! It was great and the fish sauce was done well. I'm southern Vietnamese and I thought the Bun Bo Hue's broth was sweeter than how I usually have it! It was still really good. My only complaint is that I wish they had traditional herbs and veggies that are paired with this noodle soup. I'd come back!

A casual restaurant serving banh mis and pho in South Philly! We went in on a Friday evening and were seated right away. Atmosphere: The space is on the smaller side and the vibe was casual, but the staff was very friendly and the food came out so quickly! Food: We ordered 2 different broths, which were both very flavorful! The portions were large with a lot of noodles and meat. Overall: 4/5 - I would love to go back and try other food items off their menu! I just really love the pho / broth flavor at Pho 75 so I would likely go back there if I was craving pho. That said, if I was ever looking for a different flavor and type of noodle, I would come back.

My personal favorite in Philly. This is where I go when I crave my mom's BBH. Menu is small but that's how you know they deliver on everything they do have. Service: 5/5 Food: 5/5 Ambience: 4/5 BBH: 5/5. Let me start off my saying I'm picky when it comes to BBH as my mom's family is from central Vietnam which is where the dish originated from. The slightly spicy broth with subtle (to me at least lol) shrimp paste paired with the special Cha Hue and ample amount of meat, my craving for BBH is satisfied every time. Banh cuon: 5/5, no notes. The pork and wood ear mushroom are perfected seasoned. The fish sauce is the perfect mix of salty, sweet and spicy. For dishes like these, the dipping sauce can really make or break the dish. Ambience: 4/5, the place is extremely tiny so can feel a bit claustrophobic if it's full. I love it when the waiter/waitress starts speaking Vietnamese first before switching to English, makes me feel right at home.

Living in south Jersey, it's definitely hard to find a place to get banh uot/cuon, and you will probably have to cross the bridge into Philadelphia to get to it, just like I did. The Banh Uot Cha Lua is still good as I remembered it; personally, I like it more at room temperature than hot. We also got the Fresh Lemonade, which was also really good. Service is friendly, and it's on a small street so parking can be tough. I suggest parking in the parking lot between 6th and 7th street on Washington (parking lot including Ba Le Bakery), and walking over. The restaurant is cash only. 4/5.

CASH ONLY BUN BO HUE - opt out for pig feet -good flavor -good portion -fast service. 8.7/10

Omg one of the best bun bo hue I've had!! The meat to noodle portion was amazing too!! The viet rice roll was yummy too!! And the viet coffee was impactful & strong Everything we got was a hit

Visited here on a Monday afternoon without a reservation for a late lunch with my family. The restaurant is small, with only about 10 tables (only 2- and 4-tops). The servers are all very friendly even though it was apparent that English isn't their first language. My sister and I each ordered a large portion of Banh Cuon (rolled crepes with a filling made of ground pork, wood ear mushrooms and onions), and my parents both had Bun Bo Hue. The Banh Cuon comes in 2 sizes (small and large), and differs in the number of pieces (3 pieces chopped into halves, so 6 pieces for the small portion, and 4 pieces chopped in half for the large portion). The Banh Cuon is made to order, so it took a little more time to prepare than the Bun Bo Hue, which came out relatively quickly. The Banh Cuon is topped with fried shallots and is served with thin slices of Vietnamese ham, and a side of fish sauce, pickled radish, carrots, cucumber and Thai basil. This was my first time having Banh Cuon at a sit-down restaurant, and it definitely exceeded expectations! I would highly recommend the dish for someone with a decent appetite (the portion wasn't overly filling) looking for a healthy Vietnamese dish that's not pho. The Bun Bo Hue was served in a glass bowl on top of a plate for easy serving and maneuvering at the table. According to my mom who spent half of her childhood in Vietnam, the flavor of the Bun Bo Hue tasted authentic, although it could've included more vegetables like cabbage (it comes with a side of bean sprouts and Thai basil) to further enhance the dish. As we were eating, we saw an elderly couple entering the restaurant with a wheelchair. Without any hesitation, one of the servers immediately pulls a chair away from the table, allowing for the wheelchair to be maneuvered through the restaurant with ease and not in the way of the aisle. Immediately after being seated, the woman server then brings over a thick napkin and drapes it over the elderly woman's shirt collar. Seeing this kind gesture happen so seamlessly really made my heart smile; it demonstrated a sense of caring for a patron that often gets overlooked. This alone would give me a reason to come back, knowing that their customers get taken care of by the staff here. Overall, 10/10 would recommend this establishment to anyone looking to enjoy authentic Vietnamese food in the Philadelphia area. I will definitely be back the next time I'm visiting Philly!

Hands down the best Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef noodle soup) in town!! The broth is so flavorful and delicious. Their banh cuon cha lua is also good. Portions are big with a reasonable price. The ladies in there are very friendly and food comes out really quick. I highly recommend to try their Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk is so good. Even though this place is small, but cozy with a lot of different Vietnamese food options.

BBH and iced coffee is the ultimate combo. The perfect bowl on a cold winter day or after a night out. They have a regular/special option for the BBH - the special comes with ham. You can also customize the level of spiciness - keep in mind the non-spicy option is slightly spicy from the broth already. This time around we also tried the rice noodles with came with a side of veggies, ham and fish sauce. Cash only and no atm in store so come prepared!

When you're a morning person craving some hot noodle soup and the only place that opens at 8am with some really good food. The order goes: 1. Bun Bo Hue spicy beef noodle soup 2. Hu Tieu pork and shrimp noodle soup 3. Banh Cuon steamed rice flour rolls

HOLY WOW! I have to say, hands down one of the best pho I've had in a whileee! This family run shop is cozy, quick and delicious! The broth was amazing- I was so hesitant to add any sauces to it because the flavor was that good. Really good food for a cold day!

One of the best Vietnamese restaurant in Philly! I get why there's always a line, even on a hot summer day. Their broths look simple and clean yet, they have great depth of flavors. They're basically super unami. The Bun Bo Hue I've had in the past has a red colored broth but theirs is clearer. I only saw red chili flakes. For this item, they state on the menu that it's spicy. The Banh Canh Tom Thit came with thick translucent noodles. I suspect it's made of some type of starch. I think it was unique and tasty. I definitely recommend if anyone wants a non-spicy dish. The bathrooms are small so watch out for that. And they take cash only. They're in a residential neighborhood so parking availability is dependent on when you go.

Any day, but especially cold rainy days, make me crave a comforting and steaming hot bowl of noodle soup. I just recently discovered Café Diem, and it is my new favorite place to get pho. The delicious beef broth might not look like much, but it is soo flavorful and makes the rice noodles extra slurpable. Additionally, I really liked how the soup was actually very hot when we got our food -- the worst is when it's just mildly hot/warm. The quality of the meat and the freshness of the bean sprouts also says a lot. I got the small size because I wasn't super hungry -- twas a mistake on my part They are actually most know for their Bun Bo Hue, which has a spicy beef broth and a greater assortment of meats. My friend got it and said it was super delicious -- I shall be getting it next time! It's a very homey little restaurant, so you might have to wait a bit depending on when you go, but it'll be worth it!

Cash only! Best place for authentic bun bo hue in Philly! (Other bun bo hue places probably won't give you as much meat.) Ordered: 1. Bun Bo hue special (large; but with pho noodles): Can ask for a bit of spicy but will always come as spicy or can ask for more spicy. My wife prefers to replace the Bun Bo hue noodles with Pho rice noodles. 3. Banh Uot Cha Lua (Steamed rice roll with Ham) Our go to is the one with minced meat but they ran out during our visit around 11am on a weekday. Comes out as a cold food which is perfect for summer time. You can ask for them to make your bean sprouts more soft. Their seating space inside is small and limited but their food comes out fast so their turn over rates are fast. Their bathrooms are also small.

Best Bun Bo Hue in Philly~ You know it's good when there's nothing else on the menu but BBH!! Comes with sooo much meat and noodles, I'm always super full leaving this place Vietnamese coffe is also super strong. Tip: cash only!! Wait time: can get busy on the weekends, maybe wait 10-20 mins to get seated since it's quite small inside

Wow wow wow - this place is unlike a lot of other pho places I've been to because they have varying broth based. I recommend trying the pork & shrimp needle noodle soup as the flavor was clean and complex. My friends got the signature phos and both were also impressed as well!

Small shop but we arrived at the perfect time and snagged a table! They took our order quickly and turned the food around even more quickly! Both soups were excellent. They are cash only but there is an atm right next door!

Probably the best bowl of bun Bo hue you will ever have! They've recently upgraded their indoor seating but it is still limited so I recommend ordering out if you can! Otherwise the service is super quick, just remember cash only!

Fast service and the soup comes out hot . This restaurant is more like a mom and pop spot. Coffee and bun Bo hue is one of the best I had in town.

Okay, when can I go back?!?! Also, why is this place soooo far. I was worried to get the bun bo because it looked really spicy, so I got a pho and my husband got the bun bo. I immediately regret my life decision in that moment I took my first spoonful. Don't get me wrong, the pho is delicious too but the bun bo is on a whole new level. I need to go back and get myself a large bowl of this and some to take home since I live so far away! I highly recommend this spot! It is a hole in the wall mom and pop spot that needs to get more love and attention!

food: 5/5 very filling and inexpensive not like other places where it's majority noodles, it is equally balanced with meat and noodles. broth is very flavorful and has a spicy kick to it even if you don't ask for any spice in it. Service: 5/5 very quick and fast. the staff was super nice Ambiance: 5/5 a small family owned store, just a few tables in there but always full!

Walked into this small restaurant and was greeted with a warm delightful aroma. Ordered the bun Bo hue but to go. Not only it was the most efficient quickest process. Probably about the same speed as going thru the drive thru of McDonalds when they appropriately staffed. It was so quick. They gave a ice jasmine tea while I waited but I didn't even get a chance to take a drink before the food was ready. But I drank the whole glass quickly before leaving. Upon arriving home 2 hours later, warming up the broth and putting everything into a bowl, a couple of things I noticed: -lots of chili pepper flakes so it was going to be spicy like I ordered -no shrimp paste like most other Vietnamese places -no banana flower or red cabbage for condiments I was a little surprised. But not disappointed upon tasting the broth. Very flavorful, there was a hint of sweetness besides the usual savory. I usually don't care for a lot of the type of noodles (thick round) rice noodles. I prefer the pho noodles better. I was even more surprised that it took on the flavor of the broth and was really good. The soup is spicy if you ordered spicy. I would recommend to you try this place for bun bo hue and get people hooked on this great pho Alternative.

A must-try Vietnamese Bun Bo Hue in Philly. 越南辣牛肉豬腳粉 Many of you might tried pho, but I am here to tell you that at a good Bun Bo Hue is way better. Bun Bo Hue is a beef noodle soup (spicy), I ordered the special version which includes beef, tendon, pork feet and ham. Note: Cash Only, No reservation needed but it's usually packed given it's a small restaurant.

this is my favorite restaurant that selling the best bun bo hue in town. Good to have some bun bo hue for the cold weather . service was really fast and great Food: 10/10 Server:10/10 Ambiance:10/10

Their special bun bo hue is my go to and still my favorite place to go for a bbh fix.

1st time here I don't know how big this restaurant isOk it's little Tiny than I thought . Review said small... server gave me menu but famous for bun Bo hu. I am not hungry so just order noodle today... not adding appetizer.they have small and large( most pho place have )small which soup bowl is glass. You can see the pictures glass .Large is regular noodle bowl . I order small...any way they asked me spicy or not, I said spicy . They put dry red pepper on noodle. It's enough spicy for noodle. But usually I order elsewhere I put more some spicy stuff. So I think bun Bo hu here is very well spicy balance usually I put more spicy pepper somewhere else. . Anyway I love big pig feet in a soup! I can't stop to bite them...may be I'm the only one bite pig feet? Any way I will comeback and try another noodle

I always crave the Bun Bo Hue from here when I come to Philly and it is always a stop for me. Coming from the Northern Va area there are a lot of authentic Vietnamese restaurants but I feel this is one of the best BBH I every had. Their quality of their meat and the texture of their noodles is addicting. Finding parking is a bit of a pain, but totally worth the effort. The restaurant is small with a few tables but it clears out fast. It's no frill but will definitely hit the spot. The portions are generous. The Cafe Sua Da is a great pick me up. My wife loves their Banh Cuon dish as well. This place is cash only so be prepared. Service is prompted. There isn't much else you can ask for. As always I am satisfied after a meal here. I definitely recommend this place and would go out of the way to eat here.

The most delicious bowl of bun bo hue I've ever had. Cafe Diem is a small little shop a little south of center city. The shop is very cramped and crowded and only takes cash, but the food is well worth it. The bun bo hue is spicy and even the lowest level comes with some spice so be warned if you are sensitive to heat. They have great pho as well for those who are looking for a spice less option!

Highly recommend this spot, definitely a hole in the wall mom and pop shop. The space is small, so I'd recommend coming in smaller groups or during less busy times. Their specialty BBH doesn't come with blood and has the option to be without pig feet as well if that's not your thing! Parking might be a little difficult, but there are two parking lots nearby, each with 2 hour free parking - street parking too, if you get lucky!

After years and years of eating this place I'm finally writing a review. Still after years of eating here this is still my top spot for their famous BBH (Bun Bo Hue). The broth is just pure gold. Filled with so much flavor you can't help but slurp this yummy soup up. Be warned though, it is a tad bit spicy (if you're not a spice person then this prob isn't for you). For my dare devils you can always request for them to make it more spicy or get extra on the side. The bowl consist of one piece of pig feet, beef slices, and tendons. I prefer pho noodles over the thick noodles because I feel the pho noodles soaks up some of the broth so that every bite you eat is just filled with flavor. Highly recommend giving this place a go if you're into BBH. Enjoy! Warning: Its a cash only place!

What a hidden gem! Ordered spicy BBH and Banh Cuon. They were delicious and carry only cash.

At least my 10th visit. Bun Bo hue was a hit - time and time again - good level of spice, broth is always hot, always a large portion of hog feet. Restaurant is like a hole in the wall, which gives it authentic feel. Recommendation: Broth could use a little more bone flavor but it's already top 5 in Philly.

I sort of don't understand the hype around this soup. It's a big bowl of noodle soup with some veggies. The broth I found to be a bit watery and lacking depth. The meats were cooked decently (maybe a bit overexcited). I found the tendon to be unappealing to my palate but my lack of experience with tendon explains that and it is not reflected in my score of 3/5. The noodles were well executed though fairly sparse and lacking a substantial chew. I think my experience could be summed up by the fact that I don't love this type of soup. If you do, you may enjoy this. But I don't think it's an objective masterpiece of culinary bliss in a bowl.

For those looking to delve deeper into the world of Vietnamese cuisine, give Cafe Diem a try. While you will find the more well known dishes like beef and chicken pho here, majority of people will venture here for their Bun Bo Hue. This noodle dish is just as famous in the motherland and for good reason. Bun Bo Hue is a spicy beef noodle dish. You can really taste the depth of the broth at Cafe Diem. The noodle is made from egg and is thicker than the pho rice noodle. Different cuts of pork feet, brisket, pork shoulder, ham and tendon overflow from the bowl. They are very generous with the amount of meat. They also have a steamed rice roll filled with minced meat that is served with mung beans, cucumber and basil slices and pickled daikon and Vietnamese ham. Grab a little bit of everything, dip in their homemade fish sauce and enjoy. Service is always friendly and quick. Complimentary tea, hot or cold depending on the weather is a nice touch. Tip: the egg noodle breaks apart easily so I ask for pho noodles in my Bun Bo Hue and it is so good.

This Restaurant has the WORST PHO in town ,, Trust ME ...!!! Speaking from a Chef point..!!

Such a cute little hole in the wall that served a fire (literally ) bowl of bobunhue, a homey and warm pho and a delicious Thai milk tea to cool it down. I love that the menu had minimal items so it takes away from too much contemplation!

Will come here when I am craving BBH and I always order the small and it fills me up. My bf is from hue so he is very picky about his bbh and he said it is decent here and he gets the larger size. The BBH here is super flavorful and as close as you can get to the real thing. I had the mi kho here and it was nothing special. The restaurant itself is very small and a mom and pop shop.

The soup was so flavorful and the flavors of salty, umami, and spicy were so balanced. I thought it would just taste like spicy pho but it was so much better than I expected! I also loved that they used thick noodles (thinner than udon but thicker than regular pho noodles). [food insta: @strwbrrryboba for more food :)]