Beef pho, broken rice plates, and giant fried egg rolls
5089 Walnut Grove Ave, San Gabriel, CA 91776 Get directions
"What happens when you’re (deservedly) on every phở guide in the greater LA area? Lines, that’s what. Since the ‘80s, this family-owned Vietnamese spot in San Gabriel has drawn a big lunch rush of people looking for a reliable, comforting meal, something that Golden Deli rewards you with after a thirty-minute wait. The menu is over 100 items long, but most orders follow the same formula: big bowls of beefy, basil-laced phở and the signature chả giò that crackles between your teeth like honeycomb. If you’re in a time crunch, wait times at Golden Deli’s second location in Temple City are usually half as long." - cathy park, sylvio martins, brant cox, andrew ryce
"Back in the olden days - a.k.a. “February” - this immensely popular Vietnamese restaurant was known to have one of the busiest lunch rushes in the San Gabriel Valley. And for a good reason - their fantastic beef pho is flat-out fantastic, and their drip-filter coffee is strong as hell. But what has been our move, and will always be our move, is to get the #89 broken rice plate, which comes with shrimp paste, grilled beef, and two egg rolls. Looks like even in quarantine, old habits die hard. Golden Deli is available for takeout, call (626) 308-0803 to order." - kat hong
"The pho at Golden Deli is all about balance, with a bold translucent broth that's right at the intersection of savory beef and aromatics. There’s an oily shimmer on top that lets you know you’re in for some excellent soup, and while the rice noodles are sometimes a bit gummy, the beef brisket, ribeye, and tendon are tender and extremely flavorful. Make sure to use the sliced lime and housemade chili sauce on the side to deepen the flavors." - brant cox, sylvio martins
"If there was ever an all-star roster of hangover foods, pho would be a first-round draft pick. There’s just something about the mix of fragrant lemongrass broth, various herbs, and rice noodles that instantly brings us back from that next-day brink of death. It’s also why you’ll often find us at Golden Deli on Sundays. The iconic Vietnamese restaurant in San Gabriel is our favorite place in the world to escape and bury our heads (and necks and as much of our arms as possible) into warm, steaming bowls of phở tai served with so many fresh herbs, you’ll think they ransacked some lady’s backyard garden. We also recommend the #89b broken rice plate—a beautiful heap of rice, grilled beef, and two egg rolls. And to be clear, you really need those egg rolls." - kat hong, brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder
"Golden Deli is a family-run Vietnamese restaurant in the San Gabriel Valley that's become a Los Angeles institution. The chả giò, or deep-fried egg rolls, are a must with their blistered rice papers filled with ground pork, green lettuce, and herbs. And like every other person, you will need the house specialty: a bowl of phở. This slow-cooked elixir is filled with ribeye, fish balls, brisket, tendon, and/or tripe, all of which taste like the comforting joys of getting over a nasty cold." - sylvio martins, brant cox, kat hong, nikko duren