Phodega

"Some would say Phodega is the best pho in Chicago away from Argyle Street. But this spot’s appeal goes beyond pho with a menu of habit-forming Viet dip sandwiches and a combo fried chicken/Hainanese chicken plate. It’s also a great spot to pick up oyster sauce and Korean honey butter potato chips. Owners Nate Hoops and Anthony Ngo previously operated outposts in Wicker Park and Pilsen, but in 2023 consolidated the locations into a much larger space on Division." - Ashok Selvam

"A warm and comforting bowl of pho can make for the perfect lunch. At restaurant-shop hybrid Phodega, owners Nathan Hoops and Anthony Ngo simmer up three exceptional versions: A beefy pho bo teeming with brisket, meatballs, and ribeye; a lighter pho ga consisting of chicken broth and poached chicken thighs; and a vegan pho full of veggies. They’re joined by other remarkable bites like Hainanese chicken rice and a Viet dip sandwich. Customers can also purchase a handful of Asian snacks to go. Online ordering is available here." - Ashok Selvam, Eater Staff

"This casual Wicker Park Vietnamese restaurant has found new life along Division Street. Their big seller is a concept that’s sweeping the nation, blending the French dip with the banh mi. The Viet Dip is an Asian American creation with sliced ribeye, cilantro, onion, and japlapeños with a cup of pho jus." - Eater Staff, Adam Rothbarth

"Phodega attempts reverse psychology with signs reading “Don’t try it. You won’t like it.” Well, this Vietnamese American restaurant’s food stars in this fast-casual restaurant-cum-corner store. In 2023, co-owners Nate Hoops and Anthony Ngo closed their duo of locations in Pilsen and Wicker Park for a move to a larger space slated to open Friday, August 11. Check out the new digs and the Viet dip, a succulent spin on the French dip with a beef banh mi and a side of pho." - Ashok Selvam, Naomi Waxman, Eater Staff

"It probably won’t shock you to learn that Phodega is a combination of a bodega and pho shop, and it turns out this small Vietnamese spotspot does a good job at being both. The food menu is short (mainly tasty bowls of pho, rice, bánh mì, and fried chicken skins), and the market has a small selection of everything from paper towels and air fresheners, to a salted egg-flavored Lays potato chips—which are, incidentally, pair pretty well with a bánh mì." - sam faye, adrian kane, john ringor