Bun bo Hue (pronounced “boon baw hway”) is a spicy Vietnamese beef noodle soup from the central city of Huế. Its bold, lemongrass-and-chili broth is built on beef and pork bones with shrimp paste, served with thick round rice noodles, beef shank, and pork. It’s richer and spicier than phở.
Bún bò Huế is central Vietnam’s most famous noodle soup — and for many, the spicier, more intense rival to phở. The name literally means “beef noodles of Huế,” after the historic imperial city where it was born. What sets it apart is the broth: deeply savory from beef and pork bones, perfumed with lemongrass, and given its signature heat and red color from chili and annatto oil, plus a funky depth from shrimp paste (mắm ruốc).
It’s served with thick, round rice noodles that hold up to the rich broth, and a hearty mix of beef shank, tender pork hock, and slices of Vietnamese sausage. A plate of fresh garnishes on the side lets you customize each bowl.
Bún bò Huế is pronounced roughly “boon baw hway.” Broken down: bún (noodles) sounds like “boon,” bò (beef) like “baw,” and Huế (the city) like “hway.” See our pronunciation guide for audio-style tips.
Bold, spicy, and aromatic. The broth hits you first with lemongrass and chili heat, backed by a savory, slightly funky depth from shrimp paste and a rich beef-pork base. Compared with the clean, delicate flavor of phở, bún bò Huế is louder and more complex — a bowl that wakes up your whole palate. You adjust the heat and brightness with the chili, lime, and herbs served alongside.
For a deeper look, see bun bo Hue ingredients.
If you love phở, bún bò Huế is the natural next bowl to try — but they’re quite different.
| Bun bo Hue | Pho | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Huế (central Vietnam) | Northern Vietnam |
| Broth | Lemongrass, chili, shrimp paste | Star anise, cinnamon, clear |
| Noodles | Thick, round | Thin, flat |
| Spice level | Spicy | Mild |
| Flavor | Bold, complex | Clean, delicate |
See the full comparison in bun bo Hue vs pho.
Bún bò Huế is one of the spicier Vietnamese soups, thanks to chili and annatto-infused oil — but the heat is adjustable. Much of the chili is added as a paste or oil, so you can keep your bowl mild or crank it up to taste. More on this in how spicy is bun bo Hue?
Bún bò Huế comes from Huế, the seat of Vietnam’s former Nguyễn dynasty, where refined imperial cooking met robust regional flavors. The dish reflects central Vietnam’s love of bold, spicy seasoning — a contrast to the milder north. As Vietnamese communities settled in the United States, bún bò Huế followed, and it’s now a staple at Vietnamese restaurants nationwide.
Like phở, bún bò Huế is protein-rich and full of fresh herbs, though the broth tends to be richer and higher in sodium and fat because of the pork and chili oil. It’s a hearty, satisfying meal best enjoyed with the generous pile of fresh vegetables served alongside.
Find authentic Vietnamese restaurants serving bún bò Huế near you, across all 50 US states.
Find Bun Bo Hue Near Me →Bun bo Hue is a spicy Vietnamese beef noodle soup from the city of Huế, made with a lemongrass-and-chili broth, thick round rice noodles, beef shank, and pork. It’s bolder and spicier than phở.
It’s pronounced roughly “boon baw hway” — bún (noodles), bò (beef), and Huế (the central Vietnamese city it comes from).
Yes. Bun bo Hue is built on chili, lemongrass, and shrimp paste, making it noticeably spicier and more robust than the milder, clear-broth phở. The heat can be adjusted to taste.
Bun bo Hue uses thick, round rice noodles, which are chewier and larger than the thin, flat noodles used in phở.
The broth is simmered from beef and pork bones with lemongrass, chili, annatto oil (for color), and shrimp paste, which gives it its signature bold, spicy, slightly funky flavor.
It’s protein-rich and served with plenty of fresh herbs, but the broth is richer and higher in sodium and fat than phở because of the pork and chili oil.
Exploring Vietnamese noodle soups? See our guide to Vietnamese noodle soups, or compare it with pho.
