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    Cafe Diem

    4.4 (340 reviews)
    InexpensiveVietnamese
    Closed 8:00 am - 6:30 pm

    Cafe Diem Photos

    Business Info

    CAFE DIEM ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Diem

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    Quinn L.

    - 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.

    Bun bo hue (small)
    Viona C.

    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.

    Ella F.

    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!

    Banh cuon cha lua
    Vy T.

    Authentic Vietnamese restaurant with great quality. Loved the banh cuon cha lua and enjoyed the bun Bo hue too. Service is quick. It's a small place with several tables for a yummy lunch.

    Outside of restaurant
    Nikki N.

    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.

    Bbh
    Teresa C.

    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.

    Norman C.

    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.

    Parisa H.

    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!

    Outside
    Irene L.

    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.

    Bun Bo Hue
    Wendy T.

    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

    Banh cuon
    Danni N.

    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!

    Bun Bo hue
    Cecilia L.

    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

    Annie X.

    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.

    Banh cuon

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Cafe Diem

    Do they do take out?

    yes! call ahead and order. keep in mind they are cash only!

    View All 2 Questions

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    Pho 75 - 1.Phở - Tái, Nạm, Gầu, Gân, Sách

    Pho 75

    4.4(718 reviews)
    0.3 miBella Vista, Passyunk Square
    $$

    A no frills place. Cash only. They serve great pho. Johnny on the spot. Sit. Order. Eat and pay…read more But it's consistently really good. Not really a date night. But definitely is a nice comfort food option.

    This is supposedly the best phở in Philadelphia, and the best I've ever had! And it's incredibly…read morecheap compared to Boston. 1.Phở - Tái, Nạm, Gầu, Gân, Sách: The broth was dark, but the flavor was natural and umami; the beef was in big portion and large slices, tender, and the tripe had no gamey taste; the rice noodles were authentic Vietnamese phở, perfectly cooked and very refreshing. The biggest surprise was the tái (eye-round steak), yet still retaining that pleasantly chewy texture of undercooked beef; the gầu (fat brisket) was thick and crisp, fragrant but not greasy--who would have thought I'd find brisket fat here? This showed the restaurant's precise control over the broth temperature and the thickness of the beef. Almost all phở restaurants claim to offer authentic raw beef or various cuts of beef, but very few can truly make customers feel the difference. The restaurant's decor is simple but spacious and clean; the service is average, but very efficient. Efficiency is essential for phở, otherwise the beef would be overcooked in the hot broth. After all, the essence of a restaurant is food, and for such affordable ones, it's gratifying to see them spend most of their costs on the food itself.

    Photos
    Pho 75 - Inside

    Inside

    Pho 75 - 1.Phở - Tái, Nạm, Gầu, Gân, Sách

    1.Phở - Tái, Nạm, Gầu, Gân, Sách

    Pho 75

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    Pho Today - Shrimp and pork salad

    Pho Today

    4.4(77 reviews)
    0.3 miBella Vista, Passyunk Square
    $$

    Pho Today is an enormous restaurant which does authentic Vietnamese very well. I honestly believe…read moretheir broth is better than Pho '75 across the street which seemed rather sweet to me. They have great meats. Their hearty Buns will blow your mind: as noted, the House Special is practically enough for two people. You'll also see many people eating the Prime Rib Pho which is quite different. to me it looks a bit unwieldly (much prefer meats cut into the broth). Their Bún Riêu, Duck Soup (served with a unique ginger sauce and bamboo shoots) and Bún bò Huế all hit the mark. Pho Today gives you two choices for the classic Fish In Pottery Pot, bone-off and bone-on. Many Vietnamese restaurants don't carry this anymore. One thing I should tell y'all is that, when you order your meal, ask for the homemade chilli oil.....they won't give it to you unless you ask: it's made with garlic and is really special. If I were to nitpick I'd suggest upping the ante on the spring rolls which are more of a footnote here. I much prefer the larger spring rolls, cut into 4 sections served with basil, veggies and lettuce for wrapping. But, yea, this place does a really good job and seems to be the go-to for both Vietnamese food and serious eaters.

    They have rainbow ice! Most Vietnamese restaurants don't make these anymore…read more The biggest pho with the mostest: short rib pho. Can split between 2-3 ppl honestly. A lot of seating. Though not a huge fan of their lighting; a bit too bright. Fast customer service and they check back often. Large bathroom in the rear. Clean.

    Photos
    Pho Today - Entrance

    Entrance

    Pho Today
    Pho Today - Outside of building

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    Outside of building

    Cafe Mi Quang - Garnishes

    Cafe Mi Quang

    4.8(99 reviews)
    5.0 mi
    $

    Visiting Philly and decided to come to this family-owned Vietnamese restaurant. You know it's an…read moreauthentic Vietnamese restaurant when they have Viet music videos playing on their TV! They had good reviews online and rightfully so! When we came in, the only staff was this man and a young child sitting on a chair, who I assumed was his daughter. He would gently ask her to help with small tasks like bringing us menus and water, which she would adorably rush over to our table, place down quickly, and then scurry back to her chair. It honestly made me laugh to myself and smile -- it was such a wholesome moment that really showed the family dynamic. Seeing his daughter nearby while he worked added a lot of warmth to the experience and made the place feel even more genuine and welcoming. I even noticed her school photos on the wall near the cashier table, which really highlighted the family-run vibe. Food was delicious, and it was my the first time seeing banana flower shavings as part of the side toppings at a Viet restaurant so that was unique. Also my first time having pennywort drink and the more I drank it, the more I liked it. Tasted healthy and refreshing!

    Hole in the wall, mom and pop restaurant. It's small, clean and I think the owner was also the…read morewaiter and busboy lol. There were other menu options but my friend was like you came for the mi quang so you have to try it here. We ordered the mi quang dac biet which comes with a variety of meats, quail eggs and a crispy rice cracker. Portions were large, prices were fair for what you got. Service was quick and just enough. Noodles were bouncy with the right amount of chew, broth was delish. And the meats were tender and well seasoned. This is likely the best mi quang in Philly! The only ones we have had better were in San Jose. We also tried some of the yogurt and sticky rice desserts, they were tasty and refreshing after a heavy meal. Would highly recommend stopping by for an authentic central vietnam noodle dish! And then you can walk to ca phe roasters for coffee! I've heard the owners are considering retiring soon, so check it out before they do!

    Photos
    Cafe Mi Quang
    Cafe Mi Quang
    Cafe Mi Quang

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    Cafe Diem - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

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