Phở Lệ

What is Phở Lệ? Setting up at 51 Baldwin Street in the middle of Baldwin Village, Phở Lệ brings the storied Saigon institution—established in 1970 and recognized with a Michelin Bib Gourmand in Ho Chi Minh City—straight into downtown Toronto. The streamlined, brightly lit dining room features warm wood accents, booth seating, and solo-friendly counter perches tailored for swift slurping. It is an unfussy, high-turnover operation that caters to University of Toronto students, hospital precinct staff, and pho purists from across the city.

Phở Lệ Menu & What to Order The culinary foundation is the Southern Vietnamese beef broth, simmered with two kilograms of bone and beef per litre and infused with spices flown directly from Vietnam. The go-to bowl is the Phở Đặc Biệt, stacked with rare beef slices, tender brisket, and springy beef balls over silky rice noodles. For something funkier and deeply savoury, order the Bún Riêu crowned with a golden, deep-fried soft-shell crab, and wash it down with a dripping-strong Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Vietnamese iced coffee) or sweet iced longan drink.

Know Before You Go Phở Lệ operates strictly on walk-ins, and while lunch rushes and weekend dinners draw steady lines, table turnover is exceptionally fast. Street parking on narrow Baldwin Street is scarce, so taking the TTC to St. Patrick or Queen's Park station and walking five minutes is the smoothest route. The kitchen is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., making it reliable for both casual lunches and late-evening noodle fixes.