PHO 179 — Restaurant in Sunderland

A Flavorful Journey at Pho 179 Sunderland

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Pho 179 in Sunderland, and it was a delightful experience from start to finish.

For starters, the Shrimp Spring Roll was a perfect prelude to the main course. The fresh, crisp vegetables and succulent shrimp inside a delicate rice paper roll were a refreshing way to kick off the meal.

Moving on to the mains, the Chicken Fried Rice showcased a harmonious blend of flavors. The chicken was tender, and the rice perfectly cooked, creating a dish that was both satisfying and comforting.

The Rare and Well Done Beef Pho was a true highlight. The broth was rich and aromatic, with the rare beef slices adding a savory depth while the well-done beef brought a hearty texture. Combined with the fragrant herbs and rice noodles, it made for a bowl of pho that was nothing short of exquisite.

To conclude our feast, we indulged in the Sticky Mango Rice for dessert. The sweet, sticky rice paired impeccably with ripe mango slices, creating a delightful combination of textures and flavors that left a lingering sweetness on the palate.

Overall, Pho 179 Sunderland impressed with its authentic Vietnamese flavors, attentive service, and cozy ambiance. Whether you're a pho enthusiast or simply seeking a culinary adventure, this restaurant is a must-visit. I look forward to returning for another...

I arrived to have a delicious quick Pho before heading home.

From the second I walked in, seeing I was alone, the waiter discouraged me from eating in, saying it’s better for one person to get a takeaway (what value is one person when they could seat two people? Honestly this made me feel awful and completely devalued as a customer). I insisted I’d like to eat in; and he seemed visibly annoyed. I asked for a water while I decided what to eat, which he never brought me (have read some reviews saying the same, sadly it looks like nothing’s improved since poor customer experiences in the past).

He seemed genuinely put out to serve me or even speak to me.

There was a child coughing a lot at the table next to me so I went up and mentioned I’d like to change table. He said ‘you can’t, we have two people reserved at other tables soon.’ The waiter wasn’t hospitable or considerate towards me as a customer in any way, and the lack of human empathy was truly shocking.

Extremely rude. I actually decided to walk out, it was quite a distressing experience.

I didn’t get to try the food as a result of the diabolical service. Such a shame. I lived in Hanoi for a year and understand the cultural nuances, but in 2025 there’s just no excuse for this sort of rudeness towards a single woman, or anyone (wherever you are...

Everything about our visit to Pho 179 was of the highest standard. The staff were very friendly and attentive, the restaurant itself is just the right balance of fancy, cosy and laid back, while also being clean and tidy, and the food and drink were a delight overall. To start I had the salt and pepper prawns, which were delicious. They were reminiscent of takeaway salt and pepper prawns so felt familiar, but were super fresh and high quality and had a sweeter, almost cinnamon tasting edge to them which was a pleasant change.

For my main I had spicy beef pho. I was asked if I wanted to personalise my level of spice and they hit the nail on the head. I was thoroughly warmed through but didn’t have my head blown off. I’d had pho in the past and was not a huge fan of it but I decided to give it another go and was glad that I did. My favourite part was how personalise-able it was to my own taste. I added garlic oil to add a little more body and round out the dish, and a good sprinkling of Thai Basil to add a fresh aniseed/liqourice kick. My watermelon cooler mocktail was also delicious and complimented all the food excellently.

The best part of the experience was how the staff very obviously took great pride in their restaurant and were excited to be sharing their traditional cuisine with the people...