Café Diem — Restaurant in Philadelphia

This is one of the hidden GEMS in Philly. The restaurant specialty is Bun Bo Hue (Spicy beef soup). It is by far the best flavor profile that I tasted in Philly.

Broth: The first thing that hits your taste bud is the concentration of pork flavor. Even though the title says beef soup, the stock itself is pork. The beef typically is the topping. Then your tongue will be overloaded by the complex flavors of the spices: lemongrass, a hint of sweetness, and more. Then your throat will be drop-kicked by the spiciness of the res peppers. And you want this soup to be spicy. Overall, the broth has superb flavor profile that will make you say, f that's good.

Protein: You will get a variety of meat toppings. I usually order a large special or dac biet that includes: pork trotters, a combination of beef slices, pork ham, and many more. They don't skimp you on the meats.

Condiments: You get a side of red cabbage, bean sprouts, mint leaves, limes, and more red peppers.

Service: it's a small place, and the waitresses will quickly get to you. If you want to pay, go to the desk. This is CASH ONLY.

If you love spicy foods and Vietnamese soup, this is the go-to place. This is my opinion; please...

This place apparently has the rep online as "the best bun bo hue in Philly." I'm not sure if that's true, but if it is then there is not any good bun bo hue available in Philly.

Bun bo hue is my kids' favorite, and it's what they get at every pho joint we go near (which is a LOT). Their mom had to learn to make it at home as well to satisfy them. So when we saw a place that SPECIALIZES in bun bo hue we had to try it. We walked many miles to do so and were READY for some GOOD soup.

It was disappointing. No lemon grass, seemingly, which is the most disappointing thing. But overall fairly bland and just blah. I had the pho, and pretty much had the same reaction.

It's a pretty dingy place with rattly tables and such, but that's really not an issue in a pho place; our favorite back home is a LITTLE nicer, but not dramatically so. The service was OK, about what you'd expect for a place like this. The Thai iced coffee and iced tea was not bad.

OH, and please note that this place is CASH ONLY, and there's no good ATMs terribly handy...

CASH ONLY -^_^- Right, here’s the rundown on this spot—they’ve nailed the Bun Bo Hue in Philly! Now, I’ll say it leans a bit on the sweet side, but it’s not a deal-breaker. The broth is packed with rich, bold flavors, and they’re not stingy with the meat, which is always a plus. But let’s talk about what’s missing—where’s the blood cake? And some crunchy toppings like cabbage or banana flower would really take it up a notch. Still, the service is spot on. Quick, friendly, and the staff genuinely care about making sure you’re sorted. Small place, but no long waits—and a heads up, it’s cash only!

Now, their Banh Cuon Cha Lua is fantastic. The rice rolls have just the right chewy texture, filled with savory ground pork and earthy woodear mushrooms. The Nuoc Mam? Perfectly balanced, just the right amount of zing. And the Cha Hue, absolutely delicious, complements everything beautifully. Pair that with the crisp Do Chua, fresh cucumber, and basil, and you’ve got a brilliant balance of flavors and textures...