The world of Pho, in one bowl.

Pho (pronounced fuh) is a Vietnamese soup of clear, aromatic broth, flat rice noodles, and thinly sliced beef or chicken — finished at the table with basil, lime, chili, and bean sprouts.

It emerged in the early 20th century in Nam Định and Hanoi, born from the collision of Vietnamese rice-noodle traditions with French colonial demand for beef. Street vendors carried wooden yokes with a pot of broth on one end and bowls on the other, calling out "phở đây!"

After 1954 pho travelled south to Saigon, where it grew sweeter, more herbal, and more generous with garnish. After 1975 it travelled the world with the Vietnamese diaspora — and today you'll find beloved pho shops from Hanoi to Los Angeles.