Vietnamese food in Greater St. Louis runs along South Grand and then well past it, into Webster Groves, O'Fallon Missouri, St. Charles, and across the river to Belleville. Pho and banh mi are the anchor, but the range from lemongrass chicken to pad thai shows how wide the tradition has grown here. This list judges the broth and the counter, not the zip code.
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Mai Lee built its name on Vietnamese cooking but the room now runs a hybrid menu that leans on a burger, fries, and a sandwich alongside the traditional plates. It works as a fast weekday stop for a mixed group that cannot agree on one cuisine. Casual and quick, it suits a lunch break more than a sit-down night out.
What to orderburger, fries, sandwich
Webster Groves $$
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DD Mau operates out of a Webster Groves storefront and keeps its menu tight around pho, banh mi, and spring rolls. The pace is fast and the room stays casual, built for a lunch crowd that wants in and out without ceremony. It is a strip-mall operation in the best sense, food-forward with no wasted motion.
What to orderpho, banh mi, spring rolls
South Grand & Tower Grove $$
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Grand Bistro reopened under a new name on the same site that ran for years as Pho Grand, and the pho and banh mi carried over intact. Regulars who knew the old menu say the kitchen picked up right where it left off. Service is attentive even at a full room, and the reopening drew back a loyal south side crowd fast.
What to orderpho, banh mi, spring rolls
№ 04
Asian Cafe Bar & Grill
O'Fallon $$
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Asian Cafe Bar & Grill in O'Fallon Missouri pairs a deep Vietnamese menu with a page of Chinese dishes, and the vermicelli noodles and crab Rangoon get the most credit. The Rangoon draws praise for restraint, not oversweetened like some versions. The dining room fills fast on weekends and handles groups without strain.
What to ordervermicelli noodles, crab Rangoon, pho
№ 05
Saigon Vietnamese & Chinese Cuisine
Belleville $$
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Saigon Vietnamese & Chinese Cuisine in Belleville built a following on its house pho, with the special pho drawing repeat orders from diners who compare every other bowl to it. Lemongrass chicken is the other steady order. Takeout pho has drawn some complaints about consistency, but the dine-in broth is what keeps the Metro East regulars coming back.
What to orderpho, lemongrass chicken, banh mi
№ 06
Việt Phở Vietnamese Restaurant
St. Charles
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Việt Phở in St. Charles runs a big room built for groups, with pad thai and banh mi rounding out a pho-centered menu. Diners who have returned multiple times report the kitchen sharpening with each visit. Service moves quickly even with large parties, making it a dependable stop for anyone staying near the St. Charles hotel corridor.
What to orderphở, pad thai, bánh mì
Frequently asked
What is the best Vietnamese restaurant near me in Greater St. Louis?
It depends which side of the metro you are on. South Grand and the city have Grand Bistro, Webster Groves has DD Mau, St. Charles County has Việt Phở, O'Fallon Missouri has Asian Cafe Bar & Grill, and Belleville in the Metro East has Saigon. Each entry here lists its Insider Score, which reflects the review record, not payment. No restaurant pays to be listed.
Is pho or banh mi the better order at these restaurants?
Both are strong across this list, but pho is the more consistent bet. Several rooms here, including Saigon and Grand Bistro, built their reputation specifically on pho, while banh mi and vermicelli dishes vary more by kitchen.
Which of these restaurants are in St. Louis city versus the county or Metro East?
Only Mai Lee and Grand Bistro sit in the city of St. Louis. DD Mau is in Webster Groves, Asian Cafe Bar & Grill is in O'Fallon Missouri, Việt Phở is in St. Charles, and Saigon is across the river in Belleville, Illinois. The city and county have been separate governments since 1876, so the distinction matters here.
How is the Insider Score determined for these restaurants?
The Insider Score is built from the public review record for each restaurant, weighing volume and consistency of feedback over time. It is not a paid placement and no restaurant on this list paid a fee to appear or to rank higher.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Nico Marchetti
Staff Writer · Top of St. Louis
The Hill and Heritage Editor. Third-generation Hill family who grew up bagging hot salami on Saturday shifts. Covers the red-sauce canon, St. Louis-style pizza, and the kitchens of Cherokee Street, South Grand, and the Olive Boulevard corridor. His standard: the regulars would notice.