If you’ve been searching for an excuse to take the train to Cabramatta, this is it. Sydney’s little Vietnam has no shortage of pho options, but Pho Tau Bay is a bona fide institution that’s been doling out bowls of soup for more than 35 years. The steamy pho bo is textbook, the clear broth packed with a depth of flavour that knocks your average pho out of the park. Stacked with rare strips of beef, brisket and tendon, the bo option has plenty of bovine protein, but offal lovers can upgrade to the pho dac biet for ribbons of chewy bible tripe.
There are few things more satisfying than hunkering down with a bowl of piping hot noodle soup. The basic broth and noodle combination is a staple in so many cuisines for good reason. Apart from the obvious deliciousness, the steaminess and hydration factor help to relieve cold symptoms, it certainly helps that the broth is often laden with immunity-boosting ingredients like garlic and ginger. Not that we need an excuse.
Whether you prefer your bowl filled with rich tonkotsu, deeply herbal pho, or scattered with tongue-numbing Sichuan pepper, there’s no shortage of soupy goodness in Sydney. Here are our favourite noodle soups to warm your cockles, rounded up by Time Out Sydney's critics and fellow noodle-soup lovers, including Food & Drink Writer Avril Treasure.