Charleston, SCVietnamese

This King Street spot grew from a food truck into a bustling hot Vietnamese kitchen known for spicy, decadent garlic noodles, part of Charleston City Paper's Top 50. The menu also runs to dumplings and bun cha gio.

Owners Jason Sakran and Jeremy Spencer opened this Spring Street sandwich shop in 2011, building a menu of banh mi, salads and tacos before expanding across the Charleston area. The Post and Courier covered the flagship's push toward Vietnamese iced coffee and sweet-and-hot pickles as the concept grew. Order a classic banh mi with the Vietnamese iced coffee.

A family from Danang runs this James Island kitchen, serving traditional pho alongside banh xeo in a modern room. Charleston City Paper's review points to the pho and the banh xeo as the picks. Order a steaming bowl of pho with a side of banh xeo.

This Meeting Street combination bubble tea shop and Vietnamese deli draws parents and children alongside students working at nearby tables, per the Post and Courier's review. The pho bo comes built on tofu, chicken, beef, meatballs or brisket, alone or in combination. Order the pho bo with a bubble tea.

Pho Bowl in Goose Creek is run by owner Tee Nguyen, who has worked in Charleston-area Vietnamese food since 1997. The kitchen serves a tofu-and-vegetable pho alongside traditional broth bowls, a vegetarian take the Post and Courier covered as a fresh addition to the city's pho options.