Vietnamese Near Victoria Square: A Five-Minute Walk to Real Phở

★ As featured in Glam Adelaide — 2025 SA Restaurant & Catering Awards finalist

Victoria Square is where Adelaide gets things done — courts, council, government offices, the tram interchange, and a steady stream of people who have somewhere to be at 2pm. Which is exactly why it helps to know this: a short, flat, five-minute walk north up into Chinatown lands you at Bà Năm, 65 Grote Street, where the phở broth has been simmering on real bones for 18 hours before your lunch break even started.

Bà Năm dining room in Adelaide Chinatown with large noodle and cow mural, timber tables and rattan pendant lights — Inside Bà Năm on Grote Street — a five-minute walk north of Victoria Square. Not a luxury venue, just very genuine.

From the square to the bowl: the walk

There’s no trick to it. From Victoria Square, head north and you’re on Grote Street within a couple of minutes — Bà Năm sits right in the Chinatown stretch, about five minutes on foot from the square at a normal pace. No hills, no laneway maze, no crossing half the CBD. It’s close enough that a one-hour lunch window genuinely works, even allowing for an honest peak-hour wait.

If you’ve stepped off the tram at the square, you’re arguably better placed for real Vietnamese food than almost anyone else in the city. The Chinatown precinct starts just up the road — we’ve written a fuller guide to Vietnamese in Adelaide’s Chinatown if you want the wider picture.

Why office workers keep making this walk

Bà Năm isn’t a food-court shortcut. The broth is the whole point: 18 hours on real bones, no concentrate, no shortcuts — the kind of depth you can taste in the first spoonful. The signature is Phở Tái, what regulars call the “red coin”: paper-thin rounds of rare beef laid over the noodles, cooked in the bowl the moment the boiling broth hits them. There’s a longer explanation of how the red coin works if you like knowing why your lunch tastes the way it does.

The recipe isn’t new, either. It goes back to Bà Năm Lời’s home kitchen in Trảng Bàng, Tây Ninh, where she’d been making phở since the 1970s. Her grandson Huynh Nguyen and owner Thi Gai Vo brought it to Adelaide in 2023. The beef is locally sourced — there are even Sunday farm runs — and the room is, in their own words, not a luxury venue, just very genuine.

Stone-bowl phở set at Bà Năm with a side plate of paper-thin rare beef ready to cook in the boiling 18-hour broth — The Phở Thố Đá arrives roaring hot — lay the "red coin" rare beef in and watch the broth do the cooking.

What to order when the meeting ran long

For speed, a Phở Bò (small $20, large $22) is the move — it arrives fast because the broth is already done; it’s been done for 18 hours. Add a giò quẩy ($4), the fried dough stick made for dunking. If you’re new to the ritual, the first-timer’s guide to phở covers herbs, sauces and the tái question.

Got more time, or celebrating a win after a long morning? The Phở Thố Đá ($25) arrives in a stone bowl still roaring hot, or go the full Stone Bowl Set at $39. Prefer something with more chilli attitude? Order the bún bò Huế (from $20). Not a soup day? Cơm tấm plates run around $20 and travel well as a working lunch.

The honest bits: waits, bookings, hours

At the lunch and dinner peaks, expect a 15–30 minute wait — that’s the truthful number, and most people reckon the bowl earns it. Walk-ins are welcome; groups of eight or more should call ahead on (08) 8151 0106 or book via OpenTable. You can also order ahead at order.phobanam.com.au if the clock is against you.

Bà Năm is open seven days, 11am–9pm (until 9:30pm over summer, October to March), including public holidays — handy when the square is quiet but you still need feeding. The recognition is real, too: a 2025 Hostplus SA Restaurant & Catering Awards finalist in the Vietnamese category, with a feature in Glam Adelaide to match.

One square, many directions

Victoria Square is the hinge of the CBD, so it’s worth knowing your other options from here. Heading to the market? Read our Vietnamese near Adelaide Central Market guide. Coming at Chinatown from the Gouger side? There’s a page for Vietnamese near Gouger Street too. And if you want the whole city mapped, start with Vietnamese food in Adelaide CBD.

But if you’re standing at the square right now, hungry, with 50 minutes on the clock — walk north. The broth’s ready.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Bà Năm from Victoria Square?

About a five-minute flat walk. Head north from the square towards Chinatown and you'll find Bà Năm at 65 Grote Street. It's an easy stroll from the tram interchange, courts and surrounding offices.

What are Bà Năm's opening hours?

Open seven days, 11am–9pm, including public holidays. Over summer (October to March) it stays open until 9:30pm.

What should I order for a quick office lunch?

Phở Bò (small $20, large $22) is the fastest satisfying option — the 18-hour broth is ready to pour, so bowls come out quickly. Add a giò quẩy dough stick for $4. Cơm plates around $20 are a good non-soup pick.

How long is the wait at peak times?

Honestly, 15–30 minutes at lunch and dinner peaks. Walk-ins are fine; groups of 8+ should call (08) 8151 0106 ahead, or book via OpenTable. You can also order ahead at order.phobanam.com.au.

How is this different from eating on the Gouger Street strip?

Coming from Victoria Square, you don't need to navigate the Gouger dining strip at all — Bà Năm sits on Grote Street in Chinatown, a direct walk north from the square. It's a family recipe from Trảng Bàng, Tây Ninh, not a food-court quick fix: 18-hour bone broth, no concentrate, no shortcuts.