In a tiny little shop on the fringe of Chinatown sits a Vietnamese restaurant where one thing matters above all else: making the most authentic, perfect Vietnamese phở.
“I still remember the first sip of phở my grandmother made me,” Huynh Nguyen, manager of Ba Nam Restaurant, said. “It was absolutely unreal.”
After relocating from Vietnam to Adelaide, the family found themselves in search of a true taste of home. Eating their way across the city, they discovered no shortage of rich and subtle flavours, wonderful spices, and incredible dishes.
But after dining high and low, they came to the conclusion that there was just nothing like Grandma’s phở.
They would have to do it themselves—and that’s exactly what Ba Nam has set out to do.
The star of the menu, and easily the most exciting dish, arrives in a sizzling hot stone bowl. As it lands in front of you, the phở comes to life, bubbling, steaming, and staying hot right through to the final spoonful. It’s topped with thinly sliced Wagyu beef, which gently cooks in the heat of the broth. Nguyen likens it to a personal hot pot, but with no gas stove required.
While the beef-based soup is the signature, the kitchen also turns out a bold, spicy bún bò Huế, made with a pork and beef broth and your choice of beef or pork toppings. Both soups are made from scratch, with no BBH paste or shortcuts, just hours of slow simmering to coax out rich, traditional flavours. It’s Vietnamese comfort food, just like Grandma used to make.
The soups are available in small and large sizes, both under $20, while the even larger stone bowl soups are just $23. It’s an ideal spot for a cosy, casual, affordable night out.
Beyond the broth, the menu is packed with Southern Vietnamese favourites: crispy, lacy bánh xèo, fresh vermicelli salads, and delicate handmade wontons.
Two other menu mainstays are the grilled chicken broken rice and grilled pork broken rice.
There are also fresh spring rolls and the seasonal bún riêu—a tangy, fermented crab noodle soup full of bold flavour. Each dish carries the warmth of recipes passed down through generations.
Everything is inspired by Nguyen’s grandma, and as you step inside, you’ll notice a sincere, cosy, country-style interior. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it certainly feels like home.
Ba Nam, meaning “Grandma Nam”, was born from a heartfelt dream to honour a cherished grandmother who once ladled steaming bowls of phở from her home kitchen in Vietnam. The love she put into each dish lives on in the Ba Nam menu, carrying her memory from past to present with every bowl served.
“In my childhood, 20 years ago, I still remember tasting my grandma’s phở,” Nguyen said. “And it still lives within me.”
Nguyen’s mum, and Ba Nam owner, Thi Gai Vo, also reflected on her mother’s culinary legacy.
“We grew up eating her food,” she said. “It wasn’t fancy—it was just real. Made from scratch, with time and care.”
“Opening Ba Nam was our way of keeping that spirit alive, right here in Adelaide,” she added.
While many spots look to streamline processes and try new approaches, Ba Nam prides itself on staying true to traditional methods and getting that sentimental flavour just right.
Set in the heart of Chinatown, Ba Nam turns a treasured family memory into steaming, soul-warming bowls of phở. It’s well worth a visit and perfect for a cosy dinner or an ideal way to kick off a night on Grote Street’s buzzing restaurant strip.
Ba Nam Restaurant
Where: 65 Grote St, Adelaide
Hours: Seven days, 11am – 9:30pm
Instagram: @banamrestaurant
For more information, click here.
