Breakfast pho in Jeonju from 8:30am, with banh xeo wraps: Phodam

Which Jeonju pho restaurant opens early? Phodam, from 8:30am

I was looking for somewhere to eat early in the morning in Jeonju and ended up at Phodam! I've always liked pho, so while searching for good pho spots in Jeonju I came across this place — and since it's run by a chef from Vietnam, I was even more excited haha. Beyond pho, they also serve cha gio (Vietnamese spring rolls), banh xeo (savory Vietnamese pancake), and rice paper wraps, so it was a great spot to enjoy a variety of Vietnamese dishes together.

Inside Phodam: atmosphere and 40–50 seats

I thought this would be a good place for anyone craving warm broth in the morning or looking for somewhere to eat early in Jeonju haha. Going further into the store, there's more space than you'd expect — roughly 40 to 50 seats — with plenty of room between tables, so it looked comfortable for families or larger groups too!

Some pho restaurants are cramped with tables packed too close together, but Phodam's inner space is quite spacious, so you can eat comfortably.

What is on the Phodam menu?

• Brisket pho / shank pho / spicy pho
• Bun cha / banh xeo / banh mi sandwich / cha gio
• Large portions available for pho and bun cha!

The pho is split between brisket and shank, so you can choose depending on which cut you usually prefer~!

The Phodam menu board that explains how to eat each dish

Isn't there always someone who only ever orders pho?? Even if you want to try the rice paper wraps or banh xeo, you might not know how to eat them and just default to ordering pho. At Phodam, the menu board has easy-to-follow instructions on how to eat each dish, which was helpful even for first-time orderers.

What we ordered at Phodam: spicy brisket pho, cha gio, banh xeo, rice paper wraps

Phodam rice paper wraps

The rice paper wraps came out first! To wrap in the rice paper, you get a really generous amount of pho noodles, carrots, meat, lettuce, and other vegetables.

I liked dipping mine generously in peanut sauce best haha. With crisp vegetables, chewy pho noodles, and meat all together, there was such a variety of textures in every bite.

Phodam spicy brisket pho

And now the dish I really want to recommend from this visit! **** Spicy brisket pho **** When it first arrived, honestly, just looking at it I thought 'this looks pretty ordinary?' — but one bite completely changed my mind!!

The broth was properly fiery and sharp, but it wasn't just spicy for the sake of it — there was real depth to the broth itself, so I kept going back for more. Especially after being used to the usual clean, mild pho broth, eating this spicy version really woke up my appetite!

Phodam cha gio (fried spring rolls)

Next, cha gio! You get 8 pieces per order, and since they're freshly fried, the outside was really crispy. Fried food is best eaten right when it's hot, so I grabbed one as soon as it arrived — and yep, freshly fried is always the best...haha.

Phodam banh xeo (Vietnamese savoury pancake)

Banh xeo is one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes! It came out in a big size, which immediately caught my eye. It was packed with plenty of bean sprouts and meat inside — I loved that. The outside is crisply fried while the inside holds soft bean sprouts and meat, so you get both crunchy and tender textures together, which is the charm haha.

How to eat banh xeo at its best

• Cut the banh xeo into bite-sized pieces and place on top
• Add lettuce or other vegetables
• Roll it up — done!

Dip it in chili sauce or peanut sauce and it's really delicious!! I also tried putting the banh xeo inside a rice paper wrap, and with the crispy banh xeo, crunchy vegetables, and a dip in the sauce, it was genuinely so good ㅠㅠ. Since the banh xeo itself is crispy, wrapping it up like this really brought the texture to life.

The most satisfying combination at Phodam

Personally, out of everything I ate that day, the combination of spicy brisket pho and banh xeo was my favorite. Take the fiery, sharp pho broth, wrap the crispy banh xeo in a rice paper wrap, dip it right into the sauce... it's genuinely so good haha. If you're looking for a great pho spot in Jeonju, or you're tired of always ordering just pho and want to try other Vietnamese dishes too, give Phodam a visit~!

Phodam Jeonju City Hall Branch: hours and parking

• 🕰️ Hours: Daily 08:30–20:30 / last order 19:40
• 🅿️ Parking: Public parking lot at the community center behind Lotte Mart
• 💰 Payment: High oil price support funds accepted
• 📍 262-9 Paldal-ro, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk-do, South Korea, 1st floor