Family dinner with nasi goreng and pho at Pho Witch, Anyang restaurant

Today I visited Pho Witch, a restaurant in my neighborhood's Pyeongchon hagwon (private academy) district in Anyang. I'd wanted to review this place for a long time, so I'm really happy this opportunity came up!

Tucked inside the Pyeongchon hagwon district, Pho Witch is a pho and Vietnamese food specialist that recreates a Vietnamese atmosphere with green plants and pink walls. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a pho restaurant in the Anyang Pyeongchon hagwon area, want an exotic lunch or dinner, or need a low-pressure dining spot for an Anyang date course.

Pho Witch Pyeongchon: location, parking, hours

• Address: 61-27 Guin-ro 190beon-gil, Dongan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Parking: In front of the restaurant (calling ahead makes it easier)
• Reservations: Book through Naver Reservation and get a coupon!
• Birthdays/anniversaries: Note it when booking on Naver Reservation!
• Closed: Every Tuesday
• Hours: 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:30)

Pho Witch sits in an alley inside the Pyeongchon hagwon district. It's within walking distance of the heart of the academy district, so it works well for all kinds of occasions — a lunch gathering for parents, a meal before or after driving kids around, a weekday lunch for office workers, or an evening date.

The sign is in big pink cursive lettering, so it stands out even from the alley.

First impressions — interior with Vietnamese local vibes

Pho Witch's biggest charm is the space. From the entrance, big-leaf plants and pots line up, and the combination of pink walls, hanging vines, and rattan chairs adds to the Vietnamese local feel. The lighting is warm-toned and kept low.

On the walls are posters capturing Vietnamese food and local sensibility, along with a brand story board reading "Pho Witch, a story in one bowl" — fun to read too.

There are so many photogenic spots that you end up shooting the space before the food even arrives. If you love the feeling of traveling to Vietnam, you'll feel it the moment you walk in.

Is there a wait? Based on a weekday 5pm visit

A big "Pho Witch waiting guide" sign stands at the entrance. During peak times (lunch, weekend evenings) there can be a wait, so it's worth checking party size and waiting procedures before you go. Given the hagwon-district setting, it can get busy when pick-up time overlaps with dinner time.

I went on a weekday at 5pm, and by the time I finished eating, the crowd had grown and tables were turning over quickly.

Menu and taste — mixing and matching with the sibling set

The menu is broadly organized into pho / stir-fried noodles / nasi goreng / spring rolls (fresh and fried) / sides.

I ordered the sibling set and ate stir-fried pho, pho, and spring rolls! Even within the sibling set there's fun in adding things on — you could feel how much thought the owner put into the menu and how well it was executed.

Stir-fried pho (pad thai style)

Noodles stir-fried with shrimp, vegetables, and bean sprouts, topped generously with crushed peanuts and fried garlic. There's a nice smoky char, and the noodles are tossed well without sticking together. The nutty peanuts, savory sauce, and lime's tang come together — a hard-to-fail dish for a first visit.

Fresh spring rolls (Vietnamese summer rolls)

Vegetables and meat wrapped in rice paper — we didn't order the fried version, but both the fresh and crispy fried spring rolls are dipped in peanut sauce here. The peanut sauce is rich and nutty, so your chopsticks keep going back for it alone. Great to pair with the meal when you want to finish without feeling heavy.

Pho

A clear, clean-style broth, not heavy on spices, so pho beginners can eat comfortably. Thinly sliced meat comes on top, and bean sprouts, lime, and cilantro are added according to taste.

Nasi goreng

Indonesian-style fried rice, one of the signature dishes pushed on the menu and posters. Being able to try Southeast Asian fried rice alongside Vietnamese dishes in one place is a plus — overall the food quality is quite high, and the spread works fine for a family gathering with kids or a group trying Southeast Asian food for the first time.

Who I'd recommend this to

• Couples looking for an exotic-feeling Anyang date course
• Office workers and parents in the Pyeongchon hagwon district deciding on lunch
• Pho fans who want to explore Vietnamese food
• Anyone wanting a photogenic space for a family gathering or meetup meal

To me, Pho Witch has that reversal charm of "a place like this, inside the Pyeongchon hagwon district?" The Vietnamese atmosphere the space creates, plus a menu you can share with anyone without worrying about heavy spices, fills in the rest. If you've been looking for a pho restaurant in Anyang, or need a different kind of lunch, dinner, or date spot in Pyeongchon, add it to your list.