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It’s officially soup season in Arkansas. After a period of cold weather, gray skies, and snow days that kept many of us indoors, there’s something deeply comforting about a hot bowl of broth, steam rising, warming you from the inside out. During one of those recent cold snaps, I was clever enough to get pho in Fort Smith before our first truly frozen night of winter, and it reminded me why this dish holds such a special place in cold-weather food traditions.
But as I looked at the menu, weighing options like beef, chicken, seafood, herbs, and noodles, something else caught my eye. For a town in western Arkansas, Fort Smith has an unusually rich variety of Vietnamese restaurants, many of which are deeply traditional. That curiosity led to a few days of research while stuck indoors, and I discovered that Fort Smith’s pho scene isn’t a trend or a coincidence. It’s the living result of Arkansas’s history, immigration, resilience, and food traditions passed down through generations.
Vietnamese Roots in Fort Smith
If you’ve ever heard someone say, “Any pho in Fort Smith is good,” there’s a historical reason for that confidence.
After the fall of Saigon in 1975 and the end of the Vietnam War, Fort Chaffee became the largest processing center in the United States for Southeast Asian refugees. Over 50,000 Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian and Hmong refugees passed through Fort Chaffee in 1975 and 1976 as part of Operation New Life. Many arrived in the middle of the night, flown into the air base and then transported by bus to rows of barracks that had once housed soldiers and prisoners of war.
While many refugees eventually resettled across the country, a significant number remained in Fort Smith and the surrounding River Valley. Over time, they built a strong, interconnected community.
Today, Fort Smith is home to about 6,000 Vietnamese residents, while roughly 10,000 live across the River Valley. Churches, temples, businesses and restaurants grew alongside families who arrived with little more than suitcases and hope.
In 2025, the community celebrated 50 years since their arrival in Arkansas, emphasizing resilience, cultural preservation, and deep roots. Vietnamese-owned restaurants became some of the most visible and cherished symbols of that heritage, especially pho shops where recipes reflect regional traditions passed down through families.
What Sets Vietnamese Food Apart?
Vietnamese cuisine is known for its balance. Rather than heavy sauces or dairy-rich flavors, it relies on freshness, aromatics and complex broths that deepen in flavor over time.
Vietnamese cuisine emphasizes five key flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy, which are often present simultaneously in a single dish. Meals are centered on rice or rice noodles, fresh herbs, vegetables, and broths rather than oil or cream.
A key feature is the herb plate. Pho and many other dishes come with fresh basil, cilantro, mint, lime, bean sprouts and chilies on the side, inviting you to season the bowl yourself. This makes Vietnamese food feel interactive and personal, even when dining out.
Broth-based dishes like pho are also highly nourishing. Long-simmered bones, warming spices like ginger and cinnamon and anti-inflammatory herbs make pho both comforting and restorative, especially during Arkansas winters.
Understanding the Menu: A Beginner’s Guide
If Vietnamese menus feel overwhelming at first, you are not alone. Here is a quick guide to what you are ordering and why it matters.
Phở – The iconic Vietnamese noodle soup, typically made with beef or chicken broth, rice noodles, herbs, and various cuts of meat.
Bánh Mì – A sandwich rooted in French colonial influence, served on a crisp baguette with meats, pickled vegetables, herbs, and sauces.
Gỏi Cuốn – Fresh spring rolls wrapped in rice paper with herbs, vermicelli noodles, and shrimp or pork.
Bún – Vermicelli noodle bowls topped with grilled meats, fresh herbs, and light sauces.
Cơm – Rice plates served with grilled or braised meats and vegetables.
Bánh Xèo – A sizzling rice-flour pancake filled with meat, shrimp, and vegetables, folded and eaten with herbs.
Vietnamese food is typically rooted in street food culture, meant to be enjoyed casually and often, not just for special occasions.
Where to Eat Pho and Vietnamese Food in Fort Smith
Rooted in tradition, Pho Vietnam is the centerpiece of Fort Smith’s pho scene. Opened in 1985 in a former gas station near Northside High School, this husband-and-wife-owned spot has gained decades of devoted customers. Owned by Eric and Lilly Nguyen, the menu is wide-ranging, authentically traditional, and reliably excellent.
From duck pho to chicken and spinach with glass noodles, seafood combinations, and standout bánh mì, everything here showcases careful technique and heritage. Don’t let the humble location fool you. It was a Vietnamese grocery store and video rental shop when the couple acquired it from the family several decades ago. This is some of the best pho you’ll find anywhere, in Arkansas or beyond.
Popular dishes include beef tenderloin, bun bo hue (spicy beef broth) and Saigon-style spring rolls. All are served with complimentary jasmine tea and a banana nut dessert.
Other Pho Destinations in Fort Smith:
Pho Huang – A solid option for classic pho and familiar Vietnamese favorites, especially popular with locals who crave reliable, comforting bowls.
Green Papaya – Known for fresh flavors and a menu that blends Vietnamese dishes with broader Southeast Asian influences. Voted best Asian food for 2025.
Pho King – A local award winner, often praised for bold flavors and generous portions.
Diamond Head 2 – While not exclusively Vietnamese, Diamond Head 2 offers pho and Asian comfort dishes that attract regulars seeking variety.
Noodles & Crawfish – A newer favorite for many, known for rich, homemade-tasting pho and deeply flavorful broth that has earned devoted fans.
Pho Cao Noodle House – Just across the river, this Van Buren spot is worth the short drive, especially for house-made chili oil and bold River Valley flavors.
Pho in Fort Smith isn’t just a trend; it’s a tradition. It stems from refugees finding safety in Arkansas, building families, opening restaurants and feeding a community one bowl at a time. In winter, pho serves as a reminder that food can do more than just fill you up; it can warm you, strengthen you, and quietly tell a story of resilience.
Keisha (Pittman) McKinney lives in Northwest Arkansas with her chicken man and break-dancing son. Keisha is passionate about connecting people and building community, seeking solutions to the everyday big and small things, and encouraging others through the mundane, hard, and typical that life often brings. She put her communications background to work as a former Non-profit Executive Director, college recruiter and fundraiser, small business trainer, and Digital Media Director at a large church in Northwest Arkansas. Now, she is using those experiences through McKinney Media Solutions and her blog @bigpittstop, which includes daily adventures, cooking escapades, #bigsisterchats, the social justice cases on her heart, and all that she is learning as a #boymom! Keisha loves to feed birds, read the stack on her nightstand, do dollar store crafts, cook recipes from her Pinterest boards, and chase everyday adventures on her Arkansas bucket list.
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