Mekong

You'll find yourself on Magazine Street in the heart of the city centre, pushing through the door of what looks deceptively modest from the outside. Inside, Mekong feels lived-in and warm—the kind of place where regulars nod at each other and the kitchen's clearly got its rhythm down. The menu reads authentically: proper pho broths that've been simmering for hours, banh mi sandwiches with actual pickled vegetables and pâté, and fresh spring rolls that taste like someone actually cares. Prices sit around the £8–14 mark for mains, which feels fair when you're getting proper technique rather than corners cut.