The Pho Chain Restaurant That Relieved Anthony Bourdain's Hangover

From hair of the dog cocktails like the well-named corpse reviver to nourishing hangover-killers like pozole, people swear by all kinds of creative and diverse hangover cures. Legendary chef Anthony Bourdain naturally had his own preferred method for relieving the aftereffects of alcohol. Bourdain discovered one of his favorite hangover relievers in a perhaps unexpected place: a chain restaurant with locations in Philadelphia.

In 2012, the iconic chef traveled to the City of Brotherly Love to film an episode of "The Layover." After a few booze-heavy days in Philly, he stopped to enjoy his number one hangover cure, pho. Bourdain met fellow celebrity chef Michael Solomonov for breakfast at the locally beloved pho chain restaurant, Pho 75. Bourdain indulged in a big bowl of brisket pho with all the fixings. After soothing his hangover, Bourdain expressed his gratitude for the chain's pho on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing: "Pho 75 for breakfast. Hangover much better now." Simple but powerful — just like the soup itself. 

Anthony Bourdain visited the Pho 75 that's located on Washington Avenue in South Philly, but the chain has multiple locations across Philadelphia and several restaurants in Northern Virginia (where it originated). These no-frills restaurants are renowned for serving giant, life-giving, flavor-packed bowls of pho. Pho 75 is beloved by locals for its consistency and simplicity with many customers praising the cash-only chain's perfectly rare steak, fragrant broth, and generous portion sizes.

We can't definitively say that Pho 75 helps relieve the aftereffects of alcohol because no method has been scientifically proven to help cure hangovers. However, if it works, it works. We can totally see why Bourdain would opt for pho after a night of drinking (and perhaps indulging in a few potent negronis, which Bourdain once called "perfect"). The Vietnamese soup is hydrating, herbaceous, protein-rich, and incredibly comforting — you're almost guaranteed to feel better about anything in life after enjoying a giant bowl of nourishing broth, vegetables, protein, and noodles. It's worth noting that, hangover or not, pho is a very typical breakfast food in Vietnam. The fragrant and flavor-packed soup is available starting at 9 a.m. at Pho 75, and hungry (and hungover) customers can stop by for a soothing bowl at any time of day.