Steaming bowl of Vietnamese pho with herbs and spices
Established 2008 · Calgary

A taste of Saigon, on Elbow Drive.

Heirloom recipes, slow-simmered broths and hand-rolled classics — served in a warm modern dining room since 2008.

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Our Story

Seventeen years of slow-cooked hospitality.

Bow River opened its doors on Elbow Drive in 2008 with a single ambition — to serve the Vietnamese food we grew up with, the way our grandmothers made it. No shortcuts. No compromises. Just the quiet patience of a broth that takes a day to coax from the bone.

Today, three generations of the same family run our kitchen. Every bowl of pho, every plate of bún and every spring roll is built from scratch each morning — a tribute to the country we left, and the city that became home.

View the Menu
Chef preparing Vietnamese dish
Fresh herbs and ingredients
The Signatures

Dishes worth the drive.

Six chef-led plates that have defined Bow River for nearly two decades. Built from imported staples, local produce and a great deal of stubborn tradition.

Satay beef noodle soup
— No. 01
Satay Beef Noodle Soup
Slow-braised brisket, peanut-chili oil, rice noodles, fresh basil.
Spicy Hue beef vermicelli
— No. 02
Bún Bò Huế
Spicy Hue-style beef vermicelli with lemongrass, lime & chili.
Bow River vermicelli special
— No. 03
Bow River Vermicelli
House special with grilled pork, prawns, spring roll & nuoc cham.
Steamed thin patties
— No. 04
Steamed Thin Patties
Bánh bèo: silken rice cakes, dried shrimp, scallion oil.
Hand-rolled spring rolls
— No. 05
Spring Rolls
Crisp, golden, hand-rolled to order with shrimp & pork.
Lemongrass beef on vermicelli
— No. 06
Lemongrass Beef
Charcoal-grilled, served on cold vermicelli with herbs & peanuts.
A bowl of pho here doesn't taste like a restaurant. It tastes like someone's mother is in the kitchen.
— Calgary Diner, 2024

Made fresh, daily

Broths simmered overnight, herbs picked each morning, rolls hand-folded to order.

Open seven days

Lunch through dinner, every day of the week. Holiday hours posted on the contact page.

Pickup & delivery

10% off for cash pickup, 5% off for online payment. Available via Skip & DoorDash.

Visit

A short drive south. A long way home.

Address

#102, 8408 Elbow Dr SW
Calgary, AB T2V 1K7

Hours

Monday – Saturday · 11am – 9pm
Sunday & Holidays · 11am – 8pm

Plan Your Visit
Warm restaurant interior with low lighting