The story
Bún bò Huế comes from Huế, on the Perfume River in central Vietnam, long the seat of the Nguyễn lords and later the imperial capital. Food historians trace it to the late 1500s and early 1600s, and some accounts say it was once served to the royal family and high officials before becoming everyday street food. Its broth of beef and pork bones, lemongrass, fermented shrimp paste and chilli reflects Huế's taste for bold, spicy cooking, and nearby Vân Cù village has long supplied its thick, springy rice noodles. Elsewhere in Vietnam, and among Vietnamese abroad, the city's name is added to set it apart.
Also known as bun bo hue, bún bò, Hue beef noodle soup, spicy beef noodle soup.
On the Meridish menu
Bún bò Huế was the soup course on menu No. 25 on October 25, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Spicy lemongrass beef broth with thick round rice noodles, pork knuckle and chili oil. Born in a riverside former imperial capital whose royal cooks loved bold flavours.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
