Food & Drink

Build the Pho Opens North Olmsted Location

Build the Pho is a customizable bowl concept offering a variety of options for noodles, broth, and meats, now available at two locations.

by Douglas Trattner | Jul. 15, 2025 | 8:00 PM

Courtesy of Build the Pho

Courtesy of Build the Pho

It's the summer of pho in Cleveland.

Build the Pho has debuted in North Olmsted at 400 Great Northern Blvd, as plans continue to open its third location soon in Ohio City.

As the name suggests, Build the Pho is a build-your-own-bowl-style concept, with diners having numerous options with respect to noodles, broth and meats. Owner Eric Weng says that customers prefer the customization model over having to select from a short roster of predesigned bowls.

“People like the way we do things because we let them order what they want,” he says. “Nobody wants a Happy Meal.”

The broths – beef or vegan – are made in the restaurant each day. Noodle options include rice, wide rice, egg and vermicelli. Diners can add any combination of proteins – including double or triple portions – from a list that includes rare beef, beef brisket, meatballs, beef tendon, beef tripe, sliced chicken, shrimp and tofu. Weng says that a spicy version of the beef broth likely will be added to the menu down the road.

In addition to the noodle soups, the restaurant serves spring and summer rolls, grilled pork buns and grilled steak over rice.

Further expansion is always in the cards, Weng told Scene.

“We want our brand to go big. Either we do it the best way possible or we don’t do it.”

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Douglas Trattner

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.

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