New Vietnamese restuarant to open in vacant Bournemouth site

Pho is stepping up preparations to open in the former XOXO site in Bourne Avenue, near the Square.

Malachy O’Keeffe, Pho marketing manager, told the Daily Echo the business focuses on providing “delicious, healthy Vietnamese food”.

“We specialise in pho noodle soup, the national dish of Vietnam, but also serve amazing salads, hearty rice bowls and fragrant curries too,” Malachy said.

”To wash all that down, we have freshly prepared juices and of course excellent beers, wines and cocktails.”

• Read more: The Ivy's plans for empty New Look store in Bournemouth approved

Some of the dishes offered by Pho. Picture: Pho (Image: Pho)

Asked why Pho had decided to come to Dorset, he said: “Bournemouth is a brilliant, vibrant town that ticks off a lot of our customer bases – a fast paced, cool crowd, students, tourists, and a great local food scene too.”

Pho opened its first restaurant in 2005 after foundered Stephen and Juliette Wall travelled to Vietnam and fell in love with the food.

Seventeen years later and they have 36 sites and are getting ready to open their first branch in Dorset.

Malachy said the team were “very excited” about launching in the county.

“We’ve had great success along the south coast, starting many years ago in Brighton, and now feels like a brilliant time to expand there,” he said.

“Dorset have a lot to offer, and we have a lot to offer Dorset.”

Describing what makes Pho different to other restaurants, Malachy said: “Our vibe – you can expect informal but attentive service, superb interiors, a banging playlist and most crucially, freshly prepared food – we have no central kitchen and everything you eat is freshly prepared in house that day. There’s no microwaves at Pho!”

XOXO was the last business to trade from the unit

• Read more: XOXO Bournemouth to be taken over by 'national operator'

A planning application has been submitted for new signage on the premises, which is currently under consideration with BCP Council planners. Meanwhile the team at Pho are already on the recruitment drive.

Details on a launch date have not yet been confirmed.

XOXO closed this summer, having only opened at the site in October last year.