At 27 Lê Lợi Street, the stove at Hủ Tiếu 44 fires up before dawn, and bowl after bowl of noodles goes out topped with milky pork-bone broth — the noodles made fresh that same day, still springy even after a long simmer. This is one of five "trusted noodle shops" officially certified by the My Tho City People's Committee in 2024, run by an owner with more than 40 years in the trade.
A first-ever Hu Tieu Festival for the city's 345th anniversary, backed by multiple state outlets and the Vietnamese Wikipedia
According to a feature on the Voice of Vietnam government portal vov.gov.vn, "Lễ hội Hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho: Tinh hoa từng sợi gạo," My Tho City held its first-ever Hu Tieu Festival from December 27–31, 2024, marking the city's 345th anniversary (1679–2024). Dong Thap Newspaper (successor to the old Ấp Bắc press system), Sài Gòn Giải Phóng, the Tuổi Trẻ newspaper group, Tien Giang province's official tourism site, and the provincial TV station all reported in step that the city People's Committee had formally selected and certified five trusted noodle shops. The Vietnamese Wikipedia entry "Hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho" further notes the dish received a "Vietnamese Brand" trademark from the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Industrial Property in 2009, and that the "My Tho Hu Tieu handicraft village" — covering 22 producer households — was officially recognized in 2007.
Honest clarification: hu tieu wasn't invented in My Tho, accounts of when it became famous disagree, and a commercial certification shouldn't be mistaken for a culinary award
It has to be said honestly that hu tieu itself traces back to a Teochew Chinese rice-noodle tradition, localized in southern Vietnam after Chinese immigrants brought it over from the late 19th to early 20th century — it wasn't invented in My Tho. Media accounts of when it became famous don't agree: some reports call it a "century-old tradition," while other state outlets say it actually took shape in the early 1960s, growing out of roadside stalls — this entry honestly presents both versions without forcing a single answer. It should also be disclosed honestly that a widely circulated claim of a "2014 Asian Food Value certification" traces back to a commercial record-keeping organization, the "Asia Records Organization," not an authoritative culinary body — this entry does not treat it as a meaningful endorsement. Most of the original 1960s-era shops, like Nam Sơn, Hưng Ký, and Phát Ký, have faded out as their founders aged, so this entry anchors on the officially certified, 40-plus-year Hủ Tiếu 44 instead. The difference from the Saigon version: Saigon's take later added shrimp, pork liver, and quail eggs, while the My Tho original centers on a pork-bone-and-offal broth with same-day fresh noodles.
How to Eat It Like a Local
- The noodles are made fresh each day and hold their bite well, though it's worth noting how the texture changes if the soup sits too long.
- The pork-bone-and-offal broth is the core of the My Tho original, distinct from the Saigon version's shrimp-and-liver additions.
- The five officially certified shops are scattered around the city; Hủ Tiếu 44 on Lê Lợi Street, running for over 40 years, is a good representative.
An Honest Look at This Bowl's Origins
- Hu tieu traces back to a Teochew Chinese rice-noodle tradition — it wasn't invented in My Tho.
- Even state media can't agree on whether the dish became famous a "century ago" or in the "1960s"; this entry honestly presents both accounts.
- The "2014 Asian Food Value certification" comes from a commercial record-keeping organization, not an authoritative culinary award.
A bowl of hu tieu lands on the table with noodles springy from being made fresh that morning, and a broth milky from real pork-bone simmering — the dish's roots run back to Teochew China, but My Tho has spent more than 340 years of its own city history simmering it into a local icon. Honestly, that honor was earned over time, not born into the dish.