Golden Deli

The inspiration

Golden Deli opened in San Gabriel in 1981, founded by a Vietnamese immigrant couple who arrived in Los Angeles in 1975¹ . The restaurant actually began as a Chinese spot before the couple switched to the Vietnamese cooking they wanted to share, and the pho has been slow-cooked ever since¹ .

Who's behind it

The founders are a Vietnamese immigrant couple, and the restaurant has stayed family-run for more than forty years^1,2 . The same family continues to operate it today³ .

What to order

Popular dish

Cha gio^2,4

Blistered fried egg rolls with a crackling wrapper and minced pork filling, served with herbs and nuoc cham for wrapping and dipping .

• Pho no. 7: Thin slices of ribeye, brisket and tripe in a light broth^2,5
• Banh mi: Barbecue pork with pork loaf on a crunchy baguette, which Eater LA suggests as a good to-go order .^2,5
• Rice plates: Grilled pork over rice, part of a menu of roughly 100 items across many categories .⁴
• Soda chanh: A Vietnamese lime soda that Eater LA recommends for cutting through the fried and rich dishes .²

What people are saying

TACO calling them a standard bearer for egg rolls in Los Angeles⁴ . Eater LA notes that the restaurant has kept its popularity for over forty years, with a line still forming outside² .

Why you should try it

If you are staying anywhere in the San Gabriel Valley, this is a forty-year Vietnamese institution worth planning a meal around, with pho and egg rolls that critics consistently praise^2,5 . Come ready to wait a bit, since the crowd is part of the experience^2,5,4 .