Pho to launch at Centre:MK

Vietnamese street food group Pho is set to open at Centre:MK, launching a 4,133sq ft restaurant that will seat approximately 100 customers

Pho was founded in 2005 by husband and wife, Stephen and Juliette Wall. It is known for serving fresh, healthy Vietnamese food, prepared from scratch each day with no central kitchen. The brand's menu is 98% gluten-free and accredited by Coeliac UK, with 40% of the menu being suitable for vegans.

Dishes include phở noodle soup – the iconic Vietnamese national dish – aromatic curries, rice bowls and wok-fried rice and noodles. A range of appetisers and light salads are also offered, including homemade spring rolls, served with a peanut sauce for dipping. The menu also features over 10 freshly prepared juices, homemade lemonade with a spicy twist, classic Vietnamese coffee and beers.

The signing follows a strong first half of the year for Centre:MK, with total sales and footfall across the destination up by 5.7% and 10.7% respectively, compared to 2022. April proved a standout month in terms of footfall, with an impressive increase of 11.2% vs 2022, outperforming UK and Southeast benchmarks.

Kevin Duffy, centre director at Centre:MK, comments: "The signing of Pho is an exciting moment for Centre:MK, as our commitment to providing the centre’s visitors with an F&B line-up of authentic, high-quality and affordable operators. Consistently outperforming UK and regional benchmarks, our footfall and sales figures are just two of the many reasons that brands select Centre:MK as a location in their portfolios, and Pho’s decision to open with us cements Centre:MK as one of the UK’s top 10 retail and leisure destinations."

Stephen Wall, co-founder at Pho, adds: "We’re really happy to be opening in Milton Keynes as we’ve been looking for the right opportunity for some time, and this location in Centre:MK couldn’t be better. We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome the centre’s visitors and showcase the brilliant food of Vietnam”.

The signing follows the news that specialist coffee chain, Black Sheep Coffee, has signed for a 1,637sq ft unit on Centre:MK’s Sunset Walk, set to bring its all-day concept to Milton Keynes for the first time. Both Pho and Black Sheep Coffee will join popular healthy fast-food restaurant Itsu, which opened its latest location in late 2022.

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