Expansion on hold for Pho Ga Tony Tony

Dine in, takeout, delivery are available.

A chef from Philadelphia and an entrepreneur in Atlanta, both Vietnamese-Americans, open a pho shop in Norcross. Basically, there’s one dish on the menu — the legendary pho ga (chicken noodle soup) that the chef ’s mom and pop turned into a destination dish at their tiny restaurant in Philly.

Soon, Atlantans are slurping noodles and dipping chicken in the salty, citrusy sauce that comes on the side, and chef Tony Le and partner Vinh Nguyen launch an ambitious business plan to open two new Atlanta stores and one in Las Vegas.

The tale of Pho Ga Tony Tony will have a familiar ring if you’ve been following the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on Atlanta restaurants and small businesses. “In the middle of March, it just got really bad,” Nguyen said, describing how his business froze, just as he was trying to expand. He had to dial back plans to turn Pho Ga Tony Tony into a small chain.

The restaurant suspended operations from mid-March to mid-May. Plans for a 5,000-squarefoot Chamblee space that would double as company headquarters are on hold. A Duluth location, originally scheduled to open in May, has been postponed until the end of July, and may take longer. The Las Vegas deal fell apart after a disagreement with the landlord, so that’s one less thing for the partners to worry about, Nguyen said, clearly relieved. (The entrepreneur also owns a beauty-supply company and has dabbled in commercial real estate.)

“We are still open and running,” he said of the Jimmy Carter Boulevard shop. “But, it’s a serious thing out there, and people are dying. We don’t take anything for granted now.”

Pho Ga Tony Tony offers dining-room, takeout and delivery options. During rush hour, you might have to wait in

CONTRIBUTED BY WENDELL BROCK If you are on the go, an order of Pho Ga Tony Tony’s chicken pho (with chicken in the bowl) is a great lunch or supper.