[2] The dish originates from Huế, a city in central Vietnam associated with the cooking style of the former royal court.

[12][13][14] This classic dish is celebrated for its harmonious blend of spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and umami tastes.

[5] In its native Huế, bún bò is typically served only in the mornings as a main meal rather than a breakfast item.

Bún bò usually includes thin slices of marinated and boiled beef shank, chunks of oxtail, and pork knuckles.

[18] Bún bò is commonly served with lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, diced green onions, raw sliced onions, chili sauce, thinly sliced banana blossom, red cabbage, mint, basil, perilla, Persicaria odorata or Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), saw tooth herb (ngò gai) and sometimes mung bean sprouts.