Phi Pho Viet Kitchen Coming to Bridgeland in Cypress, Bringing Chicken Pho, Vietnamese Rice Plates and Vermicelli Bowls to Former Waffle Bus Location
For Bridgeland residents who were disappointed to see The Waffle Bus close its Cypress location earlier this fall, there's a new reason to keep an eye on that familiar storefront along Fry Road. Houston restaurant owner Phi Nguyen is bringing a completely different dining concept to the neighborhood, this time drawing on Vietnamese cuisine.
The new restaurant, Phi Pho Viet Kitchen, is planned for 10615 Fry Road, Suite 200, Cypress, TX 77433, in Lakeland Village Center, the same location formerly occupied by The Waffle Bus.
Nguyen announced the new venture in a November 1, 2026, Facebook post, sharing plans for a Vietnamese fast-casual restaurant specializing in chicken pho, rice plates and vermicelli bowls. The announcement marks a new chapter for the local entrepreneur and a change in dining options for families living in Bridgeland and surrounding Cypress neighborhoods.
What's on the Menu at Phi Pho Viet Kitchen in Cypress?
For anyone who enjoys a comforting bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup or a fresh vermicelli bowl loaded with vegetables, the restaurant's newly shared menu offers a look at what customers can expect.
Unlike The Waffle Bus, which built its following around chicken and waffles, burgers and creative comfort food, Phi Pho Viet Kitchen will focus on Vietnamese dishes that can work for a quick lunch, an easy family dinner or a takeout meal on a busy weeknight.
Chicken Pho Takes Center Stage
The restaurant's featured dish will be chicken pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup traditionally prepared with rice noodles and an aromatic broth.
According to the menu, customers will be able to choose from white meat chicken, dark meat chicken or a combination of both. There will also be a dac biet specialty bowl featuring chicken, steak and meatballs.
Each bowl comes with green onions, onions and cilantro, with bean sprouts, basil, jalapeños and lime served on the side. These accompaniments allow customers to customize their soup with fresh herbs, citrus and a little heat.
Vietnamese Rice Plates and Vermicelli Bowls
Beyond pho, Phi Pho Viet Kitchen will offer two other familiar Vietnamese dining options: rice plates, known as com, and vermicelli noodle bowls, known as bun.
The rice plates feature white rice, salad greens, cucumbers, onions and tomatoes, served with fish sauce and a choice of protein. Customers can select stir-fried beef, lemongrass chicken or fried tofu.
The vermicelli bowls offer those same protein choices, replacing the rice with vermicelli noodles and adding salad greens, carrots, cucumbers, bean sprouts, peanuts and fried shallots. Fish sauce accompanies the dish, bringing together the fresh vegetables, noodles and savory protein.
For diners who prefer something lighter than a traditional rice-based meal, the vermicelli bowls provide another option, while the fried tofu selection gives customers a meat-free protein choice.
Spring Rolls, Egg Rolls, Vietnamese Coffee and Fruit Shakes
The menu also includes appetizers, beverages and a few options for customers looking for something to enjoy alongside their meal.
Appetizers include pork and shrimp egg rolls served with fish sauce and grilled chicken spring rolls accompanied by peanut sauce.
Beverage selections include fountain sodas, limeade, soda limeade, bottled water, orange juice and Vietnamese coffee. Customers will also find avocado, mango and strawberry shakes on the menu.
Together, the offerings give Phi Pho Viet Kitchen a fairly focused menu built around noodle soups, rice dishes, vermicelli bowls and popular Vietnamese appetizers.
From The Waffle Bus to Phi Pho Viet Kitchen: A New Chapter for Phi Nguyen
For those who followed Nguyen's journey with The Waffle Bus, the announcement represents another turn in a restaurant career that began with considerable uncertainty.
Nguyen launched The Waffle Bus in 2010 after experiencing unemployment and financial hardship. What began as a food truck serving creative takes on waffles and Southern comfort food eventually grew into a recognized Houston restaurant brand.
Over the years, The Waffle Bus developed a following for its chicken and waffle sandwiches, Chicken Fryders, specialty burgers and inventive desserts. The business earned recognition through local culinary competitions and appearances on Food Network, Cooking Channel and other national media outlets.
Its success eventually led to brick-and-mortar restaurants in Houston, along with expansion into Cypress and Derby, Kansas.
The Bridgeland location was particularly meaningful because Nguyen had already introduced The Waffle Bus to the community through food truck appearances before announcing plans for a permanent restaurant.
When the Bridgeland project was first announced in 2024, Nguyen expressed enthusiasm for becoming part of the neighborhood.
"The community is beautiful, and I’m excited to bring the Waffle Bus to Bridgeland to bring something new to the area," Nguyen said at the time, as previously reported by My Neighborhood News.
The restaurant ultimately celebrated its Cypress grand opening on August 9, 2025, bringing its signature menu to Lakeland Village Center.
However, the location's time in Bridgeland was relatively short.
On September 25, 2026, Nguyen announced that The Waffle Bus Cypress had permanently closed and shared that the fully equipped restaurant space was available for another operator.
The closure also came during a challenging period for the broader restaurant business. In May 2026, the Houston Chronicle reported that Nguyen was navigating mounting operating costs and debt as he worked to keep The Waffle Bus operating. Those difficulties reflected pressures facing a number of independent restaurants throughout the Houston area.
Now, rather than seeing the former Cypress restaurant remain unused, Nguyen is preparing to introduce a different concept at the same address.
While The Waffle Bus centered on American comfort food with unconventional combinations, Phi Pho Viet Kitchen will introduce a more traditional Vietnamese-inspired menu built around familiar, everyday dishes.
A New Vietnamese Restaurant for Bridgeland's Lakeland Village Center
For Bridgeland residents, the restaurant's location may be as appealing as its menu.
Located along Fry Road, Lakeland Village Center serves as a neighborhood shopping and dining destination for residents of Bridgeland and nearby Cypress communities. The development brings restaurants, retail businesses and everyday services together in a convenient location close to home.
Existing businesses in the center include familiar neighborhood destinations such as Local Table, Local Bar and L3 Craft Coffee, along with other restaurants, shops and service providers.
The addition of Phi Pho Viet Kitchen will bring another dining style to the mix, particularly for residents looking for Vietnamese food in Bridgeland without having to travel farther into Cypress or Houston.
It also means the former Waffle Bus space could once again become a place where neighbors stop for lunch, families pick up dinner after school activities and friends meet over a meal.
For Nguyen, who has spent more than a decade building restaurants in the Houston area, the new concept offers an opportunity to reach customers with a different type of food while remaining connected to the community where he previously operated.
When Will Phi Pho Viet Kitchen Open in Bridgeland?
As of November 5, 2026, a confirmed grand opening date for Phi Pho Viet Kitchen has not been announced in the information shared by Nguyen.
An online ordering page for Phi Pho Viet Kitchen has also appeared at the Fry Road address, although menu ordering was unavailable when checked. An active listing should not be taken as confirmation that the restaurant is already open to customers.
For customers who enjoyed The Waffle Bus, the new restaurant will not be a continuation of its former menu. Instead, it represents something new from the same Houston entrepreneur, with chicken pho, lemongrass chicken, Vietnamese rice plates and fresh vermicelli bowls taking the place of waffles and burgers.
And for a neighborhood where residents continue to welcome new restaurants and local businesses, having another dining option close to home is welcome news.
Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for updates on new restaurants in Bridgeland, Cypress business developments and other local dining news affecting the community.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
Local business spotlight
Grow your business
where trust already lives.
Let’s introduce your business to the neighbors nearby.
Have a local favorite?
Let’s make an introduction.
Leave your email and our team will reach out with ways to promote your business.
Give a local favorite a little love.
Know a business your neighbors should discover? Tell us who they are.
We couldn’t send that just yet. Please try again.
