Best of Boston

2002 Best Group Dining

Pho Republique

Even in the dead of winter, this South End French-Vietnamese restaurant is as steamy as a night in Saigon. With its red-tinted walls, decorations imported straight from Southeast Asia, and sexy cocktails cheekily served in bamboo-etched tumblers under paper umbrellas, Pho Republique is a passport to revelry. Thanks to the generous reservations policy, parties large and small can reserve long tables perfect for sharing steamed bowls of aromatic pho or the must-have tuna spring rolls. The waitstaff handles such groups with Zen-like aplomb, keeping drinks fresh, plates full, and every diner happy.

1415 Washington Ave., Boston, 617-262-0005,