A new Vietnamese spot is making its way to Northvale, with Saigon Bistro set up at 269 Livingston Street as the growing chain's third Bergen County address. The concept leans heavily on takeout and delivery, and its menu runs through the Vietnamese classics: pho, banh mi sandwiches, rice plates, and vermicelli bowls.
Northvale Opening Timeline
The reports describe the Northvale location at different points in its timeline. According to Boozy Burbs, in a November 10 report, “the restaurant is now open at 269 Livingston Street.” In a September 3 report, The Local Girl described the Northvale spot as upcoming, saying it was taking over the former Hangry Joe's space and stating, “There is no official opening date for Saigon Bistro's Northvale location.” The two outlets agree on the address and the concept; the earlier report described the location as upcoming, while the later one reported it open.
Boozy Burbs frames the new location as joining “existing Bergen County locations in Cresskill and Fair Lawn,” which would make Northvale the third Bergen County outpost for the brand. The Local Girl echoes that count, calling the Northvale outpost Saigon Bistro's “third Bergen County location” and noting it comes in addition to two Jersey City locations the chain also operates.
A Family Recipe Behind the Pho
Part of the draw, per Boozy Burbs, is the kitchen's approach to its signature soup: the restaurant's pho is prepared using a family recipe passed down through the Nguyen family. The Local Girl frames that heritage a bit more broadly, reporting that Saigon Bistro describes its food as rooted in southern Vietnamese cuisine, with recipes inspired by traditions passed down through generations. Either way, the emphasis is on a casual, takeout-and-delivery-focused concept.
Saigon Bistro isn't a standalone operation — it's part of the same local restaurant group behind Saigon Kitchen in Fort Lee and Marty's Burgers, according to the same Boozy Burbs report. That Fort Lee burger spot has its own origin story: FOX 5 NY reported that friends and locals Ryan Speier and Marty James opened Marty's Burgers after a ramen restaurant moved out of its Center Avenue location in Fort Lee, with the outlet noting that “in September, two new spots opened just minutes from each other in Fort Lee.”
