If phở is Vietnam’s cold-weather comfort, the vermicelli bowl is its warm-weather answer. Light, fresh, and built for a Thornhill summer afternoon, bún — the Vietnamese vermicelli noodle bowl — might be the most underrated dish on our menu. No broth, no heaviness, just grilled meat over cool rice noodles with a tangle of fresh herbs and a little sauce to bring it all together.

If you’ve been searching for a vermicelli bowl in Thornhill, this is your guide. At Thien Vietnam in Promenade Shopping Centre, it’s one of the dishes regulars order on repeat — especially once the GTA heat rolls in. Here’s how the bowl is built, what to order, and why it’s such an easy lunch to love.

What is a Vietnamese vermicelli bowl?

A vermicelli bowl is a room-temperature dish, and that’s the whole point. At the bottom sits a nest of thin rice vermicelli — soft, springy, never sticky. On top go crisp lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, fresh herbs, and often a scatter of crushed peanuts and pickled carrot. Then comes the star: something grilled, hot off the flame, laid right over the noodles so the warmth seeps down.

The magic is in the finish. Every bowl comes with a small side of nước chấm — the bright, tangy Vietnamese dipping sauce of fish sauce, lime, sugar, and a little chili. You pour it over, toss everything together, and each bite turns into a mix of hot and cool, crunchy and soft, savoury and fresh. It’s a dish that tastes lighter than it eats, which is exactly why it works on a warm day.

Unlike phở, there’s no long-simmered broth involved — so if you’re comparing the two, our guide to the best pho in Thornhill is the companion read for the colder months. Bún is the flip side of the same coin.

What to order: our vermicelli bowls, top to bottom

A vermicelli bowl with grilled BBQ chicken, fresh herbs, and rice noodles

Our vermicelli section runs deep, so here’s how to think about it.

Start with the grilled classics. These are the bowls most people mean when they say bún:

  • BBQ chicken on vermicelli — lemongrass-marinated chicken, char-grilled and sliced. The crowd favourite and a great first bowl.
  • BBQ pork on vermicelli — sweeter and a little smokier, with those caramelized edges that make grilled pork so good.
  • BBQ beef on vermicelli — richer and more savoury, for the meat-lovers.

Add spring rolls for the full experience. Each of the classics also comes in a “with two rolls” version — your grilled meat plus two crispy Vietnamese spring rolls, chopped over the top. The rolls soak up the nước chấm and add a shattering crunch. If it’s your first vermicelli bowl, this is the one we’d point you toward.

Go bigger with a jumbo combo. Can’t choose just one protein? The Jumbo Combo Vermicelli bowls pile on combinations like shrimp, chicken, and pork sausage — a bit of everything in a single bowl. Our special jumbo combo is the most loaded of the lot.

Try the lemongrass stir-fries. If you’d rather have your meat stir-fried than grilled, the lemongrass vermicelli bowls — chicken, pork, beef, or shrimp tossed with fragrant lemongrass — are a warmer, saucier take on the same idea.

You’ll find every option, prices included, on the full menu. When in doubt, ask your server — we’re happy to steer you to the right bowl.

Why it’s the perfect Thornhill summer lunch

A fresh Vietnamese shrimp salad with herbs and vegetables

Come July and August, a bowl of hot soup isn’t always what you’re after. That’s when bún earns its place. It’s satisfying without weighing you down, it travels well for takeout, and it hits every note — protein, greens, noodles, and that zippy sauce — in one tidy container.

It’s also genuinely quick. A vermicelli bowl doesn’t need to sit in broth, so it comes together fast, which makes it a smart pick when you’ve only got a Promenade Shopping Centre lunch break to spare. Grab one to eat in, or take it back to the office across Thornhill, Vaughan, or Richmond Hill.

And if you’re feeding a mixed table — someone who wants meat, someone who wants something lighter, someone who can’t decide — the vermicelli section covers all of it without anyone compromising. Pair a bowl with a starter of fresh salad rolls or crispy spring rolls and you’ve got a full spread.

How to order like a regular

A few small things make a good vermicelli bowl even better:

  • Toss it right away. Pour the nước chấm over everything and mix while the grilled meat is still warm — that’s when the flavours marry.
  • Season to taste. The sauce comes on the side on purpose. Start with half, toss, and add more if you want it punchier.
  • Ask for extra herbs. Fresh mint and basil are what make the bowl sing. We’re glad to add more.
  • Add heat if you like it. A little chili or a side of sauce turns up the volume without changing the dish.

If you’re keeping an eye on the bill, check whether a vermicelli option is running as one of our weekly $12.95 lunch specials — an easy, low-commitment way to find your favourite bowl. And if this is your first visit, our twenty-year story explains why we take the small stuff, like same-day herbs and a proper nước chấm, so seriously.

Finding us at Promenade Shopping Centre

We’re on the 1st floor of Promenade Shopping Centre in Thornhill (Unit i), an easy reach from both Bathurst Street and Centre Street with free on-site parking. Coming from Vaughan, Richmond Hill, or Markham? We’re a short drive either way — full directions are in our how-to-find-us guide.

We’re open every day from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., so whether it’s a weekday lunch or a weekend dinner, a vermicelli bowl is only a few minutes away. Dine in, take it to go, or call ahead — whatever fits your day.

Come Taste It in Thornhill

Hungry now? Thien Vietnam serves Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese classics daily at Promenade Shopping Centre in Thornhill — dine in, take out, or order for delivery across Vaughan, Richmond Hill, and Markham.

  • Fresh vermicelli bowls — grilled meats, cool noodles, herbs, and house nước chấm
  • Three cuisines, one kitchen — Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese under one roof
  • Open daily — 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Promenade Shopping Centre
  • Dine-in, takeout & GTA delivery — however you like to eat

Browse our menu to plan your order, or contact us to reserve a table or call ahead at (905) 889-6688. We’ll have a bowl waiting.