With a thriving Vietnamese community in Southern California (the largest population of Vietnamese outside of Viet-Nam), there is a huge selection of banh mi shop to vie for one’s attention. The competition keeps the level of quality at a high standard, but there will always be the debate of who’s banh mi is the best.
If you are looking just for a place in Little Saigon, in So Cal, that just happens to be our backyard, so we are able to make an even more detailed listing:
Banh Mi of Little Saigon, So Cal
For a more all encompassing listing, just keep reading and we have listed just a bit of a sampling of the Banh Mi in Southern California:
(More maps coming soon…)
Area Directory – Los Angeles
(Numbers are for map reference, not order of preference)
- Banh Mi Che Cali
- Buu Dien Bakery
- Hong Long Sandwiches
- Lee’s Sandwiches
- My Dung Sandwich Shop
- Rainbow Bakery
- Saigon Sandwich
Area Directory – Orange County
- ABC Baguette
- Ba Le
- Banh Mi Che Cali
- Banh Mi Saigon
- Bánh Mì Số 1
- Boulangerie Pierre and Patisserie
- Cho Cu Bakery
- Dakao
- Dong Hung Vien Bakery
- Gala Bakery
- Huong Huong
- Lee’s Sandwiches
- Lily’s Bakery
- Phước Thành Coffee & Sandwiches
- Sandwich Planet
- Sasha Deli
- Song Long
- Sun Moon Bakery
- Tan Hoang Huong Bakery & Deli
- Tip Top’ Sandwiches
- Top Baguette
- Zon Baguettes
Area Directory – San Diego
- A Chau
- Ba Le French Sandwiches
- Cafe Dore
- Giang Kien Sandwich and Deli
- K Sandwiches
- Kim Chan Sandwich Shop
- Saigon Sandwich and Deli
- Sau Voi Deli
Area Directory – San Fernando Valley
Area Directory – San Gabriel Valley
- Ba Lẹ
- Baguette Du Jour
- Baguette Express
- Banh Mi My Tho
- Lee’s Sandwiches
- Mr. Baguette
- Saigon Sandwich & Bakery
We now we seek the opinion of banh mi junkies from all around. Where is your favorite banh mi place?
Share your favorite place so that if any of us are far away from home, we can satisfy our yearnings for a good sandwich in any part of the country. Difference of opinions will arise, but remember that we are all bound by one common thread- the search and appreciation of a good banh mi sandwich. So please, house rules are to post only your favorite. Lets just discuss the positives and where the recommended eateries are. Do not post any negative comments about any banh mi place, because we would rather spend our precious time eating than reading any negative, non-constructive posts. No haters, only banh mi lovers.
There’s a really good spam & egg banh mi (not a traditional filling) at a Vietnamese billiard hall (Thanh Tam Billiards on Euclid/Westminister). Not very many know about it yet, but it’s a different and tasty banh mi that all my friends and I go to get. A lot of people don’t play pool there, they just go for the spam and egg banh mi. Tip Top Sandwiches also has good banh mi too, since they changed owners a while back. Their bread is soft on the inside and crusty on the outside, and their fillings are good.
Gingergrass in Silverlake is my current favorite. Conveniently located across the street from LA’s best wine store, Silverlake Wine, this laid back Vietnamese restaurant serves great Banh mi and other classic dishes.
Gingergrass.com
2396 Glendale Blvd • Silver Lake, CA 90039
(Southeast corner of Brier Ave & Glendale Blvd.)
Major Cross Street: Silver Lake Blvd.
Favorite SGV Banh Mi comes from Baguette Express, San Gabriel. The superfresh baguette has a light, crispy crust and fluffy inside. They are generous with sandwich fillings and provide all the appropriate veggies– pickled daikon and carrots, fresh cucumber, cilantro, jalapenos. Sometimes they go a little overboard with the salt and pepper (maybe MSG?). Overall, Baguette Express is reliable and charges a fair price for their sandwiches.
I have tried Cho Cu, Tip Top, Saigon, B.M.C. Cali, and others, but I prefer the Dac Biet sandwich at Uyen Thy Bistro in Westminster. They get their bread from elsewhere, but their Meats are the BEST!!! It’s of finer quality and tastes better than the others. If you know where Phuoc Loc Tho and ABC supermarket is, its in the same vicinity. The address is
9039 Bolsa Ave
Westminster, CA 92683
behind the 7-eleven.
Popular Baguette Express of San Gabriel Valley has opened a new location in San Diego! It is called, “CALI BAGUETTE EXPRESS” located at 5125 El Cajon Blvd. on the corner of 52nd and El Cajon. Phone (619)286-8888. Their Dac Biet is yummy, and only $2.99
I have been DYING to find a place that has Banh Mi in my area (Inland Empire) ever since my friend brought me one from OC. I finally found Super Sandwich in Montclair! I got the BBQ pork Bunh mi with the combo which includes an egg roll, chips, and a smoothie all for $6! I’m not too experienced with Bunh Mi as this was the second one I ever had, but I thought it was quite good and so did the hubby. I will definitely go there again.
I recently discovered these wonderful French Sandwiches in Mira Mesa, CA. The bread is amazing and the wonderful combination of flavors in the middle……Oh, my!! The best sandwich I’ve EVER had!
(I had the #5 – BBQ pork)
Ba-le French Sandwiches
9396 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 566-7711
My vote for best banh mi goes to CALI BAGUETTE EXPRESS in San Diego, CA. Best thing about the sandwiches there is that the bread comes fresh out of the oven every 20 mintues, The veggies and meats are fresh and super tasty also. They are the first banh mi shop that offers a drive-thru open from 6am to 9pm. Visit their myspace.com/calibaguette for more information.
My favorite banh Mi place in LA is Mr. Baguette. They have a few locations: Monterey Park, El Monte & Rosemead. My favorite is the #5, chicken
It’s like $3 and I loooooooooove it!!!
I would like to be able to say that the best banh mi I have found so far was in Chinatown or San Gabriel, but it’s actually at Indochine, which is upstairs in a strip mall on the south side of Colorado Blvd just east of Lake in Pasadena. Although they are a couple bucks more expensive than the ones in Chinatown & San Gabriel, I think the amazingly crusty French bread, high quality grilled meat, and fresh veggies are worth it.
Best banh mi in San Diego is…
Cali Baguette Express!!!
5215 El Cajon Blvd
92115
Perfectly crispy, chewy fresh bread, perfectly delicious BBQ pork. And their milk tea is unbelievable.