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 comment 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 comments. No haters, only banh mi lovers.
Visit the comments for places that have been shared already.
Comment to share your opinions on the best places and any that we’ve missed:
Area Directory – Austin, TX
Area Directory – Houston, TX
Banh mi Bale, Oklahoma City
Banh mi Bale, 2426 N. Classen Blvd in the Asian District of Oklahoma City is a fantastic Banh Mi hole in the wall. All their sandwiches are $1.85 for a foot long and they have a fantastic selection of Asian soft drinks and other canned beverages… some of which should only be ingested on a dare.
OKC Banh Mi
Lee’s Sandwiches
3300 N. Classen Blvd
Oklahoma City, OK
405-601-2161
http://www.leessandwiches.com
They make their own bread on the premises, the bakery is featured in its own glassed-in enclosure; many types of banh mi on 10″ baguettes (#11-Special Combination–jambon, headcheese, pork roll, pork pate; #9-Sardine; #12-Asian Veggie–fried tofu, vermicelli, bean curd, yam, carrot, house pickle, jalapeno, cilantro), and exotic drinks, like honeydew smoothies, basil seed tea.
California Sandwiches -Houston
Okay, so I don’t live in Houston anymore but I was there for more than 11 years and only recently moved. This place is great; there is no better tasting vietnamese food that is this good. Yes, the waitresses smile and there are no secrets to winning them over. All in all it’s really a great place to visit often. The food is delicious! There is no better place for a healthy tasty lunch!
Map to California Sandwiches
Dallas- Quoc Bao Bakery
Quoc Bao has the best ‘banh mi ga’ and fresh bread in Dallas.
Their addres is 3419 W Walnut St
Garland, TX 75042.
MMMM…Bale Resturant and now Bale Deli
They have the best bread which of course then makes a delicious sandwich so go to Bale Restaurant at 2240 Browning Dr, Arlington TX or Bale Deli 1220 South Cooper St., Arlington, TX. You will not be disappointed.
Dallas/Richardson – La Me
Located close to the Richland College campus @
9780 Walnut St
Dallas, TX 75243
(972) 669-8515
Skip the other meats and get the #4, “Lots of soft liver sausage”. So ludicrously good that I went 3 times last week for lunch. A competing restaurant in the same shopping center claims to have the “Best Banh Mi In Texas”, but La Me’s great pickled daikon and carrot, and homemade mayonnaise really set it off.
Prices range from 2.50 to 3.50 depending on toppings. Unfortunately, they’re closed until May 15th for remodeling, which I sadly learned while trying to satisfy my Banh Mi fix today.
Givral’s in Houston
Givral’s Sandwich Shop, just east of the Beltway on Bellaire, southwest side of town. Sandwiches run $3.50-ish, wide variety and excellent service.
Les Givral’s Kahve @ Market Square in Houston.
(This doesn’t appear to be affiliated with the Givral’s of Scott’s post above – I’ll have to try that one too.)
Banh Mi Thiem Hung
2108 Pease St
Houston, TX 77003
These are the best sandwiches in Houston. You can get $2.50 for a small and $3.50 for a large, plus this is one of the only places that still do buy 5, get one free.
Forget chains such as Lee’s. The best in Oklahoma City are sold in the lunch counter at Super Cao Nguyên Grocery (2668 N. Military Ave.). The ones across the street in the old Townley “milk bottle” building (a.k.a. Bánh mì Ba le) are good, but the owners there will add homemade mayonnaise unless you ask them not to. (No mayo at Super Cao Nguyên.) I don’t care for much if any mayo on mine, so I really prefer Super Cao Nguyên’s sandwiches. Also, the baguettes at Super Cao Nguyên are extremely fresh, handmade and unbelievably crusty. They are quite literally the crustiest, most authentic baguettes I’ve had outside Paris and Saigon. Also, Super Cao Nguyên carries one of my favorites that you don’t see very often — namely, the Vietnamese variant of the old fried egg sandwich. The vegetarian sandwich is also very good there.
Cafe Bella
9018 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73159
(405) 691-9018
(On 89th and Penn, next to Pho 89 Cafe and the Saigon Asian Market)
http://www.cafebellabistro.com/
I went to Cafe Bella during college to study and enjoy boba tea/soda. My friend introduced me to the Banh Mi, and now I drop by and get a sandwich every time I am in OKC. I’ve only had the chargrilled pork, but it is fantastic…tangy, delicious marinade and moist, large slices. The carrots and cucumbers are crisp and lightly pickled, not overpowering at all. The jalapenos are always fresh and spicy; the cilantro is always bright green. The french bread is firm on the outside and soft as you bite in, perfect. I prefer mine without the mayo but have heard it is excellent as well. It’s $3.99 and large enough for two but who wants to share?
Thanks for creating this blog! Great idea.
okay … hands down the best banh mi in ALL of Houston is Don’s Cafe on 9300 Bellaire Blvd (713) 777-9500! they actually warm and toast the bread before they make your personal banh mi … yummy in my tummy!!!
There is a shop right on Campus (I go to the University of Houston) called Tealicious that specializes in tapioca drinks, but they also sell banh mi and spring rolls. The Banh mi there is pretty good, but I usually don’t go there as it’s about a dollar more and just not as good as the ones right off campus on Elgin at Scott by the College Store. There, the sandwiches are very very good, probably the best I’ve ever had. Today I went to Les Givral’s Kahve downtown on Congress, it was pretty good, (supposed to be the best. I saw all the stickers on the window from citysearch… Houston Press…) maybe it was just the bread. I personally like the crust to be a bit tough and very crunchy and while the crumb was excellent, light and fluffy. I also got the barbecue pork, while I almost always get the combination. I will definitely have to try what they call the special, or the number 3.
French Sandwiches
8448 Fredericksburg Road
San Antonio, TX 78229-3317
(210) 692-7019
This restaurant is owned by a Vietnamese family, and they make a very interesting interpretation of banh mi. (I am a Vietnamese-American banh mi fanatic with very, very high standards, by the way) Their banh mis is a little denser than an authentic banh mi, which means it is more filling without losing any of the qualities that make banh mi so delicious. Their pate is housemade, along with their mayo, which has a great kick. They also bake their own bread, which is perfectly crispy and hot.
For about $8, you can have banh mi, soup, and a cream puff. There are also several kinds of sandwiches.
French Sandwiches is located near the Medical Center in San Antonio. It’s a small place, which means it can get pretty crowded at lunch time during the week. It’s a staple for a lot of medical professionals and students in the area.
My only (minor) complaint is that upon occasion, you might get pickled carrots and daikon that haven’t been pickled for long enough, but this happens very rarely. Also, they serve on styrofoam, which might be off-putting for some people. Nevertheless, their sandwiches are great.
I absolutely LOVE banh mi. the best place in Corpus Christi is Saigon Cafe hands down. They make everything fresh and the owners are awesome!
scope it if ur in the city:
5625 Saratoga Blvd, #105 , Corpus Christi, TX, United States, 78414
(361) 993-0018
http://www.twitter.com/SaigonCafe
I have to suggest Me So Hungry food trailer in Austin, TX. They have a mean Tofu version too!
1104 E. 6th Street Austin, Texas
mesohungry.biz
MEKONG Sandwich shop on Jones Rd. In Houston, TX. They are cheap…only 3.25 and soooo great!!!! I really love this place. Never had a sandwich like this and they keep me coming back!
Bellaire Sandwiches
13275 Bellaire Blvd
Houston, TX 77083
This out-of-the-way Vietnamese fast food place makes the best banh mi I have had — better than any sandwich I have had in Vietnam! The bread is perfect and the grilled pork (#9) is the best.
September 26 2010 Dallas/Richardson – La Me
This little place is open again and with outstanding Banh Mi. We went over there for a late lunch yesterday and totally stuffed ourselves on these wonderful sandwiches along with some terrific spring rolls. I can hardly wait to go back.
You gotta put “Baguette House” on your list! They are the best I’ve found in Austin. As good as any in Little Saigon, Westminster.
Tam Deli in Austin is on the list already, but I would like to note their consistent quality over the years. Their Banh Mi are so reliably yummy that now and then I have to leave the restaurant-rich central Austin neighborhood I live in to schlep all the way up to way-north North Lamar just to savor one of their sandwiches, and take out one for later.
Lang Bakery
2524 N Military Ave # 107
Oklahoma City, OK 73106-5623
(405) 528-5141
I’ve been going to this bakery with my mom for about 10 years. I think it’s one of the best places to get Bánh mì. Always fresh and delicious.
Nasa Fast Food
18059 Point Lookout Dr
Houston, TX 77058
Neighborhood: Clear Lake
(281) 333-1734
By far the best bahn mi I’ve had in miles of this part of Houston. The baguette is perfectly firm and crispy, yet chewable. It holds its own, even after a couple of hours of waiting to be consumed. The filling, especially the chargrilled pork, is superbly seasoned, and all of the toppings from fresh jalapenos (with seeds!), to pickled carrot, daikon, and fresh cilantro are always quality. The sauce is what makes it all hold together and you’ve got your self a great lunch. Under $4!
StrEAT RESTAURANT – Eat globally
3211 Red River – Austin, TX 78705
Ph: 512-628-0288
http://www.eatatstreat.com/
Street (StrEAT) Food—what’s it really mean–a delicious slice of travel, a special ethnic food memory, family traditions rediscovered, the daily navigation of city life measured by pedestrians, on the corners and in the squares and alley ways of urban life. Whether travelling the world, or touring big city boroughs in the US, street food is as much a part of the fabric of city life as the mortar and brick of the buildings divided by the streets that deliver you there. The take at StrEAT is the name: fabulous things to eat from anywhere and everywhere on the earth that includes a Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich with excellence in taste and price. Well worth the trip in Austin.
Vietnamese Banh Mi for $4.95 is a traditional Vietnamese seasoned pork on French bread with pickled slaw, serrano peppers, mayo, fresh mint & cilantro.
Vina Bakery in houston at 13480 Veterans Memorial Dr
The sandwiches are awesome and inexpensive.
Sno Boba Tea Cafe, 861 SW 119TH ST, Oklahoma City, OK 73170. I love their Chicken Banh mi
Lulu B’s in Austin,TX serves us a mean Banh Mi out of a small food trailer one the corner of Lamar and Oltorf. I like to say that they serve the best Banh Mi south of Tam Deli because nothing can touch Tam Deli!
2113 S Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78704
Neighborhood: 78704 (South Austin)
(512) 921-4828
http://www.myspace.com/lulubssandwiches
I agree with the poster above that stated Ba Le in Arlington, TX. Their service is atrocious (the Browning location), but the sandwiches make up for it.
In Norman, OK, there is a Vietnamese restaurant in campus corner. It’s wonderful. Everything is delicious including, of course, the banh mi. The owner, Chris Le, is always there and will make sure everything is perfect.
The Coriander Cafe
323 White Street
Norman, OK 73069
Phone: (405) 801-3958
http://www.coriandercafe.com/
My absolute favorite bahn mi sandwich comes from Les Givral in Houston. There are a few locations, but my favorite is the midtown location on Milam. Seriously, their shredded chicken banh mi is the stuff of naughty dreams. I no longer live in Houston, but when I’m back in town for any reason, I’m going by Les Givral as much as I can for that salty/cilantroy/savory goodness!
The best banh mi’s in Austin are definitely from Me So Hungry, the Vietnamese food trailer behind Cheer Up Charlie’s in East Austin. I had never had one before but I thought I’d be adventurous and try it and it was seriously one of the best sandwiches I had ever had. I got the Sweet Portabella Banh Mi (totally vegan!!) and it was so wonderful. You HAVE to go check it out!!!
Me So Hungry
1104 E 6th Street (behind Cheer Up Charlie’s)
Austin, TX
512-796-0804
mesohungryaustin.com
lulu b’s in Austin is awesome!!!
I Luv Pho DFW
Address: 8350 N. MacArthur Blvd #100 Irving TX 75063
Phone: 972-402-9799
Mama Fu’s Asian House
9 Central Texas Locations
mamafus.com
With 9 Central Texas locations, including Georgetown, New Braunfels, and 7 in the Austin area, Mama Fu’s is the perfect stop for a Banh Mi fix.
Each sandwich is made to-order with freshly toasted French Rolls, tangy pickled carrots & radish, spicy sauce, and a choice of Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, or Tofu. Plus, every sandwich comes with hot, crispy Sweet Potato Fries – the perfect meal when dining in or on-the-run!
Full disclosure – I work for this restaurant and I NEVER get tired our take on this Vietnamese classic. Especially when I get it with Shrimp!
Big fan of Don Cafe on Bellaire, Just West of Gessner.
Bamboo Garden Counter in Corpus Christi! Its a new place just a couple of stores down from the original Bamboo Garden. The Classic includes homemade mayonnaise and homemade pate. They also serve them with their fantastic grilled pork. Try it with a side of the green onion pancake with short ribs. Vietnamese nirvana.
1220 Airline Road
Suite 155