Looking for the tastiest banh mi in all of Saigon?
These 6 banh mi vendors are the absolute best in all of Ho Chi Minh City.
The 6 Best Banh Mi places in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Ah banh mi, so much can be said about the tasty Vietnamese “king of sandwiches”.
If you are travelling in Vietnam, trying this iconic Vietnamese sandwich is likely extremely high on your to-do list.
Lucky for you we have the inside scoop on all of the most popular and highly rated banh mi vendors in Saigon (HCMC).
Rest assured, these 6 banh mi selections are the absolute pick of the bunch when it comes to eating the king of sandwiches in Saigon.
Best of all the majority of our top 6 selections are situated within District 1, the main tourist area of Ho Chi Minh City.
Looking for a vegan banh mi alternative?
Read our guide to the 3 best vegan banh mi places in Saigon.
Let’s eat some banh mi.
Banh Mi Hong Hoa
Problem: Visiting Ho Chi Min City for one day and wanting to try banh mi for the very first time.
Solution: A visit to Banh Mi Hong Hoa
Simply put. If you only have a limited amount of time to spend in Saigon yet want to try arguably the very best banh mi in town. Then this is the place for you.
Found in District 1 in Saigon, Banh Mi Hong Hoa is not to be confused with Banh Mi Huynh Hoa (which also features in our top 6).
So what about the actual banh mi sandwich itself? What is all the fuss about and what sets this culinary contender apart from the competition?
Well, as any true Vietnamese sandwich fanatic will tell you, an integral part of what makes a banh mi sandwich truly great is the bread.
And the baguette at Banh Mi Hong Hoa is a star; crispy on the outside but soft and moist on the inside.
In fact, the baguettes are so renowned here that they do a roaring trade supplying other banh mi vendors all around Ho Chi Minh City!
As for the filling inside, all of the ingredients are super fresh and most importantly each ingredient is perfectly balanced.
With so many stand out banh mi options in Ho Chi Minh City, it is highly recommended to try each one.
If however, you only have a limited amount of time to spend in HCMC, then Banh Mi Hong Hoa is your best option to taste banh mi.
54 Nguyễn Văn Tráng, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
http://banhmihonghoa.com/
PRICE: 30000 VND
Banh Mi 37
Most banh mi vendors in Saigon usually offer a range of different banh mi menu options.
Banh Mi 37 on the other hand specialises in one option, a grilled meatball/meat patty banh mi. And they certainly do it well.
Situated on Nguyen Trai Street in District 1, Banh Mi 37 has built a reputation on the quality of its limited menu banh mi instead of offering many items.
If grilled meatball banh mi is your favourite, then you really can’t find a better vendor in Ho Chi Minh City.
The ground pork patties are first seasoned with garlic and salt, marinated with a special glaze and then cooked on a charcoal-fired grill to juicy perfection. Around 5 or 6 of these juicy meatball patties are next placed on a crispy, flakey baguette before being stuffed full with fresh veggies and drenched in Banh Mi 37’s special top-secret banh mi sauce. Scrumptious.
It’s no wonder both Vietnamese locals and tourists line up to taste this heavenly variety of banh mi.
Tip: Banh Mi 37 is only open from 4 till 6 pm. Be sure to arrive at 4 pm to avoid the long lines.
39 Nguyễn Trãi, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
PRICE: 25000 VND
Banh Mi Sau Minh
Banh Mi Sau Minh is a family-owned banh mi vendor which has been making delicious banh mi sandwiches since 1976.
While a variety of delectable banh mi varieties are available (even offering a sardine and cheese option for adventurous types). Banh Mi Sau Minh is most famous for its banh mi xiu mai or soft pork meatball banh mi.
Xíu mại is a tender Vietnamese pork meatball, cooked slowly in a tomato-based sauce. These mouth-watering meatballs are packed inside a fresh baguette and then topped with cucumber, herbs and a sprinkle of fresh black pepper.
The end result is a banh mi that is so utterly delectable you won’t be able to resist immediately eating another!
Tip: If you are feeling particularly hungry Banh Mi Sau Minh also offers extra menu items including sticky rice (xoi khuc) and dumplings (banh bao).
170 Võ Văn Tần, Phường 5, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
https://www.foody.vn/ho-chi-minh/sau-minh-vo-van-tan
PRICE: 40000 VND
Banh Mi Huynh Hoa
Banh Mi Huynh Hoa is possibly the most well-known banh mi vendor in all of Saigon.
Not to be mistaken for the similarly named Banh Mi Hong Hoa (also in our top 6), this long-standing HCMC stalwart serves up delicious world-renowned banh mi.
It is so popular patrons from all over the world line up all day for a taste. A small army of red-shirted workers keeps a steady flow of banh mi sandwiches flowing out to its customers.
If you’re looking for an extra meaty style of banh mi, this place is for you.
The banh mi at Banh Mi Huynh Hoa is packed full of meat. 6 to 7 layers of luncheon meats, pork floss and grilled pork are stuffed into the baguette.
Slices of cucumber, daikon and carrot are then placed inside. Every ingredient is complemented by a generous spread of pate and mayonnaise.
It’s safe to say that the banh mi here is a dream for meat-lovers.
If you’re wanting to devour Saigon’s meatiest banh mi, then a visit to Banh Mi Huynh Hoa is a must.
26 Lê Thị Riêng, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
https://banhmihuynhhoa.vn/
PRICE: 48000 VND
Tiem Nu Hoang Banh Mi
Looking for amazing banh mi in Saigon that you won’t find in the other top banh mi guides?
You’ve found it.
Tiem Nu Hoang Banh Mi is the true definition of a “hidden gem”.
What makes this banh mi worthy of our top 6 is how expertly balanced the sandwich is.
Other banh mi vendors may specialise in an extra meaty or vegan variety for example. At Tiem Nu Hoang Banh Mi five different varieties are on offer and each option is prepared exceptionally well.
Situated only a 5-minute walk from the popular Ben Thanh Market, this is the perfect banh mi pit stop for those hungry from a morning of shopping.
Tip: There is a different banh mi vendor next door to the left called Hieu Banh Ngan. Look for the big “Tiem Nu Hoang Banh Mi” lettering above the store to make sure you are at the correct address.
You can find Tiem Nu Hoang Banh Mi at the address below.
109 Nguyễn Thái Bình, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
PRICE: 25000 VND
Banh Mi Tuan Map
Banh Mi Tuan Map makes our top 6 for one specific type of banh mi: Bánh Mì Ốp La or fried egg banh mi.
Situated close to the War Remnants Museum and the quirky green roundabout called Turtle Lake. This banh mi vendor punches above its weight, delivering an unforgettable flavour experience at an extremely cheap price point.
Bánh Mì Ốp La translates to ‘sunny-side-up bread’. So if you are craving your traditional western style weekend breakfast then this uniquely Vietnamese version is for you.
So how is this Vietnamese breakfast sandwich created?
First of all, eggs are softly fried to perfection leaving a deliciously gooey yolk and then placed on a fresh, flakey baguette spread with pate and mayonnaise.
Next pickled carrot and radish are added as well as fresh crunchy cucumber slices. A generous handful of coriander is finally sprinkled all over to round it all off.
This is the ultimate Vietnamese egg roll breakfast sandwich!
Banh Mi Tuan Map also offers the classic bánh mì thap cam (mixed meat) and bánh mì thit nuong (barbecued pork) menu options.
For those feeling a bit more adventurous: the marinated pig’s ear with roasted duck banh mi is a combination that works surprisingly well!
For a cheap and cheerful banh mi option, Banh Mi Tuan Map is hard to beat.
196 Pasteur, Phường 6, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
https://www.facebook.com/BanhMiTuanMap.Q3.Q1/
PRICE: 15000 VND
What is banh mi?
Just like its South-East Asian neighbours, Thailand and Cambodia. Vietnam is world-famous for its abundance of mouth-watering street food.
With the exception of the noodle dish phở (pho), possibly the most well known Vietnamese street food is the banh mi sandwich.
Bánh mì (pronounced BUN-mee) in the Vietnamese language actually translates to literally just bread. For unknown reasons, the words “banh mi” morphed to mean both bread as well as the extremely delicious banh mi sandwich.
For the reasons of this guide, when we say “banh mi” we are obviously referring to the delicious sandwich itself.
What is inside banh mi?
Banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich that is made using a French-style baguette bread roll.
The baguette is sliced through the middle, spread with pate and mayonnaise and then filled with a variety of banh mi ingredients.
These fillings usually consist of different types of meats, from luncheon style meats to grilled pork to meatballs as well as pork floss.
The meat filling is then accompanied with fresh vegetables including cucumber slices, Vietnamese pickles and cilantro (coriander).
Then, a soy-based sauce (vendors mix their own, which usually includes fish sauce and garlic) is added which ties everything together. A splash of Maggi seasoning is also common.
Finally, a sprinkling of chopped fresh chilli is added to top it all off.
Other varieties of banh mi are common. These include bánh mì ốp la (fried egg banh mi) as well as vegan and vegetarian banh mi options.
Who invented banh mi?
The modern-day banh mi sandwich is believed to have been created in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in the late 1950s.
Various people over history have laid claim to being the original inventors of the banh mi sandwich. The most famous (and most credible) of these claims are a couple called Mr and Mrs Le.
The story goes that Mr and Mrs Le had the genius idea to start filling their french style baguettes with pate, mayonnaise, luncheon meats, vegetables and coriander (cilantro).
Just like that, the banh mi sandwich was born.
As it turns out this was the perfect, portable lunch for the highly mobile working force that makes up Vietnam’s population. The banh mi sandwich was not only convenient but also extremely affordable for the everyday citizen of Vietnam.
Banh mi exploded in popularity. Within no time not only Saigon but the whole of Vietnam was covered in thousands of banh mi carts.
To this day the Le family run the same banh mi business called Banh Mi Hoa Ma, still located in Saigon.
Banh mi pronunciation
Bánh mì is pronounced in English as (BUN-mee).
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