Besides some traditional dishes such as Pho, Hu Tieu Nam Vang, Bun mam… Banh mi (Vietnamese: bánh mì) is a typical food that must-try when you want to discover the uniqueness of Vietnamese cuisine.
It was first introduced to Vietnam in the early of 19th century when Vietnam was part of French Indochina and became a staple food by the early 20th century. During the 1950s, a distinctly Vietnamese style of sandwich developed in Ho Chi Minh, becoming a popular street food. it’s easy to find them on every street, in restaurants or trolleys on the road in Vietnam but no place does it better than its home town – Ho Chi Minh City.

What is unique about Banh Mi in Ho Chi Minh City?

The most popular is Bánh mì thịt (thịt meaning “meat”). Almost the same as everywhere in Vietnam, Bánh mì is often split lengthwise to create the area that is later filled with meats, a mix of Vietnamese herbs, accompanying vegetables, butter, one or two tablespoons of meat sauce, chili sauces, ham, pa-te…But in Ho Chi Minh city, there is nothing taste the same among different Bánh mì stalls. The primary taste is the sauce. The good sauce will be a nit condensed and smelly. Sauces are all homemade, so I can’t tell the exact recipe.

Famous Banh Mi Shops in Saigon

Furthermore, with thousands of options in this city, the customers can choose from a wide variety of meat (fried egg, grilled pork, pork roll, smashed pork meatballs, pork skin, grilled chicken, etc. Even when you’re a vegetarian, you can order “ Bánh mì chay” which made with tofu, seitan, or butter cover with sugar.

Here is most famous Banh Mi Shops in Saigon from our local perspectives

Huynh Hoa bread

Although the price is quite high, Huynh Hoa bread is an accurate example of the saying “You get what you pay for” because the loaf of bread weighs up to 500gr. Toppings in the bread must be said to be full, including patties, floss, pate, vegetables, cold meat, smoked meat, yellow butter, etc. Thanks to the combination of different ingredients, Huynh Hoa bread has a special appeal and is a name that is on the top list when someone mentions delicious bread shops in Saigon.

Ba Huynh Bread

The owner of the bread Mrs. Huynh said that the shop was separated from Huynh Hoa bread (Le Thi Rieng street) for personal reasons. Opened on December 15,2023 attracting many people to line up for hundreds of meters waiting to buy. Ensuring the ingredients and flavors are as good as Huynh Hoa’s, from pate, butter, char siu, rolls, ham, garlic sausage.

Ba Huynh Bread

Hoa Ma Bread

Known as one of the famous bread shops in Saigon for a long time, Hoa Ma bread shop on Cao Thang street is one of the first shops selling burgers in Saigon. The sandwich dishes such as: pate, meat, herbs,… all have their own special flavor that no other restaurant has. That’s why this is one of the delicious bread shops in Saigon. 

Grilled meat bread

The bread is one of the famous places selling delicious Saigon bread that is praised by everyone. The delicious flavor of the bread along with the carefully prepared ingredients has a special rich taste. Therefore, the restaurant has conquered the taste buds of every diner. 

Grilled meat bread

Hong Hoa Bread

Located on Nguyen Van Trang Street, District 1, the shop serves all kinds of mixed sandwiches, grilled meat sandwiches, roasted pork, shumai, shredded chicken, fried chicken, cold meat…. The shop is quite popular with the foreign tourist community and has a food menu in English. Some food bloggers recognize this as one of the best banh mi in Saigon they have ever eaten.

362 bread

This store has more than 10 different types for you to choose from. Some of the best-sellers at this shop are canned fish bread, beef bread, meat patty bread, mushroom bread, vegetable bread,… In addition to enjoying bread, you can also order coffee, cup of fragrant tea and enjoy the extremely sophisticated design space here.

Address: 

  • Open time: 6:00 – 21:00 pm
  • Price: VND 30,000 ~ 45,000

Nhu Lan Bread

One of the brands familiar to Saigon people – Nhu Lan. This is a shop selling delicious Saigon bread that domestic and foreign tourists absolutely love. The crispy crust has a lot of meat inside: sausage, cucumber, pate,… that no one can criticize.

Nhu Lan Bread

Cambodian avocado grilled beef bread

Saigon bread is a familiar dish to those who have traveled here. This grilled beef sandwich with butter is a specialty of Cambodia and is currently very popular in Saigon. The bread will be marinated in butter and then grilled so it will be extremely hot. After being grilled, the bread will be eaten with grilled meat skewers that are fully marinated with spices, creating a rich and delicious flavor. The moderately chewy piece of meat served with chili sauce and shredded papaya will make eaters fall in love.

Cambodian avocado grilled beef bread

Co Diep bread

With several decades of experience in Saigon, this is one of the famous Saigon bread shops that tourists should come and enjoy once. You will enjoy a delicious hot crispy bread with pate, pickles, onions, etc. at a very cheap price so the restaurant is always crowded.

co Diep bread

Di Nu pan bread

This 30-year-old pan bread shop attracts customers with full dishes: soft fried eggs, pate, pork rolls, ham, sausages, cheese, shumai…. A loaf of crispy bread, torn into small pieces, dipped in a rich sauce in a hot bread pan, served with pickles, coriander (coriander), thinly sliced cucumbers and spicy and salty spices to your liking.

di Nu pan bread

=> Click here if you want to join a street food tour with our local guide.
In the end, i’m not so sure where is the best banh mi shop in Ho Chi Minh… it sort of depends on your feeling. So don’t forget to share with us your experience in Ho Chi Minh.