The best bánh mì in Việt Nam

Social media is awash with videos of every wannabe lining up at bánh mì shops in cities across the USA, Australia and most other Western countries.

I found the best bánh mì thịt in Việt Nam. And I bet you’ve seen it all before. It seems the world has gone crazy for bánh mì, and there are some interesting perspectives on what 'good; really means when it comes to this Vietnamese icon around the world.

Social media is awash with videos of every wannabe lining up at bánh mì shops in cities across the USA, Australia and most other Western countries. And for between US$7 and $20, you can buy a bread roll with half a truckload of ingredients on it.

The social media expert then stands on the street and talks about how crispy the bread is and what’s special about the selection of salads and meats that go into creating this 'magnificent' Vietnamese icon.

But there’s just one small issue. After reading the name on the door and maybe saying 'xin chào' to the Vietnamese worker, there’s not a single thing on these rolls that truly represents Việt Nam’s iconic food.

In one video, I watched an Australian girl standing in Cabramatta — known for its Vietnamese community in Sydney’s western suburbs — professing to consume real Vietnamese food. However, her roll was missing all the ingredients that make it uniquely Vietnamese. No pâté, no chilli, no soy sauce, no chả. Instead, it had ground beef, tomato, cheese and green leaves I’ve never seen in Việt Nam.

In classic expat fashion, my mind immediately turned to her ignorance, and I thought, 'Ha, she doesn’t know what a real bánh mì thịt is!' Which brought me to the question: 'Where is the best bánh mì thịt in Việt Nam?'

After asking friends, I received thousands of different answers. Some pointed to big stores in the heart of Hồ Chí Minh City. Others mentioned a favourite lady on the street near their home. Some talked about Hội An and Đà Nẵng, while a few swore by the rolls sold in Sa Pa and Hà Nội.

This kaleidoscope of opinions made me realise that the answer isn’t about size, quality or the individual makeup of the roll. It’s about the moment — the experience of eating a small piece of Vietnamese culture in the right place at the right time.

One such personal example was on a bicycle ride north of HCM City. After two hours of pedalling, I came across the best bánh mì I’ve ever had. It was April and the morning heat arrived early and fast. My friend and I had started riding before sunrise and the heat was already draining us before breakfast.

On a lonely road in the quiet countryside of Củ Chi stood a woman with a cart under the awning of her small home. Across the street was a café with makeshift hammocks and temporary roofing.

Hot, tired and thirsty after 50km of riding, we stopped. My mate ordered a bánh mì trứng (egg roll) and I got my usual bánh mì thịt — with chilli and pâté.

Then, with the sun sparkling on a quiet river beside the café, we sat with our cà phê sữa đá (sweetened iced coffee) and bánh mì to eat breakfast. To me, the bread — slightly moist from the morning air, sitting patiently in a basket — with the perfect balance of flavour and volume, made it the best bánh mì thịt in Việt Nam. It was the right food, in the right place at the right time.

Sometimes, we chase Michelin-star restaurants and high-priced extremes to prove something is 'the best.' But in Việt Nam, that kind of thinking couldn’t be further from the truth. What makes food here so magical is freshness, friendliness and environment.

For me, sitting at a riverside table in a 40-year-old makeshift café, eating bánh mì and sipping coffee strong enough to stop an elephant — that was perfection. And unlike my fellow countrymen, my food experience was less than $2, including the coffee, which proves that perfection does not come with a high price.

And the best part? This is just one story. As I travel around the country, the story keeps repeating itself - in Mỹ Tho, Huế, Yên Bái - every city and town I’m privileged to visit. The best bánh mì in Việt Nam — and the best bánh mì in the world - is the one you experience, not just eat.

So, in order to find the best bánh mì in the world, take the road less travelled. Turn down that unknown street, wander into a new town, explore a quiet country road somewhere in Việt Nam. Somewhere along the way, you’ll find a lady with a cart who sells the best bánh mì in the world. Right here in Việt Nam.

*Ray Riches lives in HCM City and works as a teacher and freelancer. He is also a bicycle rider with experiences across Việt Nam. With more than ten years in HCM City, Ray enjoys sharing his unique experiences of Việt Nam with people all over the world.