Vietnamese banh mi is a popular but extremely delicious and nutritious dish for the morning. Therefore, it is not surprising that banh mi is considered the top street food in the world. If you are a fan of Vietnamese banh mi, have you tried all of the following banh mi dishes? Let’s take a look at the following extremely delicious banh mi dishes with VietTravelGuide.com’s Food section!
The Origin of Vietnamese Banh Mi
In the beginning, Banh Mi originated from French Baguette. French bread (Baguette) is a type of bread that can be distinguished because it is much longer than wide and has a crispy crust. A French baguette is usually 5–6 cm wide and 3–4 cm high, but up to a meter long.
In the 50s and 60s of the 20th century, with the increase of bakeries and the improvement of ingredients, Vietnamese people improved bread by shrinking it 2-3 times and adding ingredients such as meat, pork sausage, pate, etc.
Since then, the taste of Vietnamese bread has been associated with the childhood of many people and is deeply imprinted in the subconscious. It is a dish that “lives with” childhood, a street food recognized by many people. Bread is also a typical dish representing the culinary culture of Vietnam.
The Admirable Achievements of Vietnamese Banh Mi
With 4.6/5 stars, Vietnamese Banh Mi ranks first in the list of 100 best sandwiches in the world in 2024 voted by the world-famous culinary site TasteAtlas.
TasteAtlas reviews that, with the appeal of delicious fillings, Vietnamese banh mi is especially popular with foreign tourists. Thanks to that, Vietnamese banh mi has long crossed the country’s borders and more shops selling Vietnamese banh mi have opened.
In early 2023, CNN described Vietnamese banh mi as “crispy, fresh, rich and extremely delicious”. It was voted as one of the 24 best sandwiches in the world.
Before that, CNN also voted Vietnamese banh mi in the list of 50 street foods that must be tried when coming to Asia.
In 2021, French newspaper Le Monde also praised Vietnamese banh mi and commented that it is a formidable “rival” of American burgers.
In March 2020, Google honored banh mi on the homepage of this search engine in more than 10 countries.
Let’s explore with VietTravelGuide.com the unique Vietnamese Banh Mi from all over the country!
1. Traditional Banh Mi Hanoi
Super cheap compared to today’s prices, but a traditional banh mi still has a full filling of pate, roast pork, red sausage, shredded pork floss and chili sauce. The “conservatism” of a dish with an old flavor that has not changed for more than 40 years makes many people miss it.
The deliciousness of this banh mi is the crispiness of the bread combined perfectly with the delicious taste of half-lean, half-fat char siu, chewy red sausage, soft, moist, spongy and fragrant pate. The pinkish brown color of the pate, the sticky white layer of fat, touching the tongue melts on the soft, spongy bread that is not too dense.
That is also the reason why many Hanoians, who grew up with that “old-fashioned” style of banh mi, despite living in a city with hundreds, thousands of banh mi shops, still take the trouble to run around the city just to find a little taste of the old banh mi.
2. Banh Mi Sot Vang
This dish originates from the Western-style beef stew, first appearing in France under the name “Ragoût de bœuf au vin”. This dish is made from beef, red wine, carrots, onions, garlic and other spices. Beef stew is often stewed for a long time until it is tender and soaked in the flavor of wine. Coming to Vietnam, this French dish has been transformed into beef stew to suit the taste of Vietnamese people.
Vietnamese-style beef stew is often eaten with bread, especially suitable for autumn days. The bread is toasted until crispy, broken into bite-sized pieces and dipped in a bowl of hot, rich wine sauce, with a piece of tender beef. The dish blends the spicy taste of chili, the light aroma of green onions, the pungent taste of herbs, the sweet taste of fresh beef and the thick wine sauce, making it “delicious” to eat.
3. Hanoi Banh Mi Chao
Hanoi Banh Mi Chao is a favorite dish of many Hanoi customers. This dish is presented in Soviet pans from the subsidy period to serve those who love to search for old flavors and memories.
Tear off a piece of crispy bread, dip it lightly in the thick fried egg yolk, add a little pate, ham, pork floss, and skewered meat, diners can feel the rich, fatty, hot, and rich taste of the Banh Mi Chao. It will be more perfect when eaten with a little pickled vegetables, creating a balance of taste.
This dish is considered a simple, popular variation of steak but is an “upgraded” version of the traditional Banh Mi.
4. Banh Mi Cay – Hai Phong
“Banh Mi Cay”, also known as “Banh Mi Que”, is a famous and typical snack of Hai Phong City. The special feature of “Banh Mi Cay” is that it is smaller than regular bread, about two fingertips wide and about a span long. Inside there is only pate filling and eaten with “chi chuong” – a type of chili sauce from Hai Phong.
The way to eat “spicy banh mi” is not to pour chili sauce on top, but to dip it into a bowl of “chi chuong” and enjoy. The crispy crust, the spicy and slightly sour taste of “chi chuong” mixed with the smooth, salty, and rich pate layer in the middle creates a special flavor.
5. Banh Mi Cha Ca – Nha Trang
This dish appears in many places, but the most famous is still in Nha Trang. Banh Mi Cha Ca in this bay stands out with its delicious flavor. Nha Trang fish cakes are made from many types of sea fish. Depending on the type of fish, the cakes will have different aromas and toughness, creating their own attractive flavors.
The crispy crust, fragrant fish cake filling, a little coriander, a few slices of cucumber and a rich sauce are extremely attractive. The Nha Trang fish cake sandwich sauce is made from shallots, tomatoes, added with sugar, fish sauce and finely chopped fresh chili, creating a sour and spicy taste that is unforgettable.
6. Banh Mi Ep – Hue
Banh Mi Ep is a Hue specialty that few diners know about. The shape of this dish is quite funny to many people, some liken it to a 2D printed version of bread.
The fillings of pressed bread are all familiar dishes such as pork roll, ham, shredded pork,… served with coriander and pickles. But what makes this bread special is that the bread is pressed and baked, making the bread crispy and delicious beyond description.
The price of a pressed bread makes diners even more surprised because it is only about $0.3, the most expensive is only $0.5.
This snack is suitable for an early morning or late afternoon snack, especially when diners are tired of other snacks.
7. Chicken Banh Mi – Da Nang
Chicken Banh Mi is a popular sandwich in Da Nang. At first glance, it seems like Chicken Banh Mi is mainly made of chicken, but that’s not the case. What makes them so special is their appearance.
Chicken Banh Mi is not too long like the usual French bread, nor is it as long as traditional Vietnamese bread. It is round and plump like a Hamburger. The filling is also very different with the main ingredients being chicken eggs, ham, carrots, green papaya, and chili sauce for those who like spicy food…
The cute little Chicken Banh Mi always brings a special flavor that is hard to describe. All the ingredients blend wonderfully with the hot, crispy bread crust, making anyone go “crazy” when they taste the first bite.
8. Pointed-end Banh Mi – Hoi An
Hoi An banh mi, especially the type with a pointed “bottom”, is often known for its crispy crust and diverse fillings. Hoi An banh mi is a combination of many delicious and rich ingredients. Fragrant Tra Que vegetables, fragrant char siu pork, sausage, chili, and rich broth.
All the Western and Vietnamese spices are cleverly transformed and combined to create a delicious blend of pate, sauces and Vietnamese ingredients. In addition, banh mi cabinets appear in many places here, fast and convenient, bringing an attractive menu.
9. Banh mi xiu mai – Da Lat
Many tourists from near and far have fallen in love with Da Lat not only because of its cool, pleasant weather, along with its famous landscapes and attractive attractions such as Datanla Waterfall, Bao Dai Palace, Tuyen Lam Lake, Truc Lam Zen Monastery… but also because of the unique cuisine of Da Lat. Among them, one of the dishes you must try when visiting the city of thousands of flowers is Banh mi xiu mai Da Lat.
Banh mi xiu mai is a typical breakfast dish of Da Lat city. This dish includes crispy bread served with “xiu mai” (meatballs) and rich broth. It often has additional toppings such as ham, pork skin, quail eggs, or pork rinds. The broth is simmered from pork bones, creating a sweet and rich taste. This dish is often eaten with raw vegetables, sour salad and spicy satay, creating a unique flavor of Da Lat.
10. Saigon Banh Mi
Saigon Banh Mi is not only a dish but also a cultural symbol, containing the spirit and creativity of the Vietnamese people. Along the streets, from small alleys to large boulevards, the image of simple Saigon Banh Mi carts always attracts diners because of the characteristic aroma and convenience of this dish.
Saigon Banh Mi conquers both local diners and international tourists thanks to the meticulousness in each processing step. All ingredients are carefully selected, from fragrant pate, soft cold cuts to fresh green vegetables. Not just an ordinary loaf of bread, this is also the passion and pride of the baker.
11. Grilled meat banh mi
Grilled meat banh mi is a famous Vietnamese dish. Usually, it is made from bread combined with grilled meat, raw vegetables and spices. The grilled meat in this sandwich is usually pork marinated with spices such as fish sauce, garlic and sugar, then grilled until golden brown. Raw vegetables include cucumber, carrots, pickled radish, coriander and chili, helping to reduce the feeling of fullness when eating.
Grilled meat banh mi is often eaten with pate, mayonnaise and chili sauce, creating a rich and attractive flavor. With the combination of these ingredients, grilled meat banh mi becomes a delicious and convenient dish.
12. Grilled Pork Banh Mi
Grilled Pork Banh Mi is a popular street food in Vietnam, especially in the central provinces like Da Nang. This dish consists of a sandwich with roasted pork, a type of pork that is roasted until the skin is crispy and the meat is tender, along with herbs, pickles, and a signature sauce.
The flavor of roasted pork banh mi is a harmonious combination of the crispy taste of pork skin, the fatty taste of meat, the sweet and sour taste of pickles, and the spicy taste of chili, creating an attractive culinary experience.
Summary
In addition to the above banh mi dishes, Vietnamese people also have many variations of fillings (fried egg banh mi, shredded pork banh mi, mixed banh mi, sardine banh mi, …) and prepare different types of bread: steamed bread, grilled bread, roasted bread, bread with soup …
All are both the quintessence and art of banh mi, both rustic and familiar, and a dish that brings pride to the Vietnamese people when it ranks among the best street foods in the world.
So you have reviewed 12 types of banh mi that are deeply Vietnamese, worthy of being one of the best street foods in the world. As someone who is about to travel to Vietnam, which type of banh mi do you want to try the most? Leave a comment below!
