Bahn Mi Near Me - A List Of The Best Banh Mi In Melbourne
Probably the most incredible sandwich globally, the banh mi is a favorite in Melbourne’s ethnic hub. Having its origin in French-occupied Vietnam during the first half of the twentieth century, banh mi has long been a mainstay of Melburnian lunchtime favorites. Diners may enjoy the pleasures of eating banh mi with fresh Vietnamese ingredients and intense flavors.
Everyone’s favorite banh mi joint adorns their delicacies with different creations. Yet each roll is made out of a classic, light, crusty baguette coated with Vietnamese mayo and chicken liver pate, packed full of your protein of choice (chicken and pig being the most common choices) topped with coriander, pickled carrot, and cucumber. Optional additions such as soy sauce or chili are often available.
The banh mi has become a popular dish in modern society. A traditional banh mi consists of a crusty baguette stuffed with handmade pate, Vietnamese mayonnaise, carrots, cucumber, chicken, or pork. The amount of chili is then adjusted to taste. Its low price, great taste, ability to satiate hunger and be consumed on the move keeps Melbouranians on the hunt for the best.
In This Article
Know Your Favorite Banh Mi
According to experts, the baguette, brought to Vietnam by French colonials is crucial in making the perfect sandwich. Bread that is light and fluffy on the inside yet crispy on the exterior is essential for creating an excellent Banh mi. Fill it with a smooth chicken liver pate, your choice of meat, as well as plenty of pickled veggies, fresh herbs, and spring onions. It makes a huge difference when you use high-quality ingredients.
Char-grilled pork is most likely found in a classic banh mi, but this famous roll now comes in a wide variety of flavors. There’s a banh mi filled with your favorite protein, from lemongrass chicken to meatballs or crispy tofu, somewhere.
If you’re looking for this wonderfully unique baguette, we just have one piece of advice: follow the crowd. You can guarantee that the banh mi inside is worth the wait if there is a line outside.
Here is the list of Melbourne’s crustiest and most authentic banh mi rolls.
Banh Mi in CBD
Pho Nom
Chef Jerry Mai’s renowned Vietnamese street food restaurant Pho Nom has three locations across Melbourne’s CBD. For a reason, the Pho Nom juggernaut has gathered steam. The crispy fried chicken with sriracha mayo is one of the most creative banh mi in Melbourne. It started as a one-time special in 2015, but Pho Nom realized they’d developed a legally addictive superfood and put it to the regular menu after a few weeks.
The nasty fried chicken pieces with pickled carrot, cucumber, chili, coriander, and crispy fried onion bits, all drenched in spicy Sriracha sauce, is what makes this banh a fabulous one. If you’re looking for the best banh mi in Melbourne, join in on a search for the city’s crustiest and most authentic rolls.
This restaurant serves Vietnamese hawker food in a modern setting and uses only locally sourced, natural, and ethical products, such as Milawa free range chicken. From crispy pig belly to grilled lemongrass chicken, all seven of their banh mi are delicious in all aspects.
Address: T4/567 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Rice Paper Scissors
Try the Rice Paper Scissor’s banh mi for an exquisite taste of natural ingredients in a banh mi. All of their meals are made with organic and ethically sourced ingredients wherever possible, so try some of Melbourne’s best banh mi.
Rice Paper Scissors is a hawker-style casual restaurant and bar that serves Southeast Asian sharing plate food and delicious cocktails. From barbeque king mushrooms to soft shell crab rolls with coriander and house-made pate, this menu features a changing variety of slight banh mi flavors. Regardless of the filling, these bite-sized delights are delightfully soft and buttery, with robust, zesty flavors.
Address: 307 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065 & 15 Hardware Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Contact: CBD (03) 9663 9890 & Fitzroy (03) 9486 0066,
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 5pm-9pm, Fri: 12pm-3pm, 5pm-9pm, Sat: 12pm-9pm
Banoi
Banoi refers to Grandma in Vietnamese, and cousins and founders Michael Nham and Viet Nguyen drew inspiration from their grandmother while growing up. They set out to replicate their favorite meals, including one of Melbourne’s finest banh mi.
Banoi is a genuine cultural treasure in the heart of the CBD, combining traditional recipes handed down through generations with a little bit of modern flair. This homestyle restaurant offers some of Melbourne’s finest banh mi, with a wide variety of choices, including grilled chicken, bbq pig, fried chicken, and tofu. A trip to Banoi is the ideal way to start the weekend, with the trendy crispy pork roll now available as a Friday special!
They set out to replicate their favorite meals, including one of Melbourne’s finest banh mi, which had been handed down through three generations. Every day from 4-6 p.m., they have a happy hour where you can get all your favorite beers for five pounds.
Address: 530 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 & 807 Bourke St, Docklands VIC 3008
Contact: (03) 9642 7398
Hours: Mon-Sat: 11:30am-9pm
Banh Mi in Richmond
Fina’s Vegetarian Cafe
Fina’s vegetarian cafe is a warm and welcoming small Vietnamese restaurant that offers traditional and modern cuisine inspired by age-old family traditions. Victoria Street is a busy Vietnamese Mecca, and this quirky, colorful restaurant, packed with a fantastic collection of artwork, sculptures, and small souvenirs, is situated in the heart of this bustling Vietnamese Mecca. There are many gluten-free and faux meat-free choices available and meals that are MSG-free, vegan, or vegetarian. There are options for takeout or dining in, and with rolls starting at about $7 per roll, this is unquestionably among the finest places for banh Mi in Melbourne.
Address: 268 Victoria St, Richmond VIC 3121
Contact: (03) 9428 6765
Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am-3pm, 5pm-10pm
Ca Com
Ca Com, the much-anticipated banh mi store from Richmond fine-diner Anchovy, is now a permanent fixture on Bridge Road. After more than a year of operating a pop-up sandwich shop during Melbourne’s lockdowns, chef-owner Thi Le and partner Jia-Yen Lee lit up the freshly built hearth in August 2021.
The banh mi rolls packed with Laotian sausage, turmeric chicken, and eggs are no longer a blink. These three sandwiches join roasted pumpkin Manchurian, a take on the Indian-Chinese meal of the same name, and a small, regularly changing item. Instead of pâté, crusty rolls from the neighboring Phuoc Thanh bakery are gently toasted for added smokiness and smeared with a red curry sauce.
Address: 336 Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121
Phuoc Thanh
There are numerous banh Mi joints in Richmond, yet even at 2.45 p.m., a queue out the door demonstrates how excellent they are here when it comes to banh mi.
Phuoc Thanh is a secret little treasure tucked away in the Vietnamese stronghold of Victoria Street. Known to locals and those who’ve struggled with a banh mi roll or two, Phuoc Thanh Hot Bead offers that authentic Vietnamese bakery vibe. With crispy pork piled buns topped with hoisin giving them that deadly sweet and salty mix, nestled amongst layers of essential banh mi components like freshly sliced cucumber and coriander, this is one to check off the list.
Crispy pork and BBQ pork are famous here. The meat is flavorful and tender. Each roll is a pleasure to eat because of the perfect combination of liver pate, egg butter, and fresh vegetables. It’s worth it to fantasize about Phuoc Thanh’s banh Mi.
Address: 206 Victoria St, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia
Contact: (03) 9429 5952
Hours: Monday to Sunday 6 am-5 pm
Banh Mi in Footscray
Nhu Lan Bakery
The Vietnamese bakery, a strong candidate for Melbourne’s most ok banh mi, was first established in Footscray 25 years ago and had two locations in Footscray and Richmond until April 2020, when the Richmond location closed in April of 2020. Fortunately, the original station is still operational.
Nhu Lan offers some of the finest genuine banh mi in Melbourne. Nhu Lan’s brightly clad workers load their sponge-like, snow-white baguettes with coriander, shallots, pickled carrots, cucumber, and chili, among other traditional flavors like mixed ham and shredded or BBQ pork. Nhu Lan’s flavor-heavy salad banh mi will satisfy vegetarians, providing people of all dietary needs a taste of Melbourne’s finest banh mi.
For now, residents on the eastern side of town will have to make do with a flaky Nhu Lan baguette stuffed with delicious pig meatballs, barbecued chicken, or cold cuts.
Address: 116 Hopkins St, Footscray VIC 3011, Australia
Contact: (03) 9689 7296
Hours: 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.
Banh Mi in South Yarra
Trang
Trang, known for its high quality and consistent performance, has expanded into different areas, bringing the total number of Trang locations to five, including one in each in South Yarra, Camberwell, and Prahran.
Their popularity is undeniable, as they now have five separate sites throughout Melbourne. With lemongrass or bbq beef, pig, and chicken, as well as plant-based choices like lemongrass tofu and fake bbq duck, their variety of options only adds to their appeal. If you’re not in the mood for carbs, there’s also a salad bowl filled with the usual suspects and topped with a Vietnamese banh mi recipe dressing. These are without a doubt among the best banh mi Melbourne has to offer; choose a Trang that’s handy for you, but beware of the midday crowd.
The superb service provided by the people who make the rolls is a highlight of every trip to Trang, but the vegan and vegetarian options set this restaurant apart. While the meat-free options on offer are usually for a lover of pig and crackling, they are excellent! Trang also puts crushed nuts on the roll, which gives a unique texture, especially to rolls that lack the crunch of crackling. Although not the cheapest banh Mi on the market, the value is still there.
Address: 1/58 Queens Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia
Contact: 03 9041 1455
Hours: Monday to Friday 9am-3pm
Saturday-Sunday Closed
Master Roll Vietnam
Master roll is one of Melbourne’s best banh Mi restaurants and operates at three different locations in Melbourne. A roast pork roll from Master Roll will never let you down. Master Roll shows to be the most significant value for money. Their rolls are filled with the correct flavors while being on the lower end of the pricing range. The pickled carrot and daikon are the most notable differences since they help to balance the whole roll. This is the ideal location to satisfy your hunger since it is near various public transportation modes.
Address: 1. Ground Floor, 19/21 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Contact: (03) 96637253
- Paramount Centre, Melbourne
- South Yarra, Melbourne
N. Lee Bakery
The crunch of the fresh, crusty baguette can be heard when it is cut down one side and opened up to reveal a soft, spongy interior, even over the din of the lunch rush. The crunchiness of the crust is essential, which is why N. Lee bakers start their second round of baking at 10 a.m. in preparation for the lunch rush and then bake the third round later in the day.
The cucumber, pork cold cuts, pickled radish, carrots, onions, special hoisin sauce, and fresh coriander are smeared onto the bread, preparing the roll.
The low pricing, about $6 for a pork roll these days, plus the fact that it’s always topped with a sprinkling of crispy shallots make it a must-try for a few of the best banh mi Melbourne has to offer. It doesn’t matter if you wind up at Sunny’s or N. Lee at the end of the day; you’ll have a fantastic lunch either way.
Address: 234 Clarendon St, South Melbourne VIC 3205
Contact: (03) 90770230
Hours: Mon-Fri 5.30am-5pm
Sat-Sun 6am – 5pm
Pin Oak Bakery
Pin Oak Bakehouse in Flemington takes pride in having perfected the technique of creating a delectable banh mi. The most delicious housemade pate and mayo combination is the essential vibe in this banh in town, and the protein/veggie to chili and coriander ratios are spots on.
Pin Oak Bakery uses tiger bread, which is made daily and is crispy, buttery, and practically melts in your mouth. The cold cut pork roll wins the title of best in store, with excellent chili heat and well-balanced contents, followed by the two vegan choices, lemongrass chili tofu, and fake ham. At $6.50, these rolls are excellent value for money and, hands down, the finest banh mi in Melbourne.
Address: 38 Pin Oak Cres, Flemington, VIC 3031
Contact: (03) 9376 2763
Hours: Mon-Fri: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Mr. Truong's
Previously a hidden gem of a tiny Vietnamese restaurant, it is gaining fame, with people traveling from all around to sample one of their renowned banh mi here. It’s worth going to Mister Truong’s to see what all the buzz is about.
Mister Truong’s is the place to go for Bahn mi in Melbourne for a genuine flavor of Vietnam in Brunswick. The ingredients are wonderfully fresh, and the Vietnamese bread is among the crispiest and lightest you’ll find anywhere. The carrots and daikon are julienned and pickled to provide just the perfect amount of sour punch. The crispy pork belly is highly recommended since it is very tender and juicy, with a lovely crunchy crackling on top.
Address: 87 Melville Rd, Brunswick West VIC 3055
Contact: (03) 9386 8266
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday
Tia Con
This informal Vietnamese restaurant is a must-visit if you’re looking for something different than your typical fried pork or chicken bun. The freshest ingredients are combined with the intense, assertive flavors that Vietnamese cuisine is known for.
Tia Con departs from conventional flavor characteristics to provide a whole unique banh Mi experience. There’s a Bahn mi here for everyone, with unusual flavors, including braised beef brisket and kimchi, hoisin duck and spring onion, and salt and pepper tofu with eggplant and shitake mushroom. They even toast their bread – it’s delectably wonderful! There’s also a fully stocked bar!
Address: Shop 2/625 Sydney Road, Brunswick VIC 3056
Contact: (03) 9958 9895
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 5pm-9pm, Fri-Sat: 12pm-9:30pm, Sun: 12pm-9pm
Saigon Street Food
This fun-loving family-run cafe, where ancient traditions meet contemporary culture, has recipes maintained through three generations of food enthusiasts. Saigon Street Eats offers a fantastic wait staff and a team of skilled chefs.
This restaurant has everything with seven distinct banh mi choices to choose from, including three vegetarian ones. All of the banh Mi are extremely tasty and nutritious, and they come with a generous helping of chili, coriander, and spring onion. Make this your new go-to lunch place; you’ll always be served with a grin.
Address: 52 Johnston St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Contact: 0422 053 155
Hours: Mon-Sun: 12pm-8pm
Sunny's Bakery
When there are huge lines out the door at midday, you know the food must be good. Sunny’s banh Mi is one of Melbourne’s best because its rolls are identical to those seen on the streets of Vietnam. With little outside area, this restaurant is best for takeaway or eating al fresco.
So get there early to escape the crowd and have that crispy pork roll, a must-order, and don’t forget to ask for more chili and fried shallots.
Address: 252 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3066
Contact: (03) 9419 8804
Hours: Mon-Sat: 7am-7pm, Sun: 7am-5:30pm
Bun Bun Bakery
Bun Bun Bakery, a Melbourne tradition that sells over 500 banh mi each day, is a bit farther out of town but one not to be missed. Bun bun bakery has a wide variety of hot and cold banh mi; this is a one-stop store for the whole family. Every lunchtime, there’s a snaking line down the street, indicating that this is the place to be for the best banh. With rolls starting at about $6.50 (with complimentary pork crackling), this is undoubtedly one of Melbourne’s finest Bahn mi spots.
Address: 1/288 Springvale Rd, Springvale VIC 3171
Contact: (03) 9547 8289
Hours: Mon-Sat: 6am-6pm, Sun: 7am-6pm
Hanoi Rose
Corn-fed orange duck, charcoal-grilled chicken, and crispy plant-based pig belly are among the flavors offered in banh mi. It’s both vegan and delicious.
Hanoi Rose offers meticulously prepared Vietnamese food made entirely in-house using the highest quality fresh ingredients. All sauces are made from scratch, and no MSG is used, resulting in a healthy and delicious meal.
Address: 161 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056
Contact: (03) 9078 7933
Hours: Mon-Tues: 5:30pm-9pm, Thurs: 5:30pm-9pm, Fri: 5:30pm-9:30pm,
Sat: 12pm-4:30pm, 5Pm-9:30pm, Sun: 12pm-4:30pm, 5pm-9pm
Heartbaker Bun Mee
Heartbaker is a modern twist on the classic banh mi that focuses on delivering nutritious cuisine and innovative flavor combinations to Melbourne’s streets. High-end Bahn mi with titles like “Way excellent Wagyu beef” and “Creamy caramelized tofu” are sold here, served on flaky, buttery bread with hoisin sauce and chili jam. It’s a little more expensive than traditional baguettes, but it’s worth it if you want to try some different flavors.
In a little Vietnamese café tucked down Scott Alley, we discovered some of the best banh mi in town. Crazy Delish Crispy Pork and Dreamy Creamy Caramelised Tofu are two of Heartbreaker Bun Mee’s six fresh, flavorful varieties. Don’t worry if you can’t get a seat at one of the few little tables; this street food will suffice.
Address: 241 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3004
Contact: (03) 9654 0130
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-3pm
The Final Word
Melburnians have fallen in love with a new culinary craze in town, banh mi, the Vietnamese baguette brimming with herbs, pork (or tofu if you want), and enough spice to warm up a chilly autumn lunch break.
There’s a banh mi out there with your favorite protein, whether it’s lemongrass chicken, meatballs, or crispy tofu. Just go out and explore your favorite one.
