Bánh Mì: Vietnam's Traditional Street Bread

Bánh mì is one of the most popular foods in Vietnam and a traditional part of Vietnamese eating. It’s also known as the Saigon baguette or fried pork bread.

The bread is made with wheat flour and rice flour, and the result sits somewhere between a sandwich and a baguette. It’s filled with thinly sliced carrot, pickles, cucumber, liver pâté, mayonnaise and various meats, then finished with a little soy sauce or fish sauce.

Where it’s sold

Bánh mì is usually sold from small stalls at the side of the street. Sellers offer many kinds, depending on what customers want. Chicken, omelette, shredded pork skin, grilled pork and juicy crushed pork meatballs are the most common. Vegetarians can have it with vegetables and tofu.

When people eat it

Bánh mì plays a big part in daily life, especially for office workers and anyone else living at the pace of a busy city. People eat it at any time of day, for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and often on the move or while doing something else. With so many fillings to choose from, it’s easy to eat often without getting bored of it.

Common kinds of bánh mì

• Bánh mì gà: chicken
• Bánh mì trứng: omelette
• Bánh mì bì: shredded pork skin
• Bánh mì thịt nướng: grilled pork
• Bánh mì xíu mại: juicy crushed pork meatballs
• Bánh mì chay: vegetarian, with vegetables and tofu