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The Best Bánh Mì In Seattle

Where to get our favorite Vietnamese sandwiches.
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A bánh mì is one of the best sandwiches in existence. Fortunately, in Seattle, you’re never more than a baguette’s throw—or a quick drive—away from a great one. Here are a few of our favorites that you can get right now. And please, don’t throw baguettes.

THE SPOTS

Vietnamese

Lynnwood

$$$$Perfect For:Quick EatsLunchVegetariansSerious Take-Out Operation
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Want the best bánh mì in town? For that, go to Yeh-Yeh’s in Lynnwood. While we’d jump over a series of fences Hot Fuzz-style for their grilled pork sandwich (where charred meat bits and salty marinade melt into the mayo-soaked bread) or the tender braised pork with pate, you also shouldn’t miss the flash-fried tofu bánh mì that’s topped with a sweet and creamy dressing, crisp lettuce, and cracked black pepper. Really, you’re in good shape with any rubber-banded-baguette they place in your hands here.

This Hillman City bakery specializes in bánh mì and custom cakes. Though, as much as we love licking whipped frosting off of Disney princess figurines, you’re really here for a stellar sandwich. The star is Tony’s lemongrass fish bánh mì. It’s an outstanding baguette of flaky, fragrant, dry-fried fish that only softens slightly on contact with the custardy egg-forward mayo. And it’s a sandwich that we want for lunch daily. The cold cut option is also excellent, complete with sliced ham and charred pork, all stacked to the perfect thickness with crunchy pickled vegetables and shaved red onion for a little kick.

This cafe in Georgetown doesn’t serve too many types of bánh mì, but the ones on their menu are some of the best for a couple of reasons. Seek out their pork sausage sandwich that comes on crackly bread and gets filled with a juicy and lemongrass-studded patty, a slick coating of mayo, tangy pickled vegetables, a shake of black pepper, and mint. The mint in particular is a genius addition, adding a pop of freshness that you might appreciate if you’re part of the soapy cilantro collective. It makes for a tremendous lunch that you’ll want to repeat five days a week.

There are not many restaurants in Seattle, or even the country, where you can eat a bánh mì and play a round of billiards at the same time. That alone makes this pool hall on MLK in Columbia City worth visiting. Fried tofu is the highlight of Billiard Hoang’s menu, especially when it comes stuffed inside a large $6 bánh mì. Their grilled pork option tastes great too, featuring sticky meat and large shards of cucumber. Our advice is to come with a bunch of friends, split a ton of sandwiches, and have a pool tournament to decide who gets the one with fried tofu (or just order extra).

photo credit: Nate Watters

To some, a great bánh mì is all about the bread. For others, the ratio of mayo to pâté takes priority. Lotus Pond, however, should be your sandwich go-to if you love meat. This Vietnamese spot on Aurora has a menu of bánh mì with fillings that range from pork belly to grilled chicken—but the spam and fried egg is the standout. Featuring crepe-like layers of egg folded with chunks of spam, each bite has pops of salt and meatiness. Chunky cucumber, crinkle-cut carrot sticks, and a tangy mayo tie it all together.

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This convenience store in Georgetown serves a few different types of bánh mì ranging from caramelized pork belly to sardine, but our favorite is the fish patty sandwich. Their tart pickled vegetables go together really nicely with the fried little seafood nuggets, and in addition to mayo, cilantro, and jalapeño, there’s a sweet chili glaze that adds the finishing touch.

This International District institution has the best mayo of the bunch —perfectly creamy, well-seasoned, and they always seem to slather on the ideal amount to go with flavorful grilled pork and thick spears of cucumber. A bánh mì and a Vietnamese iced coffee from Saigon Deli is one of the best combinations you get in the ID.

Not to be confused with the other Saigon Deli, this spot in the U-District is not related to its name twin in the ID. But their similarities lie in the fact that they both make delicious bánh mì. There are only three choices here (BBQ pork, chicken, and tofu), but one thing is for sure—you should add on an egg for 75 cents.

This spot in the U-District has a secret weapon that really actually isn’t very much of a secret at all: their jalapeño cilantro aioli. If Sizzle & Crunch started selling this sauce by the bottle, we’d be first in line to buy. It’s tangy and herby with a slight kick, and it compliments their marinated meats and fresh bread effortlessly. Our go-to order here is a grilled beef sandwich, complete with a sunny side egg (and plenty of green aioli of course).

The plant-based meat substitute on Chu Minh’s BBQ “pork” bánh mì is a very delicious and convincing stand-in for the real thing. Not only that, but this vegan Vietnamese deli has nine different faux meats to choose from, like “spicy lemongrass chicken” and “sesame beef.” Come here if you’re craving a meatless bánh mì, but you also want lots of options.

Many bánh mì spots in town are known for their barbecued pork. Saigon Vietnam Deli is no exception, but their roasted pork is even better than their grilled kind. Not to mention that their pickled daikon is one of the tangiest in the city, so we welcome this combination of tender, warm pork and a considerable amount of cold sourness with open arms.


Pane Pane isn’t a Vietnamese restaurant, so the teriyaki meatball is the only type of bánh mì you’ll see here—and it's less of a bánh mì and more of a bánh mì-style sandwich. But it's so incredible that it almost makes us cry every time we eat it. There’s something about the combination of a soft, sweet soy sauce-glazed meatball cut with spicy sriracha mayo and crunchy daikon on house-baked bread that has so many phenomenal layers of texture and flavor. The cucumber in this glorious creation is served two ways (both raw and quick-pickled), and it features preserved jalapeños instead of fresh ones.

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