We tried the 10 best banh mi spots in Houston and now we’re sharing them with you!
Did you know that Vietnam, a small Southeast Asian country, has managed to topple over McDonald’s on its home turf? Even with 40,000 restaurants all over the world, the fast-food giant has only managed to keep 20 of their restaurants in Vietnam.
This is because, unlike other countries, Vietnam’s street food scene is alive and consistently offers a cheaper, healthier alternative to fast food. And one of those is the infamous banh mi!
But what if you want to have a taste of that Authentic, Vietnamese banh mi right in the heart of Houston? What are your best bets to getting them, and most importantly, are they authentic at all?
1. Hughie’s
Address: 1802 W 18TH St, Houston, TX 77008
Phone Number: 713-869-1830
Hours: Monday – Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thursday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
With two branches in Houston, Hughie’s has pretty much cemented themselves as one of the more famous shops to get banh mi in Houston. They have a good variety of their banh mi like Grilled Pork, Beef, Chicken, or Tofu for as low as $8!
However, what truly makes Hughie’s banh mis unique is that you can get Vietnamese-shaking chicken with your traditional Vietnamese sandwich!
Their Balsamic Vinaigrette helps bind the sandwich together – and you can order it online if you want to make your twist on Hughie’s banh mis right at your home! It’s only $10 too, which makes it great value for money.
| Pro Tips: The weekend evenings are Hughie’s busiest time! That’s why if you want to try out some of their banh mis, we encourage you to come before 5:30 PM or order their food through a third-party app! |
2. Don Cafe
Credit: @tiffseats on Instagram
Address: 9300 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036
Phone Number: 713-777-9500
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful banh mi option in the Bellaire area, we suggest dropping by Don Cafe!
We suggest the BBQ Pork banh mi here. The meat is nicely cooked, and the sauce goes well with it as well. But if you want to splurge a little bit, then you should try out the Chicken Curry banh mi for a good kick of spicy, too!
Though they don’t have vegetarian options like Tofu, they do have a pescatarian option with their Fish banh mi. It’s not traditional, but it’s still a good option if you’re looking for a more direct-oriented option.
| Pro Tips: Don Cafe is strictly cash only! That means no Apple Pay or credit cards – nada. There are some ATMs nearby, but we really suggest just withdrawing at least a couple of dollars before you try them out. |
3. Bao Bao Banh Mi
Address: 1127 Eldridge Pkwy #1030, Houston, TX 77077
Phone Number: 832-672-5690
Hours: Monday – Friday: 10:30 AM – 8:30 PM
Saturday: 11:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Sunday: Closed
Bao Bao Banh Mi has a unique approach when it comes to their sandwiches. Sure, they have the more traditional banh mi options like pork and chicken, but they also have some oddball options like Hawaiian Spam, fried egg, and caramelized tofu, too!
Don’t knock it ‘til you try these though – especially the Fried Egg! It’s half a dollar cheaper than their cheapest banh mi, and the eggs come in nicely seasoned on top! But if you don’t feel like having eggs, then the Hawaiian Spam is a nice option, too.
Speaking of their prices, they’re neither the most expensive nor the cheapest – they’re in the middle of the road. Their prices range from $6.25 to $7.75 for the caramelized tofu, which isn’t the cheapest, but still okay enough for a good banh mi in Houston.
| Pro Tips: If you want something from Bao Bao banh mi, we suggest visiting them at their brick-and-mortar versus ordering online. A little something from us, they put a lot more sauces and meat in person than when you order them online! |
4. Vietwich
Address: 203 Dulles Ave #100, Stafford, TX 77477
Phone Number: 832-539-1642
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Vietwich is unique compared to other Vietnamese restaurants in Houston in that they offer only banh mis! Think of them like a Subway, but their sandwiches are a lot healthier and fresher. Their freshness has also landed them awards from Yelp, too!
What gives Vietwich their charm though is that they put a lot of toppings in their bread. You can expect daikon, house-made pate, carrots, cucumbers, carrots, and all that jazz for all the flavors!
The bread becomes alive when you add their meat into the equation! There are classic chicken, pork, and beef, but there are also some left-field (but very welcome) choices like meatballs, and Dac Viet, a charcuterie-style banh mi.
Vietwich also has vegetarian options to try out, too! The Enoki Tofu has a made-to-order fried tofu with a vegetarian oyster sauce glaze.
And before you think these banh mis are too expensive, then you’d be wrong – most of their banh mis cost somewhere between $7 to $8. The most expensive one will be the classic beef for $8, which is a steal.
| Pro Tips: Though the Pork banh mi has great flavor, there’s not that much pork in the sandwich. That’s why if you’re looking for the best value for money, we suggest getting either the Enoki Tofu or the Dac Viet! |
5. Thien An Sandwiches
Credit: @subtlefoodie on Instagram
Address: 2611 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004
Phone Number: 713-522-7007
Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Did you know that Thien An Sandwiches used to be a small indiscreet shop in a shopping center? Nowadays, they’re located in Houston’s Midtown while offering $4 banh mis to everyone!
There are more expensive options, like the Bo Luc Lac, or the Shaking Beef banh mi, which will cost you $10, but the price is worth it.
That’s not to say that their regular $4 banh mis aren’t any good though. On the contrary, it’s as authentic as you’d expect! But if you want something that’s light and filling, then the banh mi Ga or chicken banh mi will be your best option.
| Pro Tips: Serving times at the Thien An Sandwiches can be a bit slow, especially during peak hours. Thus, we suggest having a little snack with you if you’re interested in visiting them! |
6. B&T Cafe
Credit: @baguetteandtea on Instagram
Address: 2007 W Alabama St Ste B, Houston, TX 77098
Phone Number:832-516-8871
Hours: Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
If you want to take your banh mi with a side of coffee and milk tea on a budget, then we recommend visiting B&T Cafe!
We do have to clarify that B&T Cafe brands their banh mi as Baguettes which is factually correct. That minor confusion aside though, they all cost less than $6 and they also have a fried egg banh mi if you’re on a meat-free diet!
That being said though, there are also plenty of other options and combos you can try with B&T Cafe! Their Vietnamese Coffee pairs well with their banh mi – or in their case, Baguettes!
| Pro Tips: B&T Cafe has a difficult parking situation. That’s why if you’re going there, we suggest either shopping at the nearby Trader Joe’s first to get to park there or try out the H-E-B parking a couple of blocks away for free! |
7. Roostar
Address: 1411 Gessner Rd Suite I, Houston, TX 77080
Phone Number: 832-649-8955
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Roostar has consistently provided quality banh mis for less than $10 a piece! Yes, that even includes their plant-based and top-quality meat options, too.
By plant-based, we don’t just mean tofu – we mean actual Impossible Meat banh mis for $10! If you don’t feel like having plant-based meat though, you can try the Chunky Avocado banh mi which isn’t as good, in our opinion, but is good enough.
That being said though, they also have the traditional banh mi flavors for you to choose from as well. The traditional options like grilled pork and chicken are good, but they also have fried fish options for pescatarians and fried egg for meatless diets, too.
The Special, which comes with pork belly, ham, & paté , is a good choice if you’re looking for a twist on the traditional banh mi as well.
| Pro Tips: Roostar’s pickup times are known for being a bit long. If you’re ordering takeout, we suggest calling at least 30 minutes before to ensure you get your food when you arrive. |
8. Saigon Hustle
Address. Ella and Oak Salon, 3323 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77018
Phone Number: 713-565-1414
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Located only a couple blocks away from Oak Forest Academy, Saigon Hustle offers both a convenient location and customizable banh mis too! Their prices are a bit more expensive than other items on the list, but they have plenty of options to make up for it!
Saigon Hustle’s banh mis costs somewhere between $6.25 to $15, with the cheapest option being their Veggie banh mi. The most expensive one, the Hustler Special, comes with grilled pork AND a crunchy egg roll wrapper!
They also have unique options for you to try out, with options like the brunch banh mi that comes with soft scrambled eggs and chicken paté. Saigon Hustle also has ribeye banh mi if you’re looking for a more umami twist.
| Pro Tips: Saigon Hustle uses dark chicken meat for every chicken dishes, and not just the banh mis. That’s why you shouldn’t panic if their chicken looks slightly pink – it’s not raw, it just looks that way! |
9. Les Ba’Get
Address: 33 1/3 @ Thirtyfourth, 1717 W 34th St Suite 800, Houston, TX 77018
Phone Number: 832-548-1080
Hours: Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Sunday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Although the name Les Ba’Get might not seem like it belongs in a Vietnamese restaurant, remember that banh mis uses baguettes! With that in mind, their banh mis has a different twist compared to other banh mi spots in Houston by far!
Les Ba’Get’s banh mis has the same protein choices as the other banh mi restaurants on the list but with a twist. For example, you can get either Lemongrass Pork or Tofu, Hoisin Butter Chicken – and even Coconut Basil Prawns too!
The fancy-sounding food does mean that their prices are on the more expensive side (for perspective, the Lemongrass Pork Baguette will cost $15.50). However, you are paying for a more upscale banh mi restaurant conveniently located near the main road!.
| Pro Tips: Though Les Ba’Get has quality banh mis, they’re not necessarily an authentic flavor. If you want an authentic flavor from Les Ba’get, we suggest going with their Braised Beef Belly for $15.50! |
10. Moon Rabbit
Address: 605 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008
Phone Number: 713-684-3991
Hours: Monday – Friday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday – Sunday: 12:00 PM –10:00 PM
Located right in the middle of Greater Heights, Moon Rabbit provides more upscale banh mis. After all, they have options like Honey Lime Chicken, Spicy Fried Chicken, bo kho dip, Vietnamese Cold Cuts, and for the plant-based enthusiasts, Mushroom Tofu!
Moon Rabbit does have a clear edge compared to other upscale banh mi restaurants since their prices are a bit cheaper. Their banh mis costs somewhere between $9 – $13, with the most expensive one being the bo kho dip, or braised beef shank banh mi.
| Pro Tips: If you’re allergic to shrimp or any other allergens, you should let your waiter know! Moon Rabbit will be more than happy to accommodate your allergies to make sure that your dining experience will be as safe as possible! |
