Someone holds a bánh mì sandwich outside during the summer. Right: A close-up of a baguette filled with meat and cilantro.
Montrealers love a bánh mì — the crispy baguette slathered in buttery mayo, stuffed with seasoned meat or veggies, and topped with cilantro, cucumber and pickled carrots — full of crumbs, but far from crummy.
Some local restaurants know how to make the sandwich just right with fresh ingredients and even fresher takes on the Vietnamese-French fusion.
According to Google maps data, these are the best places in the city to get a bánh mì:
Marché Hung Phat
Where: 7099, rue St-Denis
Reason to try: This deli not far from Marché Jean-Talon stocks sandwiches, noodles, desserts and other traditional Vietnamese fare. They use ingredients sourced from local farmers and homemade pickled carrots and daikon in their authentic bánh mì.
TRAN Cantine Vietnamienne
Where: 4690, rue Notre-Dame O.
Reason to try: This Saint-Henri cantine serves phō, vermicelli salad and four kinds of bánh mì: grilled chicken, pork, beef and homemade soybean curd. The latter is a vegan option pan-fried with scallion and steamed in a banana leaf.
VUA Sandwichs et Sushi
Where: Downtown – 800, rue de la Gauchetière O.; Quartier Latin – 1579, rue Saint-Denis; Villeray – 3733, rue Jarry
Reason to try: This Vietnamese chain has locations across Montreal, attracting customers with its quick service and scrumptious sandwiches. The 10-inch sandos are also priced around $8 — ideal for a budget meal.
Sandwicherie Sue – Beaubien
Where: Parc Molson – 2524, rue Beaubien E.; Plateau – 951, ave Duluth E.
Reason to try: This part-sandwicherie, part épicerie serves spices, marinades and noodles on one side and sandwiches, salads and spring rolls on the other. There are 10 kinds of bánh mì on the menu, each topped with homemade aioli and hoisin sauce.
Bun Mam Ninh Kieu
A bánh mì from Bun Mam Ninh Kieu.
Where: 432, rue Rachel
Reason to try: There are well over a dozen bánh mì meat-based and plant-friendly variations at this traditional Vietnamese restaurant in the Plateau, including fish cake, curry chicken and vegan tao. The wider menu is stacked with bao, stir fry and vermicelli soup options.
Thé Perlé
Where: 4314, rue Saint-Denis
Reason to try: This Plateau food counter comes highly recommended for its bubble tea and bánh mì. Most reviews include the words "fresh" and "homemade" to describe the bread and ingredient quality. Plus the garden-like interior makes for a cute Instagram backdrop.
Banh Mi Saigon
A bánh mì from Banh Mi Saigon.
Restaurant Banh Mi Saigon | Facebook
Where: 696, rue Jarry E.
Reason to try: This restaurant near Jarry metro offers $6-8 sandwiches (tax included), along with a slew of other affordable Vietnamese specialties. Reviews note the excellent prices and quick service offered at this neighbourhood staple.
Sapa
Sapa.
Where: 4074, boul St-Laurent
Reason to try: This Plateau resto serves bánh mì options that are strictly vegetarian and vegan. You can order a soy-based "ham," "beef" or "pork" sandwich, or go for a mushroom tofu filling instead.
Bánh Mì Bánh Yiu
Where: 255a, rue Saint-Viateur O.
Reason to try: This cute Mile End bistro serves creative $8 bánh mì creations, like chermoula tofu, avocado paté and spiced eggplant, along with salad and soup. It makes for the perfect quick lunchtime stop in the neighbourhood. If you're not covered in crumbs afterward, you're not doing it right.
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