After an incredible Bahn Mi in Paris? Our guide has the lowdown on the best Vietnamese restaurants and cafés serving up incredible Bahn Mi’s in Paris.
The iconic Vietnamese sandwich is believed to been born in Saigon in the 1950s after French colonisation. The French had left their mark on the country’s culinary with the introduction of the baguette, charcuterie and much more. French food items became wildly popular and they evolved over time producing some incredible dishes. What could be more emblematic of the fusion of Vietnamese & French cuisines than the Bahn Mi sandwich? Baguette style bread, Vietnamese pâté, marinated pork and pickled vegetables put together make for an incredible sandwich and we love them.
Our Favourite Spots to Get a Bahn Mi in Paris
I love Vietnamese cuisine and luckily there are some incredible Vietnamese restaurants in Paris serving up awesome food. Some of them serve Bahn Mi sandwiches but you’ll find a lot of the best ones in dedicated Vietnamese sandwich restaurants. Restaurants are in no particular order.
Nonette
Nonette is the sister café (and found just opposite) to the incredible The Hood found in the capital’s 11th arrondissement on the hip rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud.
French-Vietnamese Chef Khanh-Ly Huynh is all about making Bahn Mis with the best ingredients. Unlike a lot of Bahn Mi shops, they make all their charcuterie in-house and source their bread from master bread maker (MOF to be precise), Frédéric Lalos.
Their special Bahn Mi includes 5 different chicken and pork charcuterie cuts; Vietnamese mortadella style ham, ‘porchetta’ style pork belly, Char Siu, pork floss and chicken liver pâté.
My favourite is their not-so-traditional but killer fried chicken Bahn Mi. It’s incredible and so moreish. Their fried chicken is marinated in garlic, chilli, kaffir lime leaves, spices fish sauce for a lovely fragrant flavour. It’s fried to order and served with a home made Sriracha which brings a lovely warm heat to the sandwich. Their house pickled carrot and daikon bring a lovely acidity to rich fried chicken – delicious.
In the mood for something sweet? Their fresh, home made donuts are also superb. There are the classic flavours such as lemon glaze but also really interesting combos such as chilli oil and Chantilly and pork floss.
What to know before you visit
- It’s take-out only, there’s no inside seating
- Open every day of the week
Address: 71 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011
Tel: 01 47 00 66 84
Website: https://www.nonettebanhmi.com
Saigon Sandwich
One of the best Bahn Mis can be found in the city’s incredibly vibrant Belleville area. Saigon Sandwich is one of those family run, hole-in-the-wall spots that’s been around for ages but knows their trade and do it really well.
Probably the best value Bahn Mi that I know of, their ‘normal’ pork Bahn Mi (a pretty big sandwich in my opinion) comes in at only €4.5. It’s textually fantastic – pork floss, thin slices of moist pork belly and Vietnamese pâté. The carrot is soft and the sandwich is finished off with coriander and optional chilli (they add a perfect amount). There is also worth a mention – incredibly crunchy yet soft in the middle.
What to know before you visit
- It’s take-out only
- They’re open 10am-5pm
- Closed on Sundays
Address: 8 Rue de la Présentation, 75011
Tel: 01 43 38 30 38
Banh Mi 17
On the other side of the 11th arrondissement between the Voltaire and Saint-Ambroise metro stations is Bahn Mi 17. A small restaurant specialising in only Bahn Mis. They have limited eat in space which is very welcome in the rainy & cold months!
The menu is on the smaller side but they cover off all the Bahn Mi classics. The bread is super crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle. I’ve got a soft spot for their confit pork belly Bahn mi which melts in the mouth! The grilled chicken version is marinated in an amazing lemongrass paste which gives it so much flavour. They’ve also got a vegetarian version as well!
What to know before you visit
- They’re closed Sundays and Mondays
- Open 12-3pm on weekdays and 12-4pm Saturdays
Address: 35 Rue Popincourt, 75011
Website: https://banhmi17.fr
Gramme
Gramme is located just off rue de Bretagne in Le Marais in the capital’s 3rd arrondissement. Purists might want to stop reading as their interpretation of a Bahn Mi sandwich is not traditional at all. However I think it’s awesome and worth a mention in this round-up. The small coffee-shop/brunch restaurant is popular and for good reason. They serve up inventive small dishes with great speciality coffee.
Their ‘Bahn Mi’ has been on the menu since its inception and is more of a hot-dog interpretation. The brioche bread comes from the Petit Grain boulangerie and the meat is more like pulled pork. The sandwich is topped with pickles and spicy green mayo. I actually love their interpretation and it’s delicious!
What to know before you visit
- They’re closed Mondays and Tuesdays
- Open 9am-5pm weekdays and 10am-5pm weekends
Address: 86 Rue des Archives, 75003 Paris
Website: https://www.grammeparis.fr
Hanoï Corner
If you’re in the west of the city, specifically around the Gare Saint-Lazare then you’ll have to try Hanoï Corner. Café-cum- restaurant, Hanoï Corner is a really lovely small little spot serving up Vietnamese coffee and small bites. Founded by Hô Ly and Nam Nguyen in 2017, their beautiful small café is half way between a minimal Scandinavian speciality coffee shop and a rustic canteen.
Their Bahn Mi is served as a whole baguette sliced in half with the bread coming from the excellent Farine&O. The bread is toasted to order and is filled with melt-in-the-mouth pork, cilantro/coriander, picked cucumber and a house spicy sauce.
What to know before you visit
- They’re closed on Sundays
- It gets really busy around 12-2pm so prepare to queue
Address: 7 Rue Blanche, 75009
Tel: 01 72 34 79 42
Website: https://boutique.hanoicorner.fr
Banh Mi
The very aptly named restaurant, Bahn Mi, specialises in its name sake and boy is it good. The restaurant was founded by Angela who of Chinese descent, was born in Vietnam and eventually emigrated to France. Only a short walk from the Place de la République in the 3rd arrondissement, the tiny restaurant serves up quite a few Vietnamese dishes including Bo Bun and nems.
They have 5 different options for their Bahn Mi’s filling including a vegetarian option, pork and chicken. Their special Bahn Mi is awesome and comes in a superbly crispy baguette with Vietnamese mortadella, Vietnamese ‘butter’ (awesome mayo spiked with optional chilli) and pickled veg. The sandwich is then topped with a healthy amount of cilantro/coriander and Maggi seasoning.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on Sundays
- Open 12-3:30pm
Address: 81 R. de Turbigo, 75003
Tel: 01 48 04 98 90
