MIAGuide
The Best Bánh Mì In Miami
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
Bánh mí in Miami are harder to track down than whoever keeps stealing our mangos. But a special spot in sandwich heaven is reserved for this rich, tangy, crunchy Vietnamese street food. So we searched the city for Miami’s best, and found some options that will satisfy any day you wake up with intense bánh mí cravings. Mango thieves can go to hell though.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
This might be our favorite bánh mí in Miami—and that’s almost entirely thanks to the meat. Order the grilled lemongrass pork version and you’ll receive a sandwich stuffed with big chunks of tender, charred pork that would taste amazing if they were served between two old shoes. Luckily they’re served on a soft and warm baguette with a satisfying amount of herbage, various sliced vegetables, and thick wedges of jalapeño that’ll make you thankful for the comically large drinks they serve here.
photo credit: Tasty Planet
Pho 79 in Pinecrest has two tasty bánh mí options, and if you’re a traditionalist, order the number two. It’s their classic bánh mí—a cold cut sandwich on a crispy baguette with cured pork, ham, and head cheese. But we also like the number one with pork. It comes with grilled slices of smoky pork, pâté, cucumbers, shredded pickled daikon, carrots, jalapeño, spicy mayo, garlic spread, and cilantro. You can turn either of these sandwiches into a combo meal, which includes salt/brown sugar-seasoned crinkle fries and a drink of your choice. It’s a great (and filling) deal for $10 and change.
photo credit: Tasty Planet
T-Yummi is a milk tea and bánh mí shop across the main FIU campus. It’s small and quiet with boxy tables and lots of board games—perfect for a quick study or work break. Their bánh mí comes on nine inches of toasted French baguette that’s fluffy inside, crunchy outside, and won’t road-rash the roof of your mouth. The house special has pork loaf, head cheese, ham, and a slather of pâté. It’s packed with crispy daikon radish slices, cucumber, carrot, jalapeño, and fresh cilantro. But if you’re looking for a warm bánh mí, we like the grilled pork. It comes with savory grilled pork and all the same sweet and crunchy veggies, plus pâté. The result is a tangy, smoky sandwich that pairs great with boba tea and a game of mancala.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
Little River’s Tran An has a few bánh mì options (including a vegan one with char siu jackfruit), but our favorite is the OG classic. It comes with two generous, rectangular slabs of pâté and a housemade pork roll. They go a little light on the vegetables and herbs for our liking, but the impressively thick meat situation makes up for it. The baguette is nice and crusty too, so prepare for a lap full of crumbs if you plan on eating this in your car.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
North Miami Beach’s Little Saigon makes a solid, very affordable bánh mì that does the job just fine if you’re craving a straightforward bánh mì. Options are limited to chicken or pork. You also might not see bánh mì on the menu at all, but we promise they have them so ask your server. Pork is the move—the thin strips of grilled pork have a really nice flavor. And the herbs, veggies, and sliced jalapeño are all crunchy and fresh. This is a good to-go option, and it’ll get all steamed and soft as it patiently waits in your passenger seat.
If you’re looking for an unconventional bánh mí, Babe’s Meat & Counter in Palmetto Bay has two bacon sandwiches you should try: a pork bacon bánh mí and a duck bacon bánh mí. Both are smoked in house, but we prefer the duck. It’s leaner than pork bacon but has a similar salty flavor. It’s sliced thick and layered onto pickled carrots and daikon radishes, cucumber, and cilantro in a hoagie roll (not a traditional baguette). They have some counter seating inside as well as a couple tables out front, but it’s more of a takeout spot.
