Mộng Thu Cafe

The noodle soups at this Tenderloin Vietnamese cafe are so big that you might fall in. While taking a swim in some tomato-heavy bún riêu isn’t logically in the cards, slurping it down at this cheery, teal-colored spot in five minutes flat is. Yes, get the soups, but also the bánh mì and specials like the bánh uot chay: perfectly bouncy rice noodle rolls topped with plant-based pork and a heap of crispy shallots. Their hearty portions will fill you up for $15 or less. This is the lunch plan when a plate of sad leftovers is out of the question, or any time you need to defrost over some hot bún bò huế. Note that it’s cash-only. 

photo credit: Julia Chen