The South China Morning Post (SCMP) has published an article detailing the journey of Vietnamese Banh Mi to conquer the world.

Banh Mi 25’s famous version. Photo: Banh Mi 25

The quintessential Vietnamese street food has quickly become a popular dish throughout globally with tasty vegan options contributing to making it a favourite of those on a plant-based diet, writer Kayla Hill believes.

The article mentions how Banh Mi is both a tasty and affordable sandwich which is often eaten for breakfast or as a snack. Indeed, bread is not only a fusion of cultures but also of different flavours. 

The local food item was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary back in 2011, according to the Hong Kong newspaper, one of the most renowned publications in Asia.

“The banh mi is so exquisite and delicious because it’s an explosion of tastes. With a soft, yet crunchy baguette filled with pickled veggies like carrots and radishes; juicy meats such as pork sausage, cold cuts, and meatballs; spicy sauces like chilli and mayonnaise; and delicate herbs such as coriander, banh mi is customisable and is accessible to everyone”, Kayla Hill explains.

The world’s best sandwich? Vietnam’s delicious banh mi. Photo: Kayla Hill

According to Grace Nguyen, founder of vegan restaurant Karma Waters and resident of Hong Kong, “Vegan banh mi is even more delicious because there’s no animal cruelty involved.” At her restaurants located in Hoi An and Da Nang she mainly uses ingredients such as shredded tofu and soy curd ham, noting that the key to a fantastic banh mi is the sauce, adding that the home-made vegan barbecue sauce used in her sandwiches speaks for itself.

The article offers suggestions on a number of exciting establishments in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City that are perfect to sample the delicacy. “Visit Hanoi’s famous Banh Mi 25 and you’ll see a huge queue across the city’s old quarter, with demand so high that the overflow of customers has spread to multiple locations,” it states. 

Meanwhile, in Ho Chi Minh City, entire restaurants and street stalls have been set up which are entirely dedicated to vegan banh mi and can be easily found. Spots such as Chaystation boast mouth-watering vegan fillings such as tofu sausage, dried papaya salad, and roasted tofu. 

The SCMP article points out, “One of the reasons Western countries have been quick to adopt this remarkable sandwich is the familiarity of its ingredients – most Westerners are already fans of fluffy bread, cold cuts and creamy sauces. Today, this means that foodies no longer need to travel to Vietnam to get their banh mi fix.”

“For vegans, the options are endless. For faux meat lovers, Just Green in Sydney offers a vegan banh mi with shredded tofu, vegan chicken, and vegan pork wedged in between all the usual fixings. For American veggie heads, Xe May Sandwich Shop in New York City has a healthy version made with soy glazed portobello, spiced tofu and a vegan cauliflower spread,” it adds.

The Hong Kong newspaper concludes by saying, “With innovative and tasty toppings, this ever-changing sandwich is giving major food envy to omnivores and vegans alike.”