Where to Find Banh Mi in Philly

Here are some great spots to grab a Bahn Mi.

• Stock

308 E. Girard Ave.

• Lee’s Cafe and Bistro

522 Washington Ave.

• Ba Le Bakery

606 Washington Ave.

• Same Same

614 N. 2nd St.

• Cafe Cuong

811 S. 8th St.

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Photo by: Lee’s Cafe and Bistro

In a diehard sandwich town like Philly, it’s not surprising the city’s residents were early banh mi adaptors. More commonly known as the Vietnamese hoagie, this perfect combination of demi baguette, pickled and fresh vegetables and proteins like pate, barbecued pork or tofu has earned a well-deserved place in the city’s lunchtime hall of fame. Here’s where to find the best old and new school iterations.

Stock
Working with a menu of sustainably sourced ingredients, chef Tyler Akin lines up lunchtime banh mi (pictured above) with fillings like tofu, Thai basil chicken and Berkshire pork sausage. Piled into a crisp baguette, the sandwich is finished with leaves of vibrant cilantro, pickled red cabbage and sweet-salty-crunchy rounds of fried shallot.

308 E. Girard Ave.; no phone

Lee’s Cafe and Bistro
The folks behind the beloved Cafe Nhu Y run this Washington Avenue, bilevel bakery and Vietnamese restaurant. Topping out at $5.75, the menu here features entry-level banh mi (pictured at top) like barbecue pork and chicken — or one with pate, ham and pork roll if you’re in the market for a whole hog.

522 Washington Ave.; 267-273-0922

Ba Le Bakery
Opening in 1998, this bakery and takeout is one of the oldest banh mi shops in Philadelphia. It’s packed with neighborhood folks and out-of-towners, with a firey roast pork (pictured above) version that’s a favorite of several chefs in the city.

606 Washington Ave.; 215-389-4350

Same Same
Freshness is king at this bright Viet takeout spot featuring a crunchy combo of cucumber, pickled veg, scallions and jalapeño on all of their sandwiches. There are elevated takes on the usual suspects like crispy tofu and spicy chicken thigh, but it’s banh mis like the grilled king mushroom and a trio of sausage, confit and caramelized pork (pictured below) that set this NoLibs fast-casual apart.

614 N. Second St.; 215-625-4575

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