How To Find Banh Mi In Saigon

By: Todd McCall

Break Studios Contributing Writer

When you are traveling through Vietnam, it is worth taking the time to learn how to find banh mi in Saigon. Banh mi is one of the most popular types of street food in Saigon, and many visitors to the city spend years trying to find authentic banh mi in their homeland without success. Here are a few tips on how to find banh mi in Saigon.

 

  1. Ask the locals. When it comes to finding top-notch street food in Vietnam, your best bet is to ask working people in the city where they like to grab lunch. Ideally, you should speak with any friends or associates that you know in Saigon and ask them where they prefer to go for killer banh mi. If you don't know anyone in the city, simply tell the staff at your hotel that you are trying to find banh mi in Saigon and ask them for some recommendations. Just about everyone in the city loves this type of street food, so don't feel shy about asking people where to find banh mi in Saigon.
  2. Search for eateries that are off the beaten path. If you are up for a little bit of adventure, getting out and exploring the city on your own is one the best ways to find authentic banh mi. Concentrate on searching out areas of Saigon that are located near where the large numbers of middle and working class workers are employed, as these are the areas that offer some of the best bahn mi that the city has to offer.
  3. Travel guides. If this is your first time traveling in Vietnam, consulting some travel books are a great way to get to know the best spots for great street food in the city. Saigon is actually a fairly safe city for Western tourists to explore, but many visitors prefer to stick to the best known parts of town during their first visits to the region. Most travel books offer excellent recommendations on where to find top-notch bahn mi in Saigon that are located near the hotels and restaurants that cater to foreign tourists. 
  4. Read reviews online. Once you have gotten to know your way around the city, reading reviews of local eateries and delis is another terrific way to find banh mi in Saigon. Both expatriots and Western visitors to Saigon frequently post reviews of their favorite banh mi bistros in the city, and this is a great way to find small establishments that would be almost impossible to find on your own.
Posted on: Aug. 15, 2010