Bánh mì — the Vietnamese baguette sandwich — is one of the greatest products of French colonialism, a crispy baguette stuffed with pâté, pickled vegetables, coriander, and various meats. Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa on Lê Thị Riêng Street has been selling what many consider the best version in the city since the 1970s.
The queue stretches down the block by mid-morning. The sandwiches are bigger and more elaborately stuffed than average — layers of cold cuts, pork floss, cucumber, daikon, and carrot pickle, plus a generous smear of pâté and mayonnaise. Each one costs around 40,000–50,000 đồng. Buy two. The stall is open from around 6AM until the bread runs out, usually mid-afternoon.