Quest for the Best Vegetarian Banh Mi
Who makes the best Tofu/Veggie Banh Mi in San Francisco?
What is a Banh Mi? A Vietnamese sandwich served on a baguette generally filled with a protein (Pork, Chicken, Pate, Tofu), pickled carrots/daikon, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeño and mayo. The baguette was introduced to Vietnam in the mid-19th century when Vietnam was a French colony. During the 1950's a Vietnamese style sandwich using a baguette developed in Saigon and became a popular street food. This is what we now call the Banh Mi. Banh Mi are generally inexpensive sandwiches that are great for lunch.
I would like to caveat the research by saying that this ranking is based only on Tofu/Vegetarian Banh Mi and not at all based on any meat sandwiches. The goal was to try a lot of Banh Mi and find the best ones. After much research and 16 Banh Mi I came to realize that the number one factor of the sandwich is the bread and without good bread your sandwich is doomed. Even with good bread the sandwich can be too salty, not well balanced, not have enough flavor and a variety of other flaws. This research lead me to realize that I am not capable of eating Banh Mi on a daily basis and I generally just don’t crave them with the exception of the Bi-Rite Banh Mi. The Bi-Rite Banh Mi uses high quality ingredients, is not very salty and tastes super fresh and clean compared to the rest. In terms of best traditional Banh Mi my #1 pick goes to Dragon Eats which is a super well balanced sandwich with awesome bread. The Bi-Rite Banh Mi is a close second, but since it is not very traditional it comes in at #2.
Dragon Eats — Tofu Banh Mi $7.00
Rank #1
At first bite you get a crunchy yet soft taste of the bread (Bakers of Paris) along with a delicious teriyaki, mayo and cucumber flavor. This is my favorite most traditional banh mi and everything about it is perfect.
Tasting Notes:
Bakers of Paris baguette
Thinly sliced cucumber on the bottom of the sandwich that spans the whole length of the sandwich
Thinly sliced jalapeños cut longways
Pickled carrots/daikon with only the very slightest hint of vinegar
Teriyaki tofu sliced into thin slabs
Perfect amount of cilantro
Bi-Rite — Tofu Banh Mi $9.99
Rank #2
This is the only sandwich from anywhere that I ever crave. At first bite the bread is delicious and soft with a great amount of cilantro and pickled carrots. This sandwich is not warm and is also pre-assembled but that doesn’t hurt it in any way. The subtle and herb-y flavors make the balance of this sandwich perfect. With the addition of green onion you don’t miss the cucumber. Also there is definitely a solid amount of mayo on this sandwich yet somehow it doesn’t feel unhealthy.
Tasting Notes:
Acme rustic baguette
Lightly fried cubes of tofu with a very light herb flavor
No cucumbers
Good amount of jalapeños
Green onions
Shredded carrots with the perfect amount of pickled flavor
Perfect amount of cilantro
Heavy on the aioli
Cafe Bunn Mi — Buddha Tofu Banh Mi $7.50
Rank #3
At first bite the bread has the perfect crunch on the outside and is soft on the inside. The tofu is soft and spongy but crispy on the outside with a lemongrass sauce to season it. The pickled veggies are not sweet and have the perfect amount of vinegar flavor. More jalapeños and cilantro could have improved this sandwich, but it is very balanced and the lemongrass sauce on the tofu made the sandwich amazing.
Tasting Notes:
Crunchy baguette with a soft inside
Spongy tofu with a crispy crust
One small spear of cucumber
A couple of jalapeño slices
Shredded carrots with a medium vinegar strength
A few sprigs of cilantro
Banh Mi King — Tofu Banh Mi $7.50
Rank #4
At first bite the bread is fresh and soft and the tofu is a little on the bland side but works with the rest of the ingredients. The sandwich as a whole is very balanced as the pickled veggies and jalapeños kind of make up for the bland tofu. Also sriracha definitely helps with this sandwich in particular. Pretty generic Banh Mi but satisfying.
Tasting Notes:
Bakers of Paris bread softish crust and fresh throughout
Thin lightly fried slabs of tofu with a light salty flavor
Cucumbers spears
Good amount of thinly sliced jalapeños cut longways
Shredded carrots with a sweet pickled flavor to them
A little light on the cilantro
Sandwich not cut in half
Saigon Sandwich— Tofu Banh Mi $5.00
Rank #5
At first bite the bread is crunchy and warm with a soft inside, the tofu is spongy and doesn’t have much flavor but works well with the rest of the sandwich. The sandwich overall has a slightly weird salty flavor to it, a good balance of pickled veggies, jalapeños and cilantro. This sandwich could benefit greatly from cucumbers.
Tasting Notes:
Bakers of Paris bread warm with a crunchy crust and fresh throughout
Spongy tofu with a lot of flavor
Missing cucumbers in this sandwich
Good amount of thinly sliced jalapeños cut longways
Shredded carrots with a sweet pickled flavor to them and some onions
The right amount of cilantro
Sandwich not cut in half
Out the Door — Vegetarian Sandwich $9.00
Rank #6
At first bite, you get a very soft baguette taste and the sandwich is not warm. The mushroom pate is a little too salty, but overall some really interesting flavors. Could also use jalapeños for some spice. The tofu skin has an interesting texture to it but tastes good. This sandwich would be much better with warm tofu.
Tasting Notes:
Soft baguette made in house
Tofu skin
Salty mushroom pate
Thinly sliced cucumber on the bottom of the sandwich that spans the whole length of the sandwich
No jalapeños
Pickled carrots with a good medium strength pickle flavor
Sandwich is room temp
Slightly heavy on the cilantro
B on the Go — Vegetarian Banh Mi $9.00
Rank #7
At first bite you get a very soft fresh baguette taste with a lot of pickled carrots, daikon and cauliflower and a sandwich that is not warm. The flavor that stands out is the spicy mayo and the pickled veggies. Could definitely use jalapeños for some spice. The base of this sandwich is cauliflower and I miss the tofu in this sandwich for a higher source of protein. Overall high quality ingredients and a good sandwich, but warm cauliflower would make a big difference.
Tasting Notes:
Soft fresh baguette made in house
Cauliflower instead of tofu
Thinly sliced cucumber on the bottom of the sandwich that spans the whole length of the sandwich
No jalapeños
Pickled carrots and daikon with a good mild strength pickle flavor
Sandwich is on the colder side
Could use more cilantro
Spicy mayo is delicious
Duc Loi — Tofu Banh Mi $6.99
Rank #8
At first bite you get a soft fresh baguette taste with pickled carrots and cooked white onions. The tofu is kinda spongy and doesn’t have much flavor in this sandwich. You get a strong onion flavor in the sandwich which interferes with the otherwise well-balanced sandwich.
Tasting Notes:
Soft fresh Bakers of Paris baguette
Spongy flavorless slabs of tofu
Thinly sliced cucumber on the bottom of the sandwich that spans the whole length of the sandwich
Thinly sliced jalapeños cut longways
Pickled carrots with a good mild strength pickle flavor
Could use more cilantro
Cooked white onions are overpowering
Mendocino Farms— Vegan Banh Mi $11.25
Rank #9
At first bite you get the taste of fresh ciabatta bread and sweet chili sauce. The tofu is cubed and has a good texture to it with a good level of salty flavor. Overall the chili sauce overpowers the flavors of a traditional banh mi, but the fresh ingredients and good tasting tofu make this sandwich pretty satisfying.
Tasting Notes:
Grilled ciabatta bread
Cubed marinated and baked tofu with good salty flavor
Shredded cucumber
Thinly sliced pieces of jalapeños cut longways
Pickled carrots and daikon with a good medium strength pickle flavor
Could use a little more cilantro
Sweet chili sauce
Spice Kit — Tofu Banh Mi $8.75
Rank #10
At first bite the sandwich is very messy and packed too much with wet tofu cubes falling out of the sandwich. The bread isn’t soft and crunchy it’s more soft and crumbly or do I dare to say stale tasting. Tofu has a very strong sweet garlic chili flavor paired with a very strong pickled carrot flavor and some shredded cucumbers. Overall the balance of the sandwich is off with such strong flavors combined but the tofu alone is really good.
Tasting Notes:
Soft crumbly bread
Sweet cubed tofu with a chili garlic flavor
Cucumbers are shredded and get lost in the sandwich
Good amount of jalapeños
Shredded carrots with a very strong pickle flavor
Light on the cilantro
Dinosaurs — Crispy Tofu Banh Mi $8.15
Rank #11
At first bite you get overly crispy crusty warm bread. The crispy tofu strings are dry and need some more moisture. Overall the sandwich is dry because of the tofu and does not have enough cucumbers. The bread is also too toasted for a sandwich but the pickled veggies have good strength and it has the right amount of cilantro and pickled jalapeños.
Tasting Notes:
Really crusty and warm bread
Fried tofu strings
Two small spears of cucumbers one on each half of the sandwich
Jalapeños cut in round slices
Pickled carrots with a good sweet medium strength pickle flavor & pepper
The right amount of cilantro
Little Vietnam Cafe — Crispy Tofu Banh Mi $5.95
Rank #12
At first bite the bread is really crumbly and falls apart as you eat the sandwich. There is also a very strong taste of mayo. The tofu is spongy with no flavor and the “Crispy Tofu” name is misleading. The tofu is paired with solid mild pickled veggies and thinly sliced cucumbers. The sandwich has the right amount of cilantro and the jalapeños are served on the side. Overall the sandwich is completely overpowered by the mayo and the bread is way too crumbly to be a good sandwich.
Tasting Notes:
Crumbly baguette
Spongy tofu with no flavor
Thinly sliced cucumbers
A couple of jalapeño slices served on the side
Shredded carrots with a good mild vinegar strength
Served with the right amount of cilantro
Bun Mee — Crispy Tofu Sandwich $8
Rank #13
At first bite the bread tastes crunchy but also soft on the inside with strong vinegar and onion flavor. The tofu has good texture, but is overpowered by the vinegar. The cucumber and cilantro is definitely missed in this sandwich. The sandwich as a whole is not balanced with the overpowering flavors of vinegar and onion. The highlight of this sandwich is the bread and the neutral flavored tofu with a good texture.
Tasting Notes:
Bakers of Paris crunchy baguette with a soft inside
Slab of tofu with a slight salty flavor
No cucumber
A couple of jalapeño slices
Shredded carrots with an extremely strong vinegar flavor
Crumbs of pickled cauliflower
No cilantro, only a little basil
Little pieces of fried shallots
Strong onion flavor
L&G Vietnamese — Tofu Banh Mi $3.75
Rank #14
At first bite the bread tastes warm and very (too) toasted with a soft inside. There are a good amount of pickled carrots and daikon but with only one sprig of cilantro on top. The jalapeños are very spicy and take away from the balance of the sandwich. The tofu is very salty in this sandwich which makes the sandwich as a whole not that enjoyable. This sandwich is the most inexpensive of all of the sandwiches.
Tasting Notes:
Bakers of Paris bread toasted with a very crunchy crust
Thin lightly fried slabs of tofu with a heavy salty flavor
One cucumbers spear that gets lost in the sandwich
A good amount of sliced jalapeños cut longways
Shredded carrots with a medium strength pickle flavor to them
Too light on the cilantro
Sandwich not cut in half
Mr. Banh Mi — Tofu Banh Mi $5.45
Rank #15
At first bite the bread tastes good, soft and fresh but the sandwich has too much tofu. There are a good amount of pickled carrots with a sweet flavor and good amount of cilantro. Very small amount of cucumber. The tofu on this sandwich is the main miss and there is way too much of it. The tofu is soft in a mushy way and flavorless almost like it is silken tofu. I ended up taking out the tofu towards the end and eating the sandwich without it.
Tasting Notes:
Bakers of Paris bread soft and fresh
Thick slabs of mushy flavorless tofu
One cucumbers spear that gets lost in the sandwich
A few jalapeños cut longways
Shredded carrots with a sweet pickle flavor to them
Good amount of cilantro
Bunn Mike — The Vegan $6.95
Rank #16
At first bite you taste a lot of bread and not a lot of the inside of the sandwich, which is one of the flaws of this Banh Mi. The bread to filling ratio is too high. The tofu also lacks some flavor and not enough jalapeños or cilantro. Overall a pretty underwhelming sandwich.
Tasting Notes:
Soft crumbly baguette
Tofu has a good texture and thinly sliced
Thinly sliced cucumber on the bottom of the sandwich
A few jalapeños
Pickled carrots with a good strong pickle flavor
Very light on the cilantro
