Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Houston's signature Vietnamese sandwich: French baguette, mayo, pâté, head cheese, pork roll, pickled daikon-and-carrot, cucumber, fresh cilantro, jalapeño.
Vietnamese refugees built Houston's Bellaire Boulevard (Asiatown) from 1975 onward; the city's Vietnamese population is now over 100,000, second-largest in the United States after Orange County. Cali Sandwich and Roi Bien on Milam established the Houston bánh mì style; Les Givral's Kahve and Pho Binh have followed. The Houston version uses a softer, lighter Vietnamese baguette than the Saigon original, suited to American flour.
4 editor picks for Houston Bánh Mì in Houston, ranked by editorial score. All Houston signature dishes · Houston Bánh Mì across every city.
Cali Sandwich & Pho in Houston is the Travis Street Vietnamese counter in Midtown, a Houston banh mi institution since 1979 with bo luc lac.
OrderBBQ pork banh mi. Bo luc lac (shaking beef) over rice. A Vietnamese iced coffee.
TipCash strongly preferred. Closed Sundays. The pho here is solid but the banh mi is the reason.
Crawfish and Noodles in Houston is Trong Nguyen's Viet-Cajun room on Bellaire Boulevard since 2008, the country's defining Viet-Cajun crawfish boil.
OrderA pound of crawfish (in season Feb to June), the blue crab in house garlic butter, salt-pepper shrimp.
TipCrawfish are seasonal. October to January menu pivots to blue crab and Dungeness. Cash card surcharges apply.
Tacos Tierra Caliente in Houston is the long-running taco truck on West Alabama in Montrose, with al pastor sliced from the trompo and an ice house next door.
OrderThree al pastor tacos with pineapple. The carne asada. A Mexican Coke and a side of consomme.
TipThe truck is parked next to the West Alabama Ice House; bring your tacos inside for a beer. Cash and card.
Pho Binh on Bellaire Boulevard is the original 1983 Houston pho counter from the Le family, with clean broth, rare-beef pho tai and an Asiatown family legacy.
OrderPho tai (rare beef) or pho dac biet (combination). A Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk.
TipCash strongly preferred. Bellaire location is the original; the four other branches (Westheimer, Heights, Sharpstown, Katy) are family-run.
Houston Bánh Mì makes more sense with someone from Houston explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 5 hours
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Explore Houston on a guided bus tour with a tea service. Sip on premium teas, enjoy freshly baked scones, and learn about the city's history as you pass by iconic landmarks.