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Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches are a quick, inexpensive meal that relies on the quality of a few ingredients: lightly pickled vegetables, grilled or roasted meats, pâté, and shatteringly crisp French rolls. With its large Vietnamese community, San Jose, California—capital of Silicon Valley—is a prime banh mi destination, where the sandwich quality is high, prices are low, and the competition is fierce. Here, in alphabetical order, are the top picks on Chowhound:
1. CAM HUNG
903 Reed Avenue, Sunnyvale
408-735-8989
This friendly café offers a dozen banh mi, including two vegetarian options.
2. DAKAO
98 East San Salvador Street, San Jose
408-286-7260
Chowhounds agree that this Downtown spot is quick, cheap, and tasty.
3. HUONG LAN
1655 Tully Road, San Jose
408-258-8868
The grilled pork sandwich at this Chowhound favorite hits the right balance of meaty and fatty.
4. KING EGGROLL
1221 Story Road, San Jose
408-999-0798
This spot known for takeout dim sum also has a full banh mi menu—there's a second San Jose location on Lundy Avenue.
5. PHAT TRI
1210 Story Road, San Jose
408-271-2877
Phat Tri's bread, made in house, perks up well when reheated, and the crisp crust giving way to a flaky interior sets it apart from many competitors. The coarse-ground pate here is of an especially good quality and reveals a skilled hand with seasoning.
6. SAIGON'S BAKERY
953 McLaughlin Avenue, San Jose
408-271-9744
It's buy two, get one free at this long-time banh mi favorite (sandwiches pictured above), a California mini chain, but the bread can be on the dry side if it isn't fresh.
7. THANH HUONG
2050 North Capitol Avenue, San Jose
408-719-1659
The hits here are the moist, flavorful siu mai and the savory Vietnamese "butter" spread.
8. THIEN HUONG SANDWICHES & BAKERY
1181 Story Road, San Jose
408-289-8188
This banh mi shop bakes its own bread; the hefty sandwiches are a good value, and of the 10 filling options, the barbecue chicken is seasoned perfectly.
Banh mi photo from Saigon's Bakery courtesy of GastronomyBlog.com
View San Jose Banh Mi: Chowhound Lists in a larger map
