HCMC – Ten brands of bread, or banh mi in Vietnamese, were recognized at the Vietnam Banh mi Festival organized for the first time in HCMC from March 30 to April 2 to promote the world-famous Vietnamese bread.
The Vietnam Records Organization (VietKings), a record organization in Vietnam, said the 10 brands were chosen based on their fame and operation for over 50 years in HCMC to highlight the value of the food in Vietnamese cuisine.
The top 10 brands comprise Banh mi Cu Ly, Banh mi Tuan 7 Keo, Banh mi Bay Ho and Nguyen Sinh Bistro – Est. 1942, Banh mi Nhu Lan, Banh mi Tang, Banh mi Hoa Ma, Banh mi Co Diep, Banh mi Bay Quang, and Banh mi Hoang Oanh.
Banh mi Nhu Lan was founded by Nguyen Thi Dau in the 1970s, initially with an unnamed stall on Ly Chinh Thang Street. This brand is well-known for its standard texture of banh mi, with a big, round, dense, and crispy crust. She uses spices and accompaniments based on Vietnamese culinary habits.
Banh mi Nguyen Sinh was founded in 1982 by Nguyen Van Sinh when he moved from Hanoi to Saigon. The signature of this brand is the accompaniments served with the bread like paste, pork belly, sausage, and bacon among others.
Ly moved to Saigon to sell street bread. Currently, Ly’s “mobile” banh mi stall is at the corner of Dien Bien Phu and Hai Ba Trung streets, run by his grandchildren. Banh mi Cu Ly is famous for its variety of rolls, such as beef rolls, cinnamon rolls, silk rolls, spring rolls, and fried rolls.
Banh mi Tang was opened in 1950 and has been passed down for three generations. This brand is currently managed by Tang Chieu Minh, a nephew of the founder. Tang bakery is loved for its unique recipe for spring rolls, sticky rice, peanut butter and ham.
With nearly 90 years of establishment, Banh mi Bay Ho was founded by Tran Van Hau and his wife with mobile stalls on Huynh Khuong Ninh Street, District 1, and has been passed on to their descendants. This brand is famous for its soft, greasy paste, crispy crust, and thick filling.
The brand was established in 1972 at an intersection near Thu Duc market. Through three generations, Bay Ho attracts customers for its traditional taste and other dishes such as braised beef bread and sticky rice.
Banh mi Hoa Ma was founded by Mr. and Mrs. Le Minh Ngoc and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tinh, who migrated from North to South Vietnam. Until now, this brand has been handed down across three generations. Hoa Ma’s signature dish is pan bread which includes egg, ham, sausages, and cinnamon rolls.
Banh mi Co Diep is a popular destination for bread lovers in Tan Binh District and surrounding areas. The homemade ingredients make this brand unique.
Having been founded for more than 50 years, banh mi Hoang Oanh attracts diners with its homemade ingredients, especially the paste, which is fragrant and fatty, so it has a very distinct taste.
Although it is located near banh mi Bay Ho, banh mi Bay Quang has its own loyal customers. Currently owned by Tran Thi Chin and her family, this brand has been known for more than 60 years.
