I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the banh mi is the perfect sandwich, and I felt ashamed when I realized I had somehow forgotten about Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli, a beloved Vietnamese hole-in-the-wall in Nolita. After years of not having one of their crunchy, meaty, tangy banh mis, I recently finally returned to make up for lost time.
There’s something magical when a place doesn’t shift or shape with trends, staying true to its core values. Insert Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli. Opened in 1988, it was only until last year that ownership here went outside of the original family from Vietnam who started this shop. Eric Lee, the current owner, is a born and raised New Yorker who has been coming to Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli for 22 years.
And yet, while ownership might have changed, the deli itself thankfully has not. They offer just a small selection of banh mis, with a few other options like summer rolls and Vietnamese iced coffee, and everything on the menu is under $12. It’s cash only, and Eric confirms he plans to keep that way. There’s an ATM inside in case you’re walking around without any paper.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is the theme of this week’s hidden dining gem, so I simply ordered the classic banh mi, or a “number one.” That with a bottle of water came to $11.75. And let me tell you, the portion size on this thing was further proof that Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli hasn’t changed. My sandwich was so massive and tightly stuffed with ingredients, they had to wrap it with both parchment paper and a rubber band to keep it intact.
Vietnam was colonized by the French, which largely explains why the banh mi is served on a French baguette. The bread at Saigon Sandwich Shop is super crunchy, and paired with the snap from the veggies like cucumbers and jalapenos, the soft house-made paté and the crumbly ground pork, it’s really impossible to not love this sandwich. It has tang and snap from the carrots, daikon and cucumbers (which are air-dried in house for two days), crunch from the bread, freshness from the herbs and just enough of a kick from the jalapeños and hot sauce (which I requested but can be left off if you have a milder palate).
Other banh mi options include a vegetarian curry “chicken” made with tofu, beef with lemongrass, and a fish version made with sardines. Saigon Sandwich Shop offers takeout and delivery via the major apps like Uber Eats and GrubHub, which is one way to get around the cash only ordeal.
As the summer months creep up on us and we’re all bound for more outdoor activities, I suggest you swap your turkey and cheese bodega sandwiches for a banh mi from Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli instead.
- Address: 369 Broome St, New York, NY 10013, United States
- Phone: 212-219-8341
- Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Closed Mondays
- Prices (Cash only): Sandwiches $10.50-$11.75; Drinks $2.25-$5
- Takeout and delivery available; no reservations.
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