For a city awash with Vietnamese restaurants, it’s slightly mystifying that banh mis are relatively scarce – perhaps it’s a local aversion to softer loafs that don’t require a jaw workout à la German bread. We tell you where to find those fluffy-yet-crisp sandwiches stuffed with paté, marinated pork or tofu, chilis, carrots and coriander.
Banh Mi Stable
A standout budget dining option in a zone characterised by crappy chains and champagne-priced lattes, Banh Mi Stable keeps things simple. There’s three options – grilled pork, satay chicken and tofu – with your standard tangy pickles and spicy sauces. Purists might be bothered that there’s no pâté, but it’s formidably juicy and delicious, and at €6 even in the inflation era, a lack of meat-paste only seems fair.
- Banh Mi Stable, Alte Schönhauser Str. 50, Mitte, details.
Mama Vân
Another bright spot in a food desert (this time closer to Alexanderplatz) is Mama Vân, although the sleek wooden interior and glossy menu could fool you into thinking it’s another corporate Mitte spot. Banh mi prescriptivists will like it here: the menu offers classic ingredients like pâté and pork meatballs that are left off other Berlin banh mi menus. There’s also an omelette option, so vegetarians won’t be forced to settle for tofu – although the lemongrass tofu is great, too.
- Mama Vân, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 15, Mitte, details.
Xin Chào
Not all banh mi is in Mitte. This casual counter in Charlottenburg does a great job, opting to include an umami hit in the form of Vietnamese sausage in their grilled pork or chicken sandwiches – an ingredient sadly shunned by many other local purveyors. There’s also a neat local twist in the form of crunchy kohlrabi in the banh mi here. Come thirsty: Xin Chào is also a great bet for Bubble Tea.
- Xin Chào, Pestalozzistr. 76A, Charlottenburg, details.
