Cool, crunchy and delicious - the Vietnamese ‘banh mi’ has become a global sensation. Anastasia Nurullina/iStockphoto/Getty Images

As remarked by CNN, ‘banh mi’ is now sold from food carts on nearly every street across Vietnam and are widely loved well beyond the Southeast Asian country’s borders.

“The classic version is pork-based, starring 'cha lua' (Vietnamese-style pork roll), shredded pickled carrots, pickled daikon, cilantro leaves, mayonnaise and other ingredients. You can find variations with tofu and thinly sliced lemongrass chicken, too. The taste is crunchy, fresh, savory and utterly delicious", CNN wrote on November 15, 2025.

This marks the second time this year that CNN has celebrated Vietnamese bánh mì, following its inclusion in the network’s list of the world’s top 10 sandwiches in June.

As reported by Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Vietnamese ‘banh mi’ has long earned recognition on the global culinary map. In 2024, the traditional food review platform TasteAtlas ranked Vietnamese ‘banh mi’ first among the world’s top 100 sandwiches. The site also listed it among Asia’s 50 best street foods, underscoring the enduring appeal of this humble yet iconic dish.

A foreign visitor enjoys bread at a shop on Bach Dang Street, Da Nang. Photo: Yen Dan

International acknowledgment came even earlier, on March 24, 2011, when the term ‘banh mi’ was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Oxford defines it as “a sandwich comprising a baguette (traditionally baked using a combination of rice and wheat flour) split lengthwise and filled with a variety of ingredients, typically including pâté and/or grilled meat, pickled vegetables, sliced chilli or chilli sauce, and fresh coriander. Also occasionally: a baguette loaf of the type used in such a sandwich".

Meanwhile, the Cambridge Dictionary offers a more concise definition: “Banh mi is type of long sandwich eaten in Vietnam”.

Vietnamese 'banh mi' is not only attractive because of its unique flavour but also because of the diverse creativity in each region. Photo: Yen Dan

Together, these definitions affirm the global view of ‘banh mi’ as a distinctive Vietnamese sandwich - one that reflects the country’s unique culinary identity and cultural flavour.

Ho Chi Minh City's 'banh mi' is often filled with sweet, crunchy ‘xiu mai’ meatballs; Da Nang’s version features aromatic slices of fish cake; while Ha Noi’s is known for its rich combination of pâté and assorted cold cuts that melt into the warm, crusty bread.

During the colder months, many enjoy a hot cup of tea paired with a ‘banh mi’s tuffed with fragrant grilled pork skewers. Affordable and unpretentious, ‘banh mi’ can be found everywhere - from small street carts tucked into narrow alleys to large storefronts across major Vietnamese cities.

As one of Vietnam’s most accessible and beloved fast foods, bánh mì stands out for being convenient, flavorful and reasonably priced. It is a staple enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

In CNN’s November lineup, Vietnamese 'banh mi' appears alongside many of the world’s most iconic sandwiches, including Japan’s katsu sando, Mexico’s torta ahogada, Italy’s tramezzino, Middle Eastern shawarma, and the American muffaletta, further reaffirming Vietnam’s culinary standing on the global stage.

Translated by Thư Lê