Bánh Mì Zòn

I came across a Serious Eats review that ranked this place as having the best Banh Mi in Manhattan. The review was done about 5 years ago but I thought it was still worth a gamble. I’ve since hit up this place multiple times.
My favorite sandwiches there are the Chopped Chicken Sandwich and the Curry Beef Sandwich. Toasty bread, flavorful meat, refreshing pickled veggies — it always hits the spot. I really appreciate that they take the extra step of hollowing out the bread a little; it gives the sandwich a nice bread to filling ratio and helps to keep the filling from spilling out when you take a bite. The shop is a little bit out of the way for me (Tribeca), but I’m willing to make the trek for the extra bit of effort that they put into making great sandwiches.

My old fav was Xe May but they have done downhill recently. Banh mi zon now has the best banh mi in NYC! Ingredients are fresh daily and you can taste it. The bread is toasted and yummy. The ratio of bread to meat to veggies is perfect. The only downside is sometimes you have to wait, but now they deliver so no need to wait! Mmm getting hungry just writing this :)

Yes, yes, yes! Stopped in on the recommendation of a bunch of positive Unilocal reviews and it totally delivered! Grabbed a chopped chicken sammy and it was love at first bite! A little nutty, a little lemongrassy… Saucy and delicious. With those perfect pickled carrots… Also, the roll had a perfect crunch to it and wasn’t overly bready or hard like a lot of places. Best bahn mi sandwich I’ve ever had, and for a great price! Ate one half for lunch, and had the other half for dinner. This place rocks! Check it out!

I got the vegetarian banh mi (9.25) since the catfish one was sold out. I wasn’t a huge fan of the contents in the veggie banh mi, since there was a disproportionate amount of mushroom compared to tofu, but the banh mi itself was really good. The pickled carrots and daikon were super flavorful and the bread was perfectly toasted. I couldn’t really taste the peanut sauce, but the banh mi was still very flavorful.
It is a self-​serve spot, so no tax and optional tip is a huge plus. It seats about 10 people, and the counterperson is super nice.
I definitely want to come back and try the catfish.

Really enjoyed the filling for the original sandwich especially with the dry shredded pork floss, the bread is where I had to deduct stars. The crust of the bread is too thick and hard. The roof of my mouth was ripped up after I finished my sandwich. Bahn mi bread should have a super crunchy but thin crust that cracks easily. Towards the end I had to take off the top layer of the bread because I was in pain.

This place is pretty great! Those sandwiches are like no other. I got mine to go and a day later it tasted as good as the day before. The pricing isn’t bad either, I mean considering its Manhattan. The people there are nice too. The only complaint really is that it takes them a bit of time, so if you’re in a hurry, this might not be the best option, but if you’re not it’s worth the wait!

The chicken sandwich is supaaaa goodddddddd !!! You guys should check it out!!!
Try the veggie sandwich too! It tastes amazing!

Third time visiting and third time being wow’d! I just cannot get enough of the chicken sandwich. My wife is really into the catfish and Zon, I’m just more of a chicken guy. If you are looking for fresh ingredients and quality protein, BMZ delivers. Best banh mi I have had, hands down, since moving into NYC many years ago. Highly recommended and will be back for more!

Stopped by right when they opened — noon on a Thursday — and the wait was still a good 10 minutes due to one couple ahead of me with a small order, but it was worth it for a damn good sandwich using excellent Parisi bread at a reasonable price (though $ 7.62 is an irritating total when you’re cash only). My question about sriracha really confused the woman working the counter –you want sriracha on it? Yes please. Mild or Spicy? Spicy. Mild? OK.
Grabbed the solid #1 house special Zon sandwich. Speaking of ‘Zon’, apparently the accent makes it pronounced ‘zahn’ rather than like you would if saying ‘I’m definitely in my zone’, so that means I really don’t understand the name, unlike other pun-​ny Vietnamese shop names. Mind the awkward extra door handle and stopper when entering/​exiting.

We went out of our way to visit this place. It was awesome and the staff was super friendly and passionate about what they were making. Just remember to bring cash. Thanks!

Best Banh Mi I’ve had in Manhattan. The curry chicken one is oozing with flavor, dripping in curry sauce with the pickled vegetables… OMG to die for… Now I’m Vietnamese and my brother owns a Banh Mi shop … So I’ve had my fair share of the Vietnamese/​French Inspired Sandwich but… Banh Mi Zon still blew my mind.
Try their signature Banh Mi as well. The dried pork on the Banh Mi Zon reminds me of my childhood when my mom would buy tubs of the stringy hair life texture pork. So delicious, never thought to put it in a Banh Mi before, very creative.
This Banh Mi shop will blow your mind. Try it, worth traveling to EV for! Can’t wait to treat my friends from out of town to this place!

Talk about bang for your buck.
This is prolly the heaviest banhmi sandwich i got for under $ 7.
I used to go to Nickys on 2^nd St but this place beats them out easily.
The bread here is so good which has to be the minimum requirement in any sandwich.
Pickled veggies also held up their own compared to other places i went to which you could barely call them pickled.
The pâté and meat were perfect blended in with the veggies and the fresh bread.
Definitely coming back again.

I think this was the best in NYC since Saigon Banh Mi when it was on Forsyth near the Chinatown busses in a tiny whole in the wall with a toaster oven. Nothing has been as good since. We almost picked up food from here today but when I called, the guy definitely didn’t sound Vietnamese, apparently Tan (the former owner) is no longer there. Does anyone know what happened? Is his partner /​wife still there? Is it still as good? Thanks for any info!

One of the best places in NYC to get authentic Vietnamese sandwiches. The chicken sandwich is so good. The veggie sandwich tastes amazing too.

Always skeptical about Vietnamese food outside of Chinatown in Manhattan, but pleasant surprise with the classic banh mi and coffee. Perfect.

Hands down, the best Banh mi in NYC, and I’ve tried dozens of them. Brian, the owner, carefully selects only the best/​freshest ingredients available. The bread is the perfect texture and the sauce is by far the most flavorful of any Banh Mi I’ve had in the city. I can’t recommend this place more highly!

Growing up in the sunset district in San Francisco, banh mi was always available within walking distance. I was also 45 minutes from San Jose (aka the second Vietnam). So when I moved to the east coast I didn’t have high expectations for authentic Vietnamese food.
But then I tried the sandwiches at banh mi zon and they are definitely on par with some of the sandwiches I had in SJ if not better! I usually get the original. Unlike most Vietnamese shops, the baguette is perfectly cut and toasted with well proportioned ingredients. The inside of the baguette is shaved so you have a nice ratio of vietnamese cold cuts, liver pâté, veggies and bread.
The owners are always so nice and welcoming. You can tell they put a lot of heart in the food they serve.
This is definitely our go to spot for banhmi!

This is the dankest banh mi I’ve had to date. Chopped chicken sandwich is delicious.
Compared to Xe May (which I love as well), the Banh mi Zon sandwich comes with a little more meat, is juicier /​messier, and is a tad cheaper.
Friendly employees, too.

Came here for lunch one day. If you want good food, come here. Like right now.
A little gem that should be more popular than it is, they serve quality food with nothing but the best ingredients. And their banh mi, to die for. Ingredients made fresh and the unique combinations stuffed into the crispy baked bread makes every bite like a step closer to nirvana.
Also, the new owner Brian is an awesome guy. Made our first experience a good time and even shared a little history about Vietnamese food in NYC and the restaurant itself, how it came to be, his passion and their mission to serving memorable food. Ask him about it!
Highly recommend visiting.

Absolutely my favorite bahn mi sandwich spot in the city! We’ve been coming to bahn mi zon for years and nothing else compares. My favorite is the chopped chicken but the curry beef is a close second. Recently I threw a party and decided to have them cater. Of course it was nothing but rave reviews from all my guests! Especially the vegans guests who ate the veggie sandwiches. Everything was super fresh and made that morning for me to pick up when they opened. Definitely check it out! You won’t regret it!

I grew up in Vietnam, always eating Banh Mi. This place has the best Banh Mi. It is actually my new fav spot. Everything is fresh. Staff are very friendly. My favorites are the Catfish and the Pork Patty Sandwich. They also have the summer rolls with delicious peanut sauce. Can’t go wrong with a combination of Banh Mi and Viet ice coffee here. Worth to wait for a crunchy sandwich and slow drip fresh coffee.

Their #1 has shredded pork in it which is non-​traditional and threw me off, but otherwise this is a solid banh mi for downtown at a reasonable (NY) price if you don’t want to trek down to chinatown for a sandwich.
FINAL RATING:
3.75

This place is a gem. Affordable, delicious, and chill atmosphere. My girlfriend and I split a spicy pork bahn mi and topped it off with the leche w/​mint smoothie which was new for us, but we thought it was incredible.
Only criticism would be to chill on the country and pop music.
We will be back

Now that’s how you make a lime-​lemonade!
Wowza! Man that was a good drink. Do you know what’s better? A signature sammy from Banh Mi Zon called the Banh mi Zon.
A typical Banh Mi is all about the bread. A fresh French-​Vietmamese baguette along with pâté and pickled cucumbers is the base for this classic sammy.
Walking in, this place is small. Like Clark Kent phone booth small. Don’t know what a phone booth is? You were born when Clinton was president I take it?
My son and I spilt a Banh mi Zon made at Banh mi Zon. I took a bite of the sammy and I swear we started to cry from joy. That is one heck of a sandwich!
They sell other sandwiches but I suggest the Banh mi Zon!

I just can’t get enough of this place. Everything is amazing and today I realized they have ride plates! Sooooo goood!!! The amount of flavor on the chicken was great and for the price you really can’t beat this place. Wish I could give it 6 stars

Tiny little gem in East Village. I went around 3pm and the place was empty. Although a lot of people came in for take-​out. There’s very limited seating with only two tables and some high top chairs by the window. The menu is pretty simple and although the prices are a little higher than other places for Banh Mi, it’s worth it.
I ordered the «Zon sandwich» which is your basic Banh Mi. The bread was fresh and crispy on the outside and soft inside. It was made with the perfect amount of vietnamese ham and salami with veggies. Sometimes when I order banh mi the ham is thick and can be a bit chewy. But this banh mi was not like that. I ate half and saved the rest for later. I also ordered a vietnamese coffee which was super strong. Just enough condensed milk to make it sweet but not over kill. My friend ordered the green papaya salad and it was a plethora of colors. I only had a bite but it was so good and such a healthy option.
Will be back !
FYI: Cash only.

It’s so hard to find the perfect banh mi when you’ve been ruined by the authenticity of one in Vietnam. I always try to find something as close as authentic in NYC but majority of the time, it’s a fail.
Banh Mi Zon is one of the few banh mi places in NYC that’s not located in Chinatown that is legit. The owners of the place are Vietnamese and they even went back to Vietnam to try and perfect the banh mi to bring it back to NYC — that’s what I call dedication. Going back to your own roots is something I always admire and respect.
The banh mi took a while to make but at least I know it’s fresh and made to order. Bread was crunchy and soft on the inside, the banh mi was filled with pâté, cha lua (pork sausage), gio (headcheese), pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, and the extra shredded dried pork. The only missing thing was cucumber, but I can live without that. I’ve never had a banh mi with shredded dried pork before, and honestly, it tasted a bit odd but not terrible. I also ordered a Vietnamese Iced Coffee, a little on the sweet side but you can still taste the strong dark coffee.
Banh Mi Zon is worth a try if you’re in the area.

Petit espace, propre, rapide. La nourriture est excellente et les legumes croquants. Ma femme a pris une salade et moi un sandwich chicken (ds une baguette croustillante), avec des cruditées a peine epicé. Je recommande vivement !!