Brisbane’s Best Banh Mi

Brisbane has a vibrant Vietnamese community, with some of the best food around. One of my favourite Vietnamese dishes is the Banh Mi; a crunchy baguette filled with protein, cucumber, carrots, coriander, chilli, sometimes pâté and a delicious sauce combo of mayo and Maggi seasoning. Brisbane’s best banh mi is hotly contested, with many places scattered all over Brisbane. There are many threads on Reddit asking for the best banh mi in Brisbane, even appreciation Facebook groups and pages dedicated to finding great banh mi.

Brisbane’s Number 1 Banh Mi

The south-western suburbs of Brisbane have a very prominent Vietnamese community, with some of the best Vietnamese cuisine around. My favourite banh mi place is located in Darra, across the road from Darra train station, Darra Takeaway, and I think it’s Brisbane’s best banh mi. I always get the chicken banh mi with chilli and no coriander; and yes, I’m one of those people who think coriander tastes like soap.

It’s the perfect balance of salty and slightly sweet, with perfectly and simply seasoned shredded chicken. I love banh mi places that keep things simple in terms of how they flavour the meat they use. I find lemongrass and five spice seasoned meat in my banh mi a little overpowering, so a simple roast chicken or pork is perfect.

Darra Takeaway reminds me of a Vietnamese bakery that used to be around in Sunnybank’s Market Square over 10 years ago; they were the best I’ve had and would always be my go-to for banh mi. They’re not around anymore and I still miss them, however Darra Takeaway is the next best thing. Make sure you bring some cash when visiting Darra Takeaway, as they don’t have EFTPOS facilities, only Pay ID and local ATM’s may have fees. It is annoying, fewer people are carrying cash these days, but I promise it’s worth it.

Other Must Try Banh Mi

While you’re in the area, down the other side of that strip of shops is Scott’s Rd Takeaway, give them a go too, they are also highly rated out of the slew of options available in that strip of shops. I love the garlicky butter they use on the rolls, it adds great flavour.

While not my favourite, I’d like to mention BunBun is a newer addition to that set of shops and is also a good option for your banh mi fix.

Another south-western Brisbane banh mi hub is in Inala at the Inala Plaza. Minh Tan Bakery is just as great as Darra Takeaway if you happen to be in the area and want a winner in a sea full of choice. Make sure you spend some time exploring what else Inala Plaza has to offer. There are many options for quality ethnic food, produce and groceries available, especially the area behind Inala Plaza