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Bánh mì are officially trending, with new Vietnamese sandwich shops opening from East Colfax Avenue to Lone Tree to Aurora. But the South Federal Boulevard corridor still boasts the Mile High City’s highest concentration of Vietnamese bakeries serving the best traditional bánh mì in Denver—all on house-made baguettes. Here, three we love.
Read More: The 9 Best Vietnamese Restaurants in Denver and Beyond
Jump Ahead:
Vinh Xuong Bakery
- Address: 2370 W. Alameda Ave., Denver (Athmar Park)
At this sunny, modern cafe with lime green tile and a subtly humorous menu board (the lemongrass chicken bánh mì is labeled as tasting the most like chicken), the Huynh family makes everything from scratch. That includes the baguettes, cold cuts, and pâté for sandwiches as well as Vietnamese pastries like labor-intensive moon cakes and sesame balls filled with sweet bean paste.
The original Vinh Xuong in South Federal Boulevard’s Far East Center opened four decades ago; second-generation siblings Yen and Duc launched this newer shop less than a mile east on Alameda Avenue in 2011. Their combination bánh mì features three kinds of pork-based cold cuts nestled into an avalanche of cilantro, cucumber, jalapeño, and pickled daikon and carrot, with smears of pâté and mayo for added richness. Its sheer heft and complex flavors make it one of the best sandwich values in town.
Bánh Mì Zone
- Address: 2424 S. Federal Blvd., Denver (College View – South Platte)
The newest member of Federal Boulevard’s bánh mì family feels right at home in its subterranean space beneath a barbershop. The two-year-old eatery’s defining element is its fresh-baked bread, whose paper-thin crust spiderwebs into myriad shards at the slightest squeeze. That crackle—as well as the rich pâté that gets swiped onto nearly every sandwich—draws bánh mì purists from across the metro area, while low prices keep the students from nearby Lincoln High School coming at lunchtime.
Study the wall mural, which depicts a timeline of Vietnam’s most famous sandwich, to learn fun facts like the name of Saigon’s first bánh mì shop, in the 1950s, while you await your order. We suggest the warm xíu mai sandwich loaded with the most tender meatballs you’ve ever had.
Baker’s Palace
- Address: 550 S. Federal Blvd., Denver (Westwood)
For nearly 25 years, this spartan shop has provided the community with sweet and savory baked goods, Vietnamese coffee, snacks, boba and chè (dessertlike drinks), and fresh bread. Owner Katie Nguyen uses airy, crispy rolls to make a range of bánh mì that lean traditional: pork liver pâté or chà bông (dried, pounded pork with a fluffy texture), for example. If you decide to eat at the standing counter along the street-facing window, we recommend the fried egg bánh mì with liquid gold yolks (which don’t travel well). If you’re on the go, our favorite filling is the lemongrass-scented grilled pork.
Be warned: There’s a $10 minimum on card purchases, so add a drink or pastry (such as a savory, flaky pâté chaud) because none of the ample sandwiches top that mark.
