banh mi

American  

[bahn mee] / ˈbɑn mi /

Or bánh mì

noun

1. a Vietnamese sandwich on a crisp baguette spread with mayonnaise, typically containing pork or chicken and pâté, with pickled vegetables, cucumber, and cilantro.

---

Etymology

Origin of banh mi

First recorded in 1985–90; from Vietnamese bánh mì “bread, baguette,” equivalent to bánh “any food made from flour; bread; cake” + mì “wheat, noodles”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

banh mi

The menu is packed with Vietnamese classics, from banh mi to pho, alongside many other dishes.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2025

In your book, I love the "architecture of the banh mi" section, as well as some of the other super-detailed step-by-step visual breakdown pages.

From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2024

The menu has also expanded, with fancier-feeling dishes like Jameson crab bisque, a seared ahi tuna sandwich and a prime rib banh mi joining old AC favorites like poutine and fish and chips.

From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2024

Inside, grime music blasts as a pop-up vendor doles out vegan banh mi to shoppers who clutch bamboo toilet paper and vegan lox.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2024

It is only a slight exaggeration to say that Australia runs on banh mi — the Vietnamese sandwich of a baguette with tangy pickled vegetables, a slick of mayonnaise and your protein of choice.

From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2024