Many locals and foreign tourists in Ho Chi Minh City have been drawn to a bustling event at District 1's Le Van Tam Park this weekend only to find out it is a festival celebrating Vietnam's worldwide famous sandwich: banh mi. 

The annual Vietnam Bánh Mì Festival, which is in its second year, adopts the theme 'Vietnamese Bánh Mì - World Cuisine Value' and features about 130 banh mi booths of all kinds. 

It has seen the participation of renowned banh mi brands such as Banh Mi Bay Ho, Banh Mi Nguyen Sinh, and Banh Mi Cu Ly; restaurants serving banh mi-based dishes; bakeries; and sellers offering banh mi-making ingredients and equipment. 

Carmen, a tourist from New Zealand, reached the banh mi festival in Ho Chi Minh City after two weeks exploring Vietnam with her group of friends.

The southern metropolis was also the last stop of their Vietnam journey.

Carmen shared that she was told banh mi was a 'must-try' when she first arrived in Vietnam, so she sampled the dish in both Hanoi and Hoi An.

“However, banh mi tasted best in Ho Chi Minh City, and the whole of our group agreed,” Carmen told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. 

“We learned about this festival by chance and were surprised to see so many types of Vietnamese banh mi.

“Vietnamese cuisine is truly impressive.”

The varied world of Vietnamese banh mi

Banh mi is known worldwide as a type of Vietnamese sandwich filled with cold meats, pâté, and vegetables, as defined by Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

However, in Vietnam, the term banh mi also refers to the Vietnamese baguette itself. 

Banh mi can be filled with a variety of ingredients, ranging from egg or fish cake to canned fish, not just cold cuts.

This year's banh mi festival has also showcased fillings like ice cream and stir-fried beef, among others. The festival introduced baguettes made with gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) fruit and vegetables.

At the booth run by Vietnamese dairy giant Vinamilk, banh mi dipped in sweetened condensed milk caused a sensation, as this dish is a beloved childhood treat for many Vietnamese.

Meanwhile, many flocked to the booth selling banh mi kem (banh mi with ice cream), another nostalgic childhood dish for many Vietnamese.

Cuc, the owner of the booth, revealed that at last year's festival, she sold more than 500 loaves of banh mi kem each day.

Meanwhile, visitors to the ABC Bakery booth could witness the banh mi making process and sample various kinds of the dish for free during certain hours.

Banh mi sold at the festival varied in price, with a loaf costing between VND20,000 (US$0.79) and VND68,000 ($2.67).

Nguyen Thi Khanh, chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association and a representative of the organizers, stated that the organizing board has closely coordinated with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety to ensure food safety and hygiene at all booths during the fest.

The board has collaborated with functional forces to maintain security and order, ensuring the safety of visitors throughout the event.

The second Vietnam Bánh Mì Festival is taking place at Le Van Tam Park in District 1 from May 17 to 19.

The first iteration was organized in Ho Chi Minh City in late March 2023, attracting some 100,000 visitors.

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