Bánh Mì 25

Bánh Mì 25 is a street-food stall and sandwich shop at 25 Hàng Cá in Hanoi's Old Quarter, in northern Vietnam. It is popular for bánh mì, the Vietnamese sandwich built on a crisp, light baguette, and it fills the bread with pâté, sliced pork, sausage, fried egg and fresh herbs. The baguette is toasted so the crust stays crunchy, and the fillings are dressed with a little sauce and pickled vegetables to balance the richness of the meat and pâté. Signature options include the bánh mì thịt (with pork), the bánh mì trứng (with egg) and the bánh mì pate, which centres on the liver pâté spread. The shop is takeaway-oriented, with only a few seats, and most customers order at the counter and eat on the go or standing beside the street. Service is fast, and the sandwich is assembled while the customer waits. The atmosphere is street-side and busy, and there is no dress code or table service. Noise comes mostly from the traffic and the activity of the surrounding Old Quarter street. Prices are very low, with a typical meal costing about 25,000 to 45,000 VND per person, which makes the shop one of the cheapest options in the city centre. There is no wine programme and no drinks list to speak of; visitors usually buy a bottle of water or an iced tea nearby. The shop is open daily from 6AM to 9PM, so it works for breakfast, a light lunch or an evening snack. Reservations are not needed. Peak times are mornings and lunchtime, when locals and travellers queue at the counter, so ordering slightly outside those periods shortens the wait. The location on Hàng Cá, close to the Old Quarter's main streets and Hoàn Kiếm Lake, makes it a convenient stop during a walking tour or a hurried lunch between sights.