Hoi An’s “Queen of Banh Mi”

Nobody knows when Nguyen Thi Loc, 80, received the name "Madam Khanh - The Banh Mi Queen" (115 Tran Cao Van Road, Hoi An).

“This name was created by foreign tourists. Then they told me that this is the best bread shop in the world,"  Loc told VietNamNet.

This shop has existed for nearly 60 years. The shop is named after Loc’s husband, Mr. Khanh.

The shop is located under a narrow eaves, just enough for two tables and a glass cupboard. On the front size of the cupboard is a sign saying "Madam Khanh - The Banh Mi Queen".

At the cooker, where Mrs. Khanh stands to fry eggs every day, there are hundreds of small pieces of paper with compliments from foreign tourists.

Madam Khanh.

"Some interpreters who accompanied foreign tourists told me that 'The Banh mi Queen' means the 'queen of bread'. I’m shy about that compliment. I’m happy to see my diners eating with gusto," she said.

On TripAdvisor, the popular forum for worldwide travelers, one can see hundreds of positive comments from tourists about Madam Khanh’s bread. Below are the latest comments.

“We went to Madam Khanh’s restaurant which was part of a good tour. This place didn't disappoint as the Banh mi was so delicious. I think Madam has been making these rolls for years. I highly recommend this restaurant as it was the highlight of our food tour.”

Comments of tourists left at the shop.

“Read the reviews on tripadvisor and wanted to try, so we stopped there for a late lunch. Madam Khanh made us 2 banh mi and they were the best sandwich I've ever had! And the price is so cheap! Strongly recommended!”

"These rolls are just so nice, it's worth the find! They are so tasty, I love the egg too, and soooo cheap. We went back several times and the 'queen' obliged us with a photo! It was obvious she didn't speak English but she did try and communicate with us."

"I am a huge Banh Mi fan so was very excited to find this place. It definitely didn't disappoint and was absolutely amazing. I can't wait to go back tomorrow - I may have to get two... A very traditional place and no one can speak English as far as I could tell ,so if you have any allergies then it may be difficult. However, if you're like me and love everything then this is definitely the place for you to find the best Banh Mi in Hoi An!"

“During our trip to Southeast Asia, we have been in Vietnam for about a week now and this is hands down the best Banh Mi we have had. If you are in Hoi An, add this sandwich to your itinerary. Pull up a plastic chair, watch the care Madam Khanh puts into building each sandwich and eat it right there on the spot.”

“Loved this place! We went in and sat down and two sandwiches appeared in front of us. The flavours and sauce were wonderful. The lady is so kind.”

“Best Banh Mi. You have to eat here if you go to Hoi An. It is very easy to eat two of these in one sitting and you will most likely go back the next day. I could eat these for days on end - not too far outside of the ancient city, the best banh mi I've had in Vietnam (and I've made it my mission to eat many!).”

Mrs. Loc said she sells about 200 loaves of bread each day, earning profit of around VND1 million (nearly US$50).

"It is so hard to earn that amount of money. My whole family has to get up at 4 am. All of the bread is made by myself and my daughter," she said.

Banh Mi prepared by "Madam Khanh" looks no different from other banh mi, but you will feel the difference after a few bites.