Downtown's Quiet Banh Mi Crumbs

Oakland has an awesome, but quiet, banh mi scene. They follow all of the tradition of French-inspired Vietnamese sandwiches, and some take it to more modern roots. Here are two places I recently tried.

Cam Huong ∙ website
920 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94607
There is usually a bit of a line out the door, but that's mostly due to the shop's layout. They carry the usual cold cuts, pates, and vegetables but also add marinated and barbecued proteins. The flow and design of the place is a bit confusing at first, but you get used to it. Great prices and variety in Oakland's Chinatown.


Fresh & Best II ∙ facebook
1428 Alice St, Oakland, CA 94612
A more modern and risky take on banh mi in a comfy cafe setting. The location is slightly off the beaten path, but is still very accessible from downtown Oakland. Pictured is their soft tofu and mushroom banh mi... needless to say, that was gone a few seconds later. This place is definitely worth multiple visits!