Banh Mi & Tea — Restaurant in Scotland

The selfish part of me would like to keep this place to myself. It's not much to look at from outside; a small shop front amongst the many other shops on Dumbarton Rd. However this small cafe and take away is a little haven of delights and I, m surprised its not packed out each day. The food is prepared fresh to order and the portions are generous and reasonably priced for the quality and size. All the types of dishes have a non meat version available but I, m not sure if those are also vegan or not.

Spring rolls are large, full of tasty filling and come with a decent amount of salad plus plain noodles. We find 1 portion is plenty to share for 2. They come in both meat and meat free varieties.

The baguettes (banh mi) are delicious (I, ve tried the roast pork versions and the chicken with lemongrass, there is a tofu one as well) -fresh bread with so much filling the wrapping needs to be tight to prevent it spilling out.

The summer rolls are huge, fresh crisp filling, dipping sauce plus salad and noodles. Again, we share 1 portion between 2.

I haven't yet tried the pho so can't comment and there are a small number of other dishes available that I, ve yet to try.

There is a 'breakfast bar' type set up with stools along the window and a small number of 4 seat tables. I found it to be a very clean place. I think it would be accessible for a wheelchair user although there might not be much extra space for maneuvering. I don't know if it has toilet facilities. The staff have always been pleasant. Roughly each dish is around £6, there is a selection of hot and cold drinks including iced coffees(no alcohol)

I like this place so much i travel across the city just to go there.

Edit...This review was written before they moved. They are now in much larger premises a couple of minutes away. Still Dumbarton Road, as if heading towards the library but on other side...

Always walked past and we finally visited during one of the very cold January evenings and I have to say it doesn't quite live up to expectations.

It's very casual, with staff letting us choose wherever to sit (there was a 4 seater that was taken by a single diner), the place eventually was packed and it has similar vibes to restaurants/cafes in Asia where there's a 'communal table' and you share it with other patrons.

Our orders were taken and the dishes arrived swiftly after ordering. Mindful that our server's cuticles were visibly dirty; noticed it when they handed us our bowls & should have taken it as a sign to leave.

The chopsticks were also of poor quality, the handles were uneven and despite 'sanding' the handles, ended up with a splinter.

There were a couple of space heaters to warm up the space but thought a warm bowl of pho should do the job; safe to say it wasn't hot and filling as I hoped it would be.

We also ordered their spring rolls; but was disappointed that it didn't come with nuoc cham (maybe it was very diluted) and it was bland. Overall, felt their pho lacked flavour. Appreciated the added vegetables on the side ie bean sprouts/basil/lime.

Again, maybe it was our timing & depending on the time of our visit but seeing as they're only open until 7pm thought the quality of their food would be amazing.

Given the price point, lack of flavours; would not be rushing to visit this establishment. There are a few Vietnamese restaurants in Glasgow to be discovered and safe to say, this isn't...

My absolute favourite restaurant in Glasgow. The food is always delicious and served quick. The staff are all helpful and joyous without checking on you constantly and the whole vibe of the place is super laid back.

Any banh mi you pick you will be happy with (my flatmate and I often grab one for later as we pay the bill), the pho is the size it should be (absolutely massive) and as personal preference I suggest the beef over the chicken, the summer rolls are amazing and any special that's running will likely be an absolute winner as well.

There may be some things that are up to personal preference people won't enjoy. Rice paper can sometimes be a little too gelatinous for people in which case go for spring rolls over summer rolls and banh cuon. The chillies aren't hot enough to ruin the dish but they will be spicier than you are expecting so don't be too liberal with them. The beef in the pho isn't prime cuts of ribeye steak so don't expect it to be, if you're not a fan of a bit of fat then go fit the chicken.

You absolutely should add dam toi to your dish, it's the little jar of vinegar with the chillies and garlic in it and it will change your life. All in one of the soundest places to eat in Glasgow and as much as I'd love to keep it a quiet little secret, these guys deserve to be known by everyone...