Aina's Vegan Banh Mi — Restaurant in San Jose

Came in from Michigan to visit some family. For context I am not a vegan, do not follow a plant based diet, or seek out alternative proteins. My vegan family members recommended this spot for some flavorful sandwiches and who doesn’t love that? This place is incredible. The women who took my order (who I believe is the owner) noticed this was my first experience with this cuisine and offered me a sample of one of her offerings to give me an idea of what I was in for. Delicious is an understatement. The item I chose was the simple delight. The baguette was warm, crispy and fluffy on the inside. Toppings were a savory “chicken” protein substitute that erupted in flavor and packed with flavorful veggies. The service was over the top and its a cozy location that feels welcoming yet not too crowded.

TLDR; Don’t skip this place because you’re a meat eater- you’ll miss out on some ridiculously flavorful food. The sandwiches are fresh, and packed with flavor. Meat substitutes taste delightful and the service...

I’m very picky with my banh mi now after becoming vegetarian and remembering what a good banh mi tastes like, so this review means a lot to me! This is the best veggie banh mi I’ve had in the bay because of its vast menu and its banh mi having a taste profile that very closely resembles its non-veggie counterpart. I tried the combination one that has the veggie cha lua, and they were able to recreate the texture and the flavors that I used to love. And the ingredients of the Banh mi itself were super fresh, from the cilantro, peppers and pickled carrots and daikon down to the banh mi itself 😍 I am very impressed with the rest of their menu as well. The day I came they had a veggie chicken hai nang dish as well but I sadly don’t have the stomach that can eat their whole menu in one go. After trying the sandwich, my Vietnamese mom confirmed: “that’s a really good sandwich.” I’m coming back to try the rest of their...

Located in the same shop as the famed vegan donuts, Aina offers a wonderful and affordable (in this day and age) $10 banh mi that is fully vegan, and they have a lot of options to select from as well.

I ordered their Ocean Sub - reminiscent of a tuna sub in a toasty baguette with all of the traditional tasting fillings you'd expect from a banh mi. It was immediately love at first bite. The sandwich was excellent especially since I haven't had "tuna" in years, and really reminded me of my childhood. I ate it so quickly that I wish I had ordered another sandwich before leaving and heading back to Santa Cruz where I live.

It's so good that you won't even remember that it's fully plant-based. Aina's banh mi really are the ish and I can't recommend them enough for anybody wishing to explore more plant based options in the South Bay.

Don't forget to order a donut next stall over...