banh mi

noun

ˈbän-ˈmē 

plural banh mi also banh mis

: a usually spicy sandwich in Vietnamese cuisine consisting of a split baguette filled typically with meat (such as pork or chicken) and pickled vegetables (such as carrot and daikon) and garnished with cilantro and often cucumbers

Here we have the original banh mi—a reliable favourite on a classic crusty baguette. Cold cut-style pork belly, chicken liver pâté (you can sub in avocado if that's more your thing), and soy-based Vietnamese sausage are finished with pickled carrots and daikon … , cucumbers, cilantro, aïoli and special sauce.

—Liza Agrba

In Queen Anne, the Vietnamese coffee shop Queen Càphê serves banh mis and spring rolls.

—Tan Vinh

Examples of banh mi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Marinated meat is wrapped in corn dog batter and then coated in panko and banh mi crumbs and finally deep fried and drizzled with siracha mayo and served with pickled veggies. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2025

With the banh mi and croissant experts from Mi-Sant, the delightful Vietnamese spot in Roseville. —Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 18 Aug. 2025

The restaurant serves everything from banh mi nachos to beef, chicken, or vegan cheesesteaks, with local kombucha on tap. —Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2025

Lunch begins at 11 a.m., when That Tandem Sandwich is available, along with healthy, from-scratch options like a vegan faux-rizo burrito, grilled tofu banh mi, soups, a build-your-own salad or bowl bar and more. —Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 8 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Vietnamese bánh mì, literally, "bread, baguette," from bánh "cake, pastry" + mì "wheat"

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for banh mi

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy