Banh mi in Columbus lives in strip malls and noodle houses more than in dedicated sandwich counters, which means the best versions turn up as a side order to a great bowl of pho. This guide tracks down the plazas and counters where the grilled pork or steak banh mi earns its place next to the broth.
№ 01
Bamboo Thai Kitchen
$$
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The drunken noodles get top billing, but the banh mi and mini Thai rolls keep regulars coming back on the same ticket. This is a room that runs Thai and Vietnamese menus side by side without either one feeling like an afterthought, and the pad Thai has built its own following. A dependable order across the board.
What to orderPad Thai, drunken noodles, banh mi
№ 02
PHO CHEF
$$
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A straightforward Vietnamese counter built around the pho and banh mi pairing that anchors this style of menu across the city. No frills, no pretense, just the basics done in a small dining room set up for a fast in-and-out lunch or a low-key dinner order.
Bethel Road $$
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Rare steak pho paired with a grilled pork banh mi is the standing order here, and the menu runs deep beyond that if a table wants to branch out. The room is clean and the service moves fast, which makes it an easy stop for a weekday lunch or a casual dinner with a group.
What to orderpho tai (rare steak), banh mi thit nuong (grilled pork), spring rolls
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The pho arrives with a broth clear enough to prove the kitchen took its time, and the Vietnamese rice roll draws a steady lunch crowd that fills the room even on an off hour. Café sua da, the sweetened iced coffee, rounds out a menu built for people who already know what they want.
What to orderPho, Café Sữa Đá, Vietnamese rice roll
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Pork bulgogi gets the most attention, but the banh mi and pho hold their own on a menu that skips fine-dining polish for straightforward cooking. The small sides that land on the table without being asked are a good sign of a kitchen paying attention to more than the headline dish.
What to orderPork Bulgogi, Pho, Banh Mi
№ 06
6-1-Pho
$
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A short menu built around beef pho and a meatball banh mi that punches above the size of the room. Spice levels and sauces come customizable at the table, and the pork egg rolls are worth adding to the order. Consistency runs from good to very good depending on the day.
What to orderbeef pho, banh mi, pork egg rolls
№ 07
Pho Asian Noodle House & Grill
$
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Spring rolls and fried rice round out a pho-centered menu that has held its regulars for years, the kind of place visiting family gets steered toward on repeat trips through town. Friendly counter service and a casual room make it easy for a group to land here without planning ahead.
What to orderpho, fried rice, spring rolls
№ 08
GC Pho
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Pho, banh mi and spring rolls make up the core of a menu built for cravings rather than exploration, and the kitchen's consistency has turned it into the kind of order people find themselves thinking about later. Friendly service and a comfortable room support a straightforward Vietnamese menu.
What to orderpho, banh mi, spring rolls
№ 09
Lieu's Asian Cuisine
$$
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A to-go-only kitchen where shrimp and broccoli and lo mein carry the Chinese American side of the menu in portions built for leftovers. It sits outside the pho lane but belongs on a banh mi crawl of the same strip, since spice levels can be pushed hard for anyone who asks.
What to ordershrimp and broccoli, lo mein, fried rice
the Short North $
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Set inside North Market, this counter serves a grilled steak banh mi with a generous hand on the meat, alongside pho and nem nuong cuon for anyone working through the market on a quick visit. Portions run smaller than a standalone restaurant, but the counter-service pace suits a fast lunch.
What to orderpho, nem nuong cuon, banh mi
Frequently asked
What makes a banh mi in Columbus stand out from the rest?
The best versions balance a crisp baguette against grilled pork or steak, pickled vegetables, and a hand that doesn't overload the sandwich. Several of the kitchens on this list built their reputation on pho first and let the banh mi ride along as a strong second act.
Where can I find good banh mi near me in Columbus?
Vietnamese banh mi turns up across Columbus in noodle houses and counters more often than in dedicated sandwich shops, from North Market downtown to strip-mall kitchens on the north side. Check the list above for the closest match to your part of town.
Is banh mi always paired with pho on these menus?
Almost always in Columbus. Most of the kitchens on this list run banh mi as a companion order to a bowl of pho rather than as a stand-alone specialty, which reflects how these menus are built for a full Vietnamese meal, not a sandwich counter alone.
How were these restaurants chosen, and does anyone pay to be listed?
Each restaurant on this list carries an Insider Score built from the public review record, and no restaurant pays for placement or ranking. The order reflects what diners actually report eating and ordering, not advertising.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Tommy Vu
Staff Writer · Top of Columbus
Tommy Vu is the Corridors and Heritage Editor at Top of Columbus. He grew up rolling silverware in his parents' pho shop in a Bethel Road plaza and has been eating his way through the city's strip-mall corridors ever since. If the best kitchen in the plaza has handwritten specials taped to the register, he has already ordered them.
