Who makes the best banh mi on the North Shore?

As someone who moves around a lot for work, I’m always on the lookout for a meal that is cheap, tasty and easy to eat on the fly. 

Most of the time, that ends up being the humble banh mi: a short baguette sandwich combining the best of Vietnamese and French cuisines.

While on the North Shore, we are far from the banh mi bastions of Cabramatta and Marrickville, there are still a few places around where you can find a decent pork roll. 

Here are some of our favourites.

Pho Ngon

Sitting just outside Hornsby Railway Station, this Vietnamese restaurant offers a banh mi that is packed with juicy marinated meat, and doesn’t wimp out on the chilli. Regular pork and chicken is $9, signature lemongrass pork roll is $11.

Where: 8/10 Florence St, Hornsby

Marrickville Pork Roll

The portions are always quite generous at this chain, which has two outlets in the North: on the ground floor of the Chatswood interchange and inside Victoria Cross metro station. Crackling pork $13, chicken $12, regular pork $11. 

Where: Chatswood interchange, Victoria Cross Station

Yum Saigon

A small Vietnamese restaurant in the Mandarin Centre food court. Bahn mi is a little on the dry side but comes generously packed with meat. Crispy pork $12.80, chicken $11, regular pork $10. 

Where: Mandarin Centre food court

Aaliyah Mae's Cafe

A small Vietnamese cafe favoured by the nurses of Royal North Shore and mechanics of Gore Hill. BBQ beef, pork, chicken and nem nuong (vietnamese sausage) $13. Pulled pork, regular pork and regular chicken $11. Great pho too. 

Where: 33 Herbert Street, St Leonards

Simply Sandwiches 

An invariable fact of Crows Nest: around 12pm each weekday, there will always be a line trailing out of this long-standing shop and down the footpath. Roast pork $12.50, regular pork, chicken and tuna $11. 

Where: 65 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest

Saigon Rolls St Leonards

A small family business just outside St Leonards station. The baby constantly being passed around between staff adds a certain je ne sais quoi. Crackling pork roll $13, lemongrass beef $12, chicken $11. 

Where: 1 Sergeants Lane, St Leonards