District 1

Not sure what all the hype is about for this one, quality meal for reasonable price but not quite on the same level as neighbouring Vietnamese restaurants. Good good none the less.

Firstly, I have to say I had really high hopes for District 1 after hearing all the buzz. While I enjoyed my banh mi, there was not enough crispy pork belly and too much grilled onion. I think this must have just been bad timing as I’ve seen other people’s photos of what looks like banh mi overflowing with pork. My friend had the duck Viet spring rolls, which contained slightly warm slices of perfectly cooked duck — delicious! Overall, it was ok, just let down by the banh mi. I will still go back and try other stuff on the menu.

Such a fantastic little place! We were here for an early lunch so thankfully missed the lunch crowd. Service was fab with the loveliest, friendliest ladies making recommendations.
Love the simple yet effective décor too with the unmistakable taste of Vietnam. The food was absolutely delightful especially the prawns wrapped in potato noodles and pork belly banh mi. The prawns were perfectly cooked and the potato noodles were beautifully crispy! The banh mi was delicious with just the right amount of crunch to the baguette. Also had the Vietnamese iced coffee which is in fact a frappé. Being a slow drinker, it lasted me all day!
Will definitely be back at this casual little joint shortly!

District 1 is a very welcome addition to Chinatown and a very slick operation with a lot to love but a few limitations are holding it back from becoming a top flight destination for Viet cuisine.
Chinatown has a number of quirks about it when taken as a whole. What it does well, it does exceptionally well. Thai Wi Rat and Enjoy Inn produce some of the finest Thai and Cantonese food in Brisbane. There’s a really terrific tier of restaurants under them of places such as Green Tea, Red Lotus and Chinahouse which produce exceptionally nice food at great prices and both Yuen’s and Burlington are highly dependable and comprehensive supermarkets.
But there’s frankly a lot of filler restaurants that are just not particularly good, and certainly very few that rise to the level of quality that is standard in Sunnybank or Darra and most of West End. These days the better are found in the surrounding streets.
This is a real pity because for years and years, Chinatown was the perfect spot for an unlimited variety of cheap and cheerful eastern dining. This is no particular restaurant’s fault, but a change of direction and some innovation would be very welcome.
And District 1 is absolutely a step in the right direction. The layout is very on trend with counter service, a very casual vibe, keenly competitive pricing, no reservations and a small menu with a large selection of shared and snack options.
It’s fantastic to see a Viet owned and operated restaurant taking on this trend and owning it. District 1 is active on social and pushing word-​of-​mouth hard. Like them or otherwise, and I do, these are the directions restaurants and diners are moving in.
Over two very pleasant visits, one on a public holiday Monday afternoon and one on a Wednesday after work, there’s every sign this is paying off.
On both occasions it was bustling with a younger set and tables were at a premium.
I haven’t tried their banh mi, still an oddly hard-​to-​find commodity in a city with a mature Vietnamese dining culture, but people are raving about them.
The rice paper rolls are fantastic and it’s great to see Viet barbecue featuring prominently.
What Vietnamese cooks can do with a charcoal grill is astounding, so it’s great to see it deployed liberally across the menu including betel wrapped grilled beef in the noodle salad section.
It’s a lovely dish and so is the bun bo hue I tried on my first visit but here’s where we hit a hurdle. They are both quite good. There is nothing wrong with them at all. Absolutely nothing in either is bad, but there’s a bit missing.
There’s a blandness to these dishes that I found slightly but not terminally jarring. I’m used to ordering a side of fresh chilli, I take my food with a preference towards volcanic. The chilli that arrived wasn’t bird’s eye but the longer variety, which is an insight into what’s going on.
Both dishes were in need of punching up, more herb, more chilli, more fish sauce and more sugar. In clarity, I am not suggesting these are bad dishes per se, but in a city where most people have been eating Viet for a very, very long time, a restaurant can be less restrained and take greater risks with their seasoning.
Don’t let this put you off. Really, really do try District 1, it’s a great little spot and the prices are fantastic. It’s also new and there’s plenty of time to grow the menu and refine their offering.
The Valley is changing and it’s fantastic to see a Chinatown restaurant taking that evolution head on.

Newly opened on Ann st at the corner of the Chinatown mall. Run by some lovely people and has some great food. The duck rice paper rolls are delicious and the pork dumplings are good as well.
My pick is the pork belly banh mi. Crispy pork belly, warm bread. Definitely work checking out.

Hands down one of the best Banh Mi’s I’ve ever had (pork belly)! So authentic, sweet little Vietnamese street food hide out; you’d walk past without noticing it. Cheap and cheerful vibe, fast and friendly service, basic furnishings but cute. Good for a quick snack on the run, lunch break for the locals, or a light and simple dinner before hitting the Valley bar scene.

This has to be the best restaurant in Brisbane for Vietnamese street food! My boyfriend & I shared the pork belly band mi, Peking duck rice paper rolls (which were made to order & not pre-​made like a lot of Vietnamese places) & the sweet potato chips with cinnamon & syrup … Delicious!!! The food food was fresh & authentic … Highly recommended for a cheap & cheerful dinner with friends! :)

Great little Vietnamese place at top end of Brunswick Mall (opposite Cloudland).
Only discovered this place recently but LOVING having a good authentic Vietnamese place to go.
Everything is made fresh — rice paper rolls are SO good — Bahn Mi is amazing & HUGE, bread is so crusty and awesome in thay special way that Vietnamese rolls should be.
Staff are super friendly and will greet and say goodbye to almost everyone who comes in & out.
Other faves include the Vietnamese Iced Coffee or Lemon Soda. Also save room for the Sweet Potato Fries, which come in sweet or savoury… Haven’t tried sweet out as yet but it intrigues me…
Looks a bit meh from the front walking past but do come in — well worth it