Nam Son Bakery

The banh mi dau hu (tofu) is fantastic and the bread they use is soooo divine. The restaurant itself is also clean. The sitting area could use an upgrade but other than that it’s a nice place to grab a cheap lunch.

Get the grilled pork with extra pickled veg, and grab a baguette to go. As a matter of fact, you’re crazy if you don’t grab a baguette to go! I can’t find a better bahn mi in the city.

Good spot for a Bahn Mi. I was really hoping that this place would blow me away, but perhaps it was an off night. Not my favorite Bahn Mi, but tasty nonetheless. The staff was incredibly friendly too.
#1 Cold Cut Bahn Mi:
In my opinion, this was the better of the two. Really good flavor, but I found it a little dry. Could just be me, but nothing sucks more than a sandwich that lacks moisture. A little more pâté or mayo would have gone a long way.
#7 Meatball with Tomato Sauce:
Good sauce, but I wasn’t crazy about it. I believe the woman said that this was their most popular menu item so I think it’s definitely worth a try.

The banh mi here is EVERYTHING. They make their own bread on site, which makes all the difference. You can also get a good café sua da. They don’t deliver, but if you’re feeling like a lazy blob, you can have it delivered through the Caviar app.

Love this bakery for the Banh Mi’s! Honestly, this is my favorite banh mi spot in Philadelphia. The bread, meat, fillings are all perfect. They have a decent selection and they offer a free banh mi for every 5 you buy.
I normally order large orders over the phone and pick them up. I’ve never had any issues. You can tell the owner cares about the quality of the banh mi.
Preference — Grilled Pork Banh Mi
Conclusion — Delicious and simple! Not a ton more needs to be said. When you need your fix, come by this spot!

I’ve been back here now maybe 4 or 5 times. It is such a good deal, for such a large sandwich. Why would you ever choose subway again! The BBQ pork is my go-​to. The bread is fresh and soft, the veggies and flavorful meet balance each other out perfectly. There is a nice selection of Vietnamese treats and pastries, which are fun to try out on occasion even though I have no idea what they are! The people who work there are really good at customer service– I ordered a bubble tea and it wasn’t sealed right and was leaking out the top. They poured it into a new cup, resealed it, made sure it wasn’t leaking, and put the whole thing in a bag in case it leaks again, without me having to ask them to do that.
To save some time– call ahead with your order. It takes about 15 mins. Parking can be tough on a weekend. Also, there is only one small table on site, so the sandwiches are best eaten on the comfort of your own couch!

I’m so glad I live 1 block from this place. I bestow 5 Stars based on the competition that exists in Philly for Bahn Mi. That being said, Nam Son would still get 4 stars if tucked away in a strip mall in Westchester, CA (Little Saigon, home to the largest Vietnamese population outside the mother country).
It’s all about the bread. It’s perfect. Now I’m not sure if they put butter on the BBQ Pork, but the kewpie mayo is still rich and tangy against all the pickled veggies.
Tonight I took it to go, walked about 1000m home in 40 degree weather, got my mail and a package at the front desk of building, had a weirdo encounter with a soliciting vagrant… and the sammie was still hot and toasty when I finally sat down to enjoy it!
I haven’t anything else from this joint, but who cares, the bahn mi is what it’s all about.

Amazing bahn mi and Vietnamese iced coffee. Best bread, and an unbeatable price. Can’t recommend highly enough.

The Banh Mi are huge and have a pretty generous amount of meat in them. They make the bread in house, and it has just the right balance between being chewy and crispy. I also found my favorite che with bananas and tapioca. Goi cuon (summer rolls) were pretty good. This place should not be missed if you are hungry for vietnamese snacks.

I love the regular cold cut banh mi and bbq pork banh mi, but my favorite has to be the tofu banh mi. Sweetened marinated tofu with pickled daikon and carrots. I love the fresh jalapeños. A great place to satisfy banh mi cravings.

I wish Nam Son’s banh mi were a person so I could fly it to Las Vegas and marry it. Is it legal to have an actual husband and a Vietnamese sandwich husband? I sure hope so.
I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with any of their options. You could pretty much put a sweaty gym sock in between that fantastic, crusty roll and still have your socks knocked off (pun intended). And don’t discount the tofu! I, and my carnivorous actual husband, both preferred it to the BBQ chicken, which was also extremely tasty.
Other things you need to know:
1. Come hungry! Banh mi isn’t the only thing you’re gonna want to get yourself into. Seriously. That whole counter of delicacies. All the drinks. And don’t even get me started on the items in the refrigerated area.
2. Come prepared to get it to go. It was not at all crowded when we went on a Saturday afternoon, but there are only like two tables. And if this place’s Best of Philly shout out is any indication of future popularity, those seats probably won’t be available when your banh mi craving hits.
3. Stop your Tindering now, you’ve just found your life partner. Better get your Elvis suit and Vegas flights ready.*
*No, you cannot make the Vietnamese coffee your maid of honor. Thanks TSA.

I’ve been there several times and always had a great experience. The Banh Mis are the best I’ve had in Philadelphia (or anywhere else). Pork, Chicken, Tofu are all delicious. They also have good cold drinks, bubble tea, and other baked goods. The prices are very fair, I always end up getting 2 sandwiches.

Very enjoyable meal! The owner was extremely friendly and went above and beyond to ensure that my partner and I had a great experience. We both ordered the tofu Bahn Mi ans enjoyed the sweet spicy balance. Amazingly affordable as well!

Wowza– perfect bread! They have loaves of it baking in the oven, and it smells lovely. I wonder how much it would be to just buy some bread… mmm…
Banh mi and café sua da hit the spot!
The entrance is in front of the Vietnamese complex, next to the main entrance (separate from the restaurant), and it offers your typical Vietnamese baked goodies. There are many types of banh mi and drinks!
*Parking lot on Sunday afternoons is CRAZY. I would park on a side street.

As a vegetarian, I obviously ordered the tofu bahn mi. The bread is perfect as well as the pickled veggies! I think the tofu is way too sweet, though. I understand why some may like this, but I prefer the tofu not to be too overwhelming and completely take over the flavor of the sandwich. To me, there is too much tofu and not enough veggies to balance out the sweetness of the tofu. I plan on giving it another shot given all the positive reviews, though!

Seems there are a ton of reviews related to the tofu bahn mi. I’m a meat eater so forget that tofu stuff and give me the BBQ pork bahn mi.
Traditional bahn mi — BBQ pork, carrots, daikon radish, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeños. The spiciness can vary greatly depending on the jalapeños they use, but that’s any dish really. I’ve had ones that taste like green peppers and some that burn my mouth off. Use the coconut or various other flavors of boba tea to cool it down.
Like another reviewer said, if there’s a better bahn mi in Philadelphia, I haven’t found it.

GET THE TOFU BANH MI. I am not a vegetarian, and I am obsessed with the tofu banh mi. I have tried the grilled chicken and shredded pork. Both were ok. I have had better banh mi in the city. However, the tofu banh mi is amazing. Well flavored and marinated tofu mixed with the salty and sour of the pickled radishes and carrots with the creamyish sauce on toasted, buttery French bread. It’s perfect. I do not enjoy the cilantro and jalapenos, but that comes with the sandwich as well. I am addicted to this sandwich.

Review of viet hoagie only. It seems the new name isn’t updated here on Unilocal… Either way the address is correct and the execution is basically the same the few times I’ve visited.
I’ve had the restaurants hoagie to go numerous times and I declare their hoagie the best in Philly. When they opened their own bakery, there was definitely higher expectations since they bake on premises.
There seems to always be a wait BC people order a lot of hoagies to go. I’m always unlucky and order after these people so my order takes longer than normal.
I’m a traditionalist… Vietnamese hoagie (cold cut). The proportion of meat, pâté, butter mayo, pickled vegetables, etc were ALWAYS on point. The bread is so amazing. Crunchy and soft and chewy… Everything just great.
Parking situation was weird the last time I went… It seems half the lot is fenced off now. Make the trip west of broad and order a hoagie and be amazed.

Went into the restaurant portion of Nam Son to order some Banh Mi’s, and the woman directed me to the bakery, which is smack dab in front of the restaurant.
Very cute and clean and they have way more banh mi selections than the restaurant. I went with the classic bbq pork, but was tempted by the beef stew hoagie. Aside from hoagies, they boast a bunch of bakery items and beverages. I got a coconut cream bun and it was probably one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
Hoagies are made on the spot, so expect to wait a bit. I would definitely recommend this place!

South Philly, 16^th & Washington Ave
Chicken banh mi sandwich: 4.5 stars. Wasn’t busy much in here. I have no idea how I never saw this place before. But I can’t wait to go back. Wish I lived closer by! And I can not wait when they make more fruity drinks in the summer (summer time only for some of these popular colorful Asian drinks).