This amazing little sandwich has only been around for a handful of decades. Starting in the late 1800s Vietnam was occupied by the French. Among many cultural influences, they brought with them their famous baguette. Initially the sandwich was made with French ingredients as fillings and it was called the bánh tay.

The French occupation ended in 1954 and soon after, the Vietnamese began changing the recipe and adding their own ingredients. These included thinly sliced grilled meats, pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, chili sauce, and other local foods. The name was changed to bánh mì which literally translates to ‘bread made from wheat’. This hybrid food was also a culture shift for the Vietnamese as it would mean a carbohydrate alternative to rice, which was previously a part of every meal. Thus, the bánh mì was born.