Located on Tran Cao Van street, about 1 km from Hoi An market, Madam Khanh bakery has long become a familiar address for both local and tourists.
On the tripAdvisor travel site, this place is called The Banh Mi Queen and received nearly 3,000 reviews, most of which praised the flavor, crispiness of the cakes and the rich filling.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Loc - the restaurant owner, known by the title "The Banh Mi Queen" - she used to sell sweet soup, then switched to selling bread for more than 60 years.
In the early days, the shop was not named, until a Western tourist came to eat and named it after her husband, Mr. Khanh.
Before opening the shop, Ms. Loc went to all the famous bakeries in Hoi An to try, then researched and created her own recipe.
Currently, every day, she and her family have to wake up early to prepare ingredients. The banh da was taken from a reputable kiln in the city, contributing to the shop's unique flavor.
The shop is open from around 8am to 7pm every day. The menu includes 6 types of bread: mixed, chicken, pork - sausage, fried eggs, grilled meat and vegetarian bread. Prices range from 25,000 VND to 30,000 VND.
cru cruce bread - the most popular dish - includes pork, chicken, sausage, eggs, pate, egg sauce, with vegetables and papaya salad.
Vegetarian bread is sold on the full moon day, the first day of the lunar month or as requested, with fillings including eggs, tofu or cheese, vegetables, tomatoes, papaya, cucumber.
All types of fillings are eaten with a milk juice mixed with a special recipe, creating a different fatty and fragrant flavor. Diners can sit and eat on the spot or bring the cake to neighboring coffee shops.
Ms. Phuong Thuy (Thai Nguyen) commented: "The bread is very big and full. I had to ask the restaurant to cut them in half to eat them all. The price of 30,000 VND per bowl is cheap compared to the quality, especially in Hoi An".
A foreign tourist with a Ruth C account also shared on TripAdvisor: We were introduced to the Banh Mi Queen by a local tailor. It looks like a sidewalk restaurant on the outside, but the tables inside and in the attic are almost full. This is the best bread I have ever eaten.
Bread is a popular street food in Vietnam, made from French baguette but adjusted in size and filling. Depending on the region, the filling has variations, creating diversity.
In fact, Vietnamese bread is honored on international culinary rankings, including the Top 14 best street foods in the world voted by Taste Atlas in 2023 and the Top 23 best meat bread in the world voted by CNN Travel in 2021.
In Hoi An, the success of Madam Khanh bread is considered a combination of traditional recipes, adjusted to suit international tastes, stable prices and quick service.
Although not located in the center of the old quarter, the restaurant is always crowded from opening until moving out, becoming one of the city's prominent culinary brands.
