n. lee bakery cafe, south melbourne

Banh mi for lunch, anyone?

I have recently taken to visiting N.Lee Bakery Cafe (234 Clarendon St, South Melbourne) during my work lunch breaks to grab takeaway Vietnamese sandwiches - banh mi - for a change.

The staff here are cheerful, friendly, and generous with their smiles, even during peak hour. If you get there around 1pm, be prepared for a queue, but the wait generally isn't too bad. They make the banh mi to order, and the meat is heated up in a pan so it's still warm in the roll when it gets to you. If you like a bit of a kick to your banh mi (and I so, so do), remember to ask for chilli.

Their banh mi aren't the cheapest you can get in Melbourne, but at around the $7 mark they are still pretty good value for a tasty lunch, considering we're in a more expensive suburb here. The bread roll is crisp, the vegetables fresh, the meat warm and juicy.

Here is the grilled pork banh mi. (I only wish the meat didn't have that artificial red colouring.)

Grilled pork banh mi from N.Lee Bakery Cafe in South Melbourne. ($6.80)

And here is the chicken banh mi.

Chicken breast banh mi from N.Lee Bakery Cafe in South Melbourne. ($6.80)

I have only ever been to the South Melbourne shop, and I'm satisfied with both the service and the food there, but I hear they also have stores in CBD and Collingwood. If I happen to be craving a sandwich when I'm in those areas, I guess I know where I can go!