Bánh Anh Em: A Taste of Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine in the East Village

Bánh Anh Em Introduce

In a city with an ever-expanding food scene, Bánh Anh Em stands out as a genuine destination for those seeking a true taste of Vietnam. Located in the lively East Village, this intimate and charming restaurant has quickly become a favorite for its authentic flavors and commitment to quality. The moment you arrive, you’ll notice the bustling, yet cozy, atmosphere, a clear sign of its popularity among a loyal and growing customer base. Bánh Anh Em offers a menu that goes beyond the usual fare, showcasing a breadth of Vietnamese dishes that are both deeply traditional and thoughtfully prepared.

The restaurant's core philosophy seems to be a focus on freshness and authenticity. A notable highlight is their house-baked bread, which is used for their highly-praised Bánh Mì sandwiches. This attention to detail elevates simple dishes into something special. Customers rave about the delicious, freshly made noodles and the use of vibrant, well-balanced ingredients in their noodle soups and other mains. While the space is modest, it creates a lively and engaging atmosphere, making it a great spot for a casual lunch or a lively dinner with friends.

Bánh Anh Em caters to a diverse crowd, identifying as both family-friendly and an LGBTQ+ friendly, transgender safe space. This welcoming and inclusive environment, combined with a menu that offers healthy and flavorful options, makes it a comfortable place for anyone to enjoy a great meal. Whether you're a solo diner looking for a quick bite or a group ready to share a variety of dishes, Bánh Anh Em provides a lovely combination of quality, hospitality, and a genuinely authentic culinary experience.

Location and Accessibility

Bánh Anh Em is conveniently situated at 99 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003, USA. Its location in the East Village places it in one of the city's most dynamic and accessible neighborhoods. The area is a hub of activity, with a mix of residential buildings, other restaurants, and a vibrant street scene.

The restaurant is committed to accessibility, featuring a wheelchair-accessible entrance, restroom, and seating. This thoughtful design ensures that a wide range of customers can comfortably enjoy the dining experience. While the space is described as intimate and can fill up quickly, the staff is known for their swift and efficient service, making the wait manageable for eager diners. For those driving, paid street parking is available, though given the city's nature, it's often more convenient to rely on public transportation or walking.

The fact that the restaurant is a walk-in-only spot for dinner adds to its lively, spontaneous feel. It's a place where you can line up with anticipation, knowing that a delicious and well-crafted meal awaits you inside. The location on a main avenue also makes it a great spot for a quick and easy takeout order for those on the go.

Services Offered

Bánh Anh Em offers straightforward and efficient services to accommodate its clientele's needs.

Dine-in: Experience the full menu and the lively atmosphere of the restaurant with their dine-in service.
Takeout: For those in a hurry or who prefer to eat at home, the takeout service is a popular and convenient option.
Lunch and Dinner: The restaurant serves a full menu for both lunch and dinner, catering to both midday cravings and evening meals.

Features and Highlights

Bánh Anh Em is celebrated for a number of features that make it a standout Vietnamese spot in New York.

House-baked bread: The restaurant's signature Bánh Mì sandwiches are made with bread baked fresh on-site, a feature that significantly enhances the quality and flavor.
Authentic Flavors: The dishes, like the noodle soups, are praised for their rich umami and balanced flavors, with no overpowering fishiness.
Diverse Menu: The menu extends beyond typical pho offerings to include unique dishes like Bún Chả Hà Nội, Cơm Tấm, and Bánh Xèo, providing a broad taste of Vietnamese cuisine.
Healthy and Comforting: The food strikes a perfect balance between healthy options and comforting classics, allowing diners to feel satisfied but not weighed down.
Inclusive Atmosphere: The restaurant is known for its family-friendly and LGBTQ+ friendly environment, making it a comfortable space for everyone.
Great Bánh Bèo: A particularly praised dish is the Bánh Bèo, which is noted for its excellent texture and delicious toppings.

Contact Information

For any inquiries about the menu or the restaurant's hours, you can use the following contact information.

Address: 99 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003, USA

Phone: (833) 674-5878

The staff is known for being attentive and efficient, ensuring that your visit or call is a smooth and pleasant experience.

What is Worth Choosing

For a truly rewarding dining experience in the East Village, Bánh Anh Em is a top contender. What makes it particularly worth choosing is its dedication to authenticity and quality, which elevates its food above many other options in the city. The Bánh Mì is an absolute must-try, with the freshly baked, crunchy bread serving as the perfect foundation for a flavorful sandwich. The house-made components, like the cold cuts in the O.G. Bánh Mì, highlight the attention to detail that sets this place apart. While some sandwiches might have a lot of mayo for certain preferences, the quality of the bread and ingredients shines through.

Another standout is the Bánh Bèo. A reviewer noted this as the "best dish of the night," praising the firm texture of the steamed rice and the satisfying crunch of the fried toppings. It's a dish that showcases the restaurant's ability to execute a variety of Vietnamese specialties with care. The noodle soups are also highly recommended, with one customer highlighting the rich, balanced broth. Despite the absence of beef pho, the chicken pho and other noodle dishes offer plenty of delicious options. While some might feel that the NYC Vietnamese food scene is lacking, Bánh Anh Em is a testament to the quality that can be found. It is a place that successfully combines the casual ease of a neighborhood spot with the high standards of a true culinary destination.

Bánh Anh Em Details

Service options
Takeout
Dine-in

Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible restroom
Wheelchair accessible seating
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Offerings
Coffee
Comfort food
Healthy options
Quick bite

Dining options
Lunch
Dinner

Amenities
Restroom

Atmosphere
Casual

Crowd
Family-friendly
LGBTQ+ friendly
Transgender safespace

Parking
Paid street parking

Bánh Anh Em Photos

Bánh Anh Em Location

Bánh Anh Em

New York New York County New York 3rd Avenue

99 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003, USA

Bánh Anh Em Reviews

An average rating of ★4.2 from 145 user reviews.

bánh mìbanh cuonbánh bèobun rieupateexecutedbanh xeobo neumamibun cha

★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

I had the pleasure of dining at this charming little spot with two friends, and from the moment we arrived, the experience left a lasting impression. We got there about 30 minutes before the restaurant opened at 6 PM. The short wait outside was quite manageable, especially since my friends had arrived early and we were able to chat and enjoy the anticipation. When the doors open, I immediately noticed the intimate size of the space. Though modest in square footage, it quickly filled with eager diners, creating an atmosphere that felt both lively and inviting. We opted for a shared experience and ordered a variety of dishes to truly sample the breadth of the menu. Our selections included: Bún Chả Hà Nội, Cơm Tấm Special Combo Rice Plate, Bánh Cuốn Hà Nội, Bánh Xèo, Bánh Bèo, Bánh Mì Bò Nướng (Grilled Ribeye Steak Sandwich), Egg Cream Iced Coffee, Minted Honey Lime Drink and Rosé from Italy (Red Wine). Every dish, expect for one, was thoughtfully prepared and brimming with flavor. The Grilled Ribeye Steak Bánh Mì, unfortunately, fell short—it lacked the depth and seasoning I had hoped for, and it's not something I would order again. However, the rest of the meal more than made up for it. The noodle soup was a standout—rich in umami, beautifully balanced, and delightfully free of any overpowering fishiness. Each plate that arrived was vibrant, fresh, and clearly crafted with care. The service was swift and efficient, with a staff that remained attentive without being overbearing. Despite indulging in a hearty spread, I left feeling satisfied but not weighed down—something I deeply appreciate in a well-executed Vietnamese meal. One curious note: I was surprised to see only chicken pho on the menu, with no beef pho option. I do wonder about the reasoning behind that, but it certainly won’t stop me from returning. This restaurant offers a lovely combination of quality, hospitality, and atmosphere. I look forward to my next visit.
August 05 · Linda L
Decent food with good service, but the fact that this is considered a top Viet spot in NYC proves how sad the Viet food scene is here. Not worth waiting forWaited for about 45 min before opening and was seated at a table. Pork belly bahn mi had wayy too much mayo and veggies and not enough meat. The bread was very good though but it was so messy from the amount dripping melted mayo.Vermicelli bowl had decent flavor, but the noodles came out steaming hot and because of that, was overcooked and mushy a few minutes after it was served. The texture and freshness would have been much better if the noodles were rinsed under cold water like other restaurants do.Bahn cuon Hanoi was OK, don’t recommendThe bahn beo was the best dish of the night. The firm steamed rice Texture along with the crunch of the fried toppings was really good. You should def add some pickled garlic / liquid and the chili oil if you like spice.Service was solid.Overall, a slightly above Viet restaurant in nyc but is def worse than soo many cheaper and readily accessible ones in other cities. Admittedly waiting in the heat and humidity impacted this review
June 19 · Frank
The pho was absolutely incredible, the flavor of the broth and the noodles worked well together. The bahn mi was great too, the bread was probably the best bahn mi bread I have had, perfectly crunchy and the portion sizes were great. The morning glory dish was good, although the sauce it was cooked in was flavorful it was a little too buttery for me. My girlfriends coconut milk coffee was fantastic although my pandan ice tea was not very flavorful, felt like water with a faint pandan flavor. Service was great and the wait was about 15 min to get in on a Saturday at 9 pm.
May 11 · Vishal Merani
We came here as a group of 4 Tuesday 8/5 around 6:15pm to join the waitlist. The wait was 1.5 hours. We ordered pho ga dac biet, bun rieu, banh cuon, and banh xeo. We asked for cilantro on the side and the waitress (bleach purplish hair, northern Vietnamese accent) confirmed. However, when she confirmed everything again, she said “scallion cilantro ok” in Vietnamese. I told her scallion ok but cilantro not ok, she proceeded to give me attitude and yelled at us saying she meant scallion and white onion. After getting yelled at for reminding her no cilantro, I still managed to find cilantro in our pho ga dac biet and no cilantro on the side. The bowl pho ga arrived and I’ve never seen a more sad bowl of pho (photo attached is how the pho arrived untouched), especially coming from a restaurant that is marketed all over social media as “one of the best Viet restaurants in NYC”. One thing to note is that prior to opening, they market themselves as making the pho noodles fresh themselves, but after eating, you can tell it’s not fresh as some noodles were still hard from dried noodles not being boiled long enough. Bun cha Ha Noi came with only meat and vermicelli and the waitress didn’t tell us that veggies were coming, we waited a few minutes for the veggies before asking them, but when asked we got some attitude as if we should’ve known that the veggie that is part of the dish comes 5 minutes after the rest of the dish comes 😮‍💨. The banh cuon was the only highlight, but everything else was not worth the 1.5 hours wait. Tell me, do waiting 1.5 hours and paying over $100 for the total bill just to eat some mid Vietnamese food and get yelled at by the waitress worth it? To me it’s a hard pass ☺️
August 09 · anh
It brings many Vietnamese street foods to the table, such as the popular Vietnamese sandwich, which really stands out. The bread, in particular, is excellent—crispy and flavorful thanks to the butter and careful toasting. The portions are small, but that’s a good thing because it lets you try a variety of dishes. To me, it feels just like authentic street food—definitely worth a visit.
June 06 · Junnan Liao