"Industry vets Gracie Nguyen and Chad Newton opened their fast-casual banh mi shop in August 2020, and it’s been a favorite ever since. When lunchtime rolls around, those hankering for a solid sandwich turn to East Side Banh Mi for a casual, come-as-you-are meal. While the restaurant’s been recently renovated, you’ll still find tasty iterations of the Vietnamese staple on freshly baked baguettes with high-quality fillings for both meat lovers and vegetarians, including pork, chopped steak, Impossible meatballs, and chile crisp tofu. The noodle bowls are a hit too, especially when paired with East Side’s toasted peanut rice milk. —JGJ" - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones, Ellen Fort