Banh Mi Crunch

"Every time we stop by the counter-service spot Banh Mi Crunch in the Sunset, it’s packed—and for good reason. They’ve got eight different options served on a warm baguette that’s crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Each sandwich is generously filled with pickled daikon, carrot, cilantro, cucumber, and jalapeño that feels like it was just picked. While all the protein options are great, we love the juicy grilled pork and the crispy lemongrass beef the best. They only have a few seats that tend to fill up quickly—we suggest going on a short walk to Golden Gate Park and having a makeshift lunch picnic with your sandwich." - lani conway, ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1, patrick wong

"The Inner Sunset’s newest go-to for banh mi took over the former Midnite Bagel space and will give customers a bonus sandwich when they buy four. Already the store is littered with teenagers, boba in hand, looking for a relatively inexpensive sandwich and egg roll combo." - Dianne de Guzman, Paolo Bicchieri

"While there are plenty of great bánh mis around Little Saigon, if you find yourself on the west side of the city during the middle of the day, head to Banh Mi Crunch in the Inner Sunset. They’ve got eight different options, each with umami-rich fillings like the sliced grilled pork or the crispy lemongrass beef. Every sandwich is packed with the requisite pickled daikon, carrot, cilantro, cucumber, and jalapeño, all on a bread that’s crispy and crunchy on the outside while being delightfully soft on the inside. The sandwiches make for the easiest lunch option, but there’s also a big selection of rice and noodle plates that would make a great refueling meal after a long morning at work. And if you’re looking for even more bánh mì, we’ve got a guide for that too. " - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez

"Banh Mi Crunch is the best bánh mì shop west of Van Ness. They have eight options, each with rich fillings like sliced grilled pork or crispy lemongrass beef. Every sandwich is packed to the brim, all on bread that’s crispy on the outside and delightfully soft on the inside. The sandwiches are the best thing to get—and the most portable lunch option, which is important when there are only a few seats inside—but the big rice and noodle plates are an excellent heftier pick." - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez

"The bánh mì at Banh Mi Crunch in the Sunset might be the first reason you’re here, but the garlic noodles at this Vietnamese standby are more than worth a second look. You can get them two ways: alone or as a substitution on a BBQ rice plate (we like the Crunch Plate with a juicy pork chop the best). Either way, these noodles are juicy, tender, buttery, and hot, and slurping them is just like biting into a clove of garlic. Just keep in mind, this is mostly a lunch spot, so make sure to swing by before they close at 7pm. " - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez