Cali Sandwich & Pho
Vietnamese restaurant · Midtown
2900 Travis St # F, Houston, TX 77006
Highlights
Legendary banh mi & pho institution; affordable, authentic Vietnamese comfort food
Legendary banh mi & pho institution; affordable, authentic Vietnamese comfort food
"The temple many Houstonians look to for bánh mì is Cali Sandwiches & Phở in Midtown. It’s an institution. It’s our collective sandwich mascot. The seating may be a little uncomfortable, and the service slightly chaotic, but the bánh mì are really f*cking good. The bread is crispy, the pork is smoky, and the mayo is some kind of mythical, fatty, rich concoction that does things that normal mayo doesn’t do. Cali is usually pretty busy for lunch, and it’s always crushed with to-go orders. But despite all the frenzy, the food comes out fast, hot, and exploding with flavor, especially the phở (but you should definitely order a sandwich). What to order: bánh mì dặc biệt or thịt nướng, phở tái nam" - chelsea thomas, nicolai mccrary
"Cali Sandwich & Pho sits right across Midtown from the McGowan stop and happens to serve the best bánh mì in the city. The bread is crispy, the pork is smoky, and the mythical mayo-butter concoction tastes handed down straight from Mount Olympus. And the iced Vietnamese coffee from Cali will keep you awake for at least 36 hours so you watch every single pig race and wonder if you just ate someone’s cousin." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas
"The temple many Houstonians look to for bánh mì is Cali Sandwiches & Phở in Midtown. It’s an institution. The seating may be a little uncomfortable, and the service slightly chaotic, but the bánh mì are really f*cking good and satisfying. The crispy bread is smeared with a mythical, fatty, rich mayo concoction that does things regular mayo doesn’t. Each sandwich gets stuffed to the absolute limit with fillings like grilled pork or fried tofu, but somehow there’s more in there, like a Mary Poppins bag of marinated meaty goodness. We salute you, sandwich overlords. What to order: any bánh mì" - chelsea thomas
"While we would confess our love for Cali’s food, especially the mayo-slathered banh mi, the restaurant doesn’t make us yearn to flirt and playfully feed someone vermicelli. Maybe it’s the constant in-and-out of delivery drivers or the family who runs the place yelling back and forth. Maybe it’s just the uncomfortable booth seats that move around if you sit down too hard. And while the food is worth all the romance in the world, the couples dining here are just trying to enjoy a solid meal, not each other." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas
"Cali Sandwiches & Pho is always busy. The seating may be a little uncomfortable, and the service slightly chaotic, but the banh mi are really f*cking good. The bread is crispy, the pork is smoky, and the mayo is some kind of mythical, fatty, rich concoction that does things that normal mayo doesn’t do. Food comes out fast, hot, and exploding with flavor, especially the pho (but you should definitely order a sandwich). Primarily a to-go operation, you can take your order across the street to Midtown Park." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas
