Cali Sandwich & Pho

"The banh mi might just be the unofficial sandwich of Houston, and at Cali Sandwich, you can choose from grilled barbecue pork, shredded chicken, and more for under $6. Bowls of pho are equally reasonable — a small size starts at $9, but springing for the large for a dollar more is never a bad idea." - Sean Hekmat, Megha McSwain, Eater Staff

"This Midtown staple is consistently busy during lunch hours when guests crowd in to take advantage of the fast service, good value, and variety of Vietnamese dishes. Find flavorful beef, grilled chicken, barbecue pork, and meatball banh mi, built on bread that offers a nice crust on the outside and a fluffy butteriness on the inside. Dining on a budget? Many options are under $6." - Minh Truong, Brittany Britto Garley

"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, raphael brion

"While Cali is king for bánh mì, it’s also the grand duke of phở. Every bowl arrives steaming as if powered by its own internal heat source. Thin, delicious circles of fat dot the broth’s surface coating the entire soup with full, rich flavor. At $12 for a combination beef bowl, this phở can and will fill you up for an entire day, so throw on some stretchy pants if you plan on taking on a large order.  " - 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