Bon Cafe

Delicious!
Had the Combo A (a Banh Mi, a springroll and pop). I ordered theire special Banh Mi and it was delicious. As I expect from a Banh Mi! The springroll was hot and crispy.
Service was not the best but the Banh Mi is good enough to return again.

One of my main staples is viet food. This place has great rice dishes. Phở is on point with good portions. Price is average so can’t complain. To feed 4 adults and 5 kids cost $ 96 with 15% tip. Server was super nice and friendly.
I had one of there special dishes. It’s 15.95 and the flavors blended very well with each other. I quite liked. the Salad that comes with it making it feel lighter. Also gives you the option to make a lettuce wrap. I suggest sharing as its actually enough for 2. Will come back with the fam for sure.

Stellar banh mi, and really excellent spring rolls. Inexpensive, particularly in relation to portions and quality. Atmosphere: very casual. They have photos on the tables of a cross-​section of their dishes, all of which look worthy — I’m taking it as a challenge. It is tough to deviate from the banh mi, though, when they are so good.

My dad and I come here whenever my mom is out of town. We always get the same thing but tonight, my dad tried something new.
I either go for the bun or no. 13.
The food is consistent which is what I like.

Definitely a hidden gem, I’ve passed by this place so many times over the years and have always wondered how they’re still in business, must be very sketchy, probably bad food. I wish my gf and I could go back in time so that she can convince me to try out this place sooner.
When you see this place, you may likely have a similar thought as me, you walk in and you can see the entire restaurant including the kitchen, less than 10 tables, seats maybe 20 ppl max. 2 ladies run the entire place, very small, however never cramped, the place was almost empty each time I’ve gone ever since my first visit. However in an average 1 hour stay, there’s usually 5 – 6 take out orders, regulars coming in to pick up their order, I guess that’s what they cater to mostly, I’m curious about how good their take out phở would be, haven’t found a place that has good take out phở yet as the noodles usually become really soggy.
The BBH is by far my favorite of anywhere in Vancouver, generous serving size, perfected broth, noodles are firm and chewy. I’m not a fan of bean sprouts with my bbh, however if you are then you will enjoy their extremely fresh looking bean sprouts. Along with the usual bean sprouts, chili pepper, and lime, banana blossoms and some green banana blossom looking things are provided. One of the ladies went on to explain that traditionally you are supposed to eat BBH with both the banana blossom and the green thing. I tried it once and enjoyed it, however will probably just stick with the banana blossoms as that’s what my taste buds are used to. I will definitely be going back here again and again to try out different dishes.
Pictures to come next time!

I dig this place.
Comfortable, cheap, and good. Bahn mi and phở lunch combo is rad if you come with an appetite.
And a totally random side note: Being someone with a peanut allergy, I always feel a bit nervous going out for south east asian food, but had a great talk with one of the owners, who’s son is also allergic to peanuts. The owner was able to put me at total ease with my order. Great guy.

My mom and I came in at noon for lunch and were seated immediately. We noticed the combo menu and got to have a Viet sub and phở for $ 11. The broth of the phở is sweet, and the noodles are good nicely cooked. Coffee is standard, but it is oh so delicious (not recommended for the caffeine intolerant, haha). The ladies were nice, and there was pleasant music in the background as we ate. Would come back again!

Went here for the second time and I had their chicken sandwich. Chicken is so tasty and their bread is fresh and crunchy. I’ve heard they make good bubble tea too, definitely going to try it next time.

Great food. One of go to places
I have had their special sandwiches and their specialty phở. All delicious
But my favourite dish is he lemon grass chicken.
Price and portions are right!

Awesome banh mi’s! This place is a total hidden gem that gets overshadowed by their popular neighbour, Au Petite! If you don’t want to wait in line at Au Petite down the street, come here! Its just as good! I got their grilled pork banh mi, and it was delicious! They have a couple of lunch combos all under $ 10!
I’ve heard good things about their phở too, the broth which is made out of real pork bone!
Low prices, quick service, no frills! Whats not to like?

Best phở in town, hands down. Every element of it is fresh and prepared with great care and quality. This is definitely the only place I’ve been to that serves Bun Bo Hue authentically (so not just a regular phở and slap on some chili oil). Their broth has a lot of depth. Like the reviewer below, they offer the banana blossoms and other traditional herbs. The wait is slightly longer than at fast food Vietnamese restaurants but the bowl is worth it.
I stay away from the sandwiches and recommend anything with noodles. Even their Cambodian-​style mixed egg noodle with seafood was AMAZING. It’s tossed with a sweet and salty soy dressing and tons of fresh toppings.
The only down is their stupidly early hours of closing (8pm).

A friend and I met up for lunch some innocuous weekday for lunch. He said he felt that he was coming down with something and wanted to go to a hot soup place for lunch. We settled on Beefy Beef on Main Street. I showed up a bit early (a touch before 11 am) and discovered Beefy Beef closed. A quick phone call later and he suggested Phở Bön (Bön Café I guess).
I’ve driven by this place 150,000 times if i’ve driven by it once! This constituted the first time I’ve ever walked through their doors… What did I discover? Nothing overly special or unique… just your ho hum, run of the mill, family Vietnamese restaurant/​café.
My friend and I shared a couple of salad rolls and I had their meatball soup. Both dishes were the same as you would encounter from any typical Vietnamese joint. Here’s a question… Do all Vietnamese restaurants get their salad roll from the same place, because it sure looks and tastes like it!
In a world drowning in average this place is another bucket of cold water in an ocean of mediocrity! Next please! :)

I’m giving the Bön Café 3 stars because the bubble teas were actually quite good and fresh. Other then that, the lit up sign boasting «Vancouver’s best Vietnamese spring rolls!» was not up to par. They were too small and just regular, nothing amazing or best about it. And the Vietnamese sandwich was lacking in ingredients and somewhat dry. If I do go back, it will only be for the bubble tea when I need a nice cool treat.

My go to place for bun no hue. I like that they are one of the few places that offer traditional herbs like you would see in Saigon. It’s always a no fail phở place and although their sandwiches aren’t as good as au petit I think their phở is much much better.

Good phở but a few vegetarian dishes that lots of Phở places don’t have.

Five stars just for being that reliable, go-​to place.
There’s a few things I think are excellent — the coffee is strong, one of the best in town. The grilled short beef is like butter (although sometimes it can be a little too fatty) and so flavorful.
The good — lemongrass chicken which comes with a giant salad, a beautifully fresh dish. Phở, banh mi, beef stew, hot and sour soup are all reliable and it seems like exactly the same, delicious, every single time I order it. The bubble teas are pretty good although later in the day the pearls can be a little on the hard side. But they use fresh fruit and juices if you order it that way, and it can be actually a really healthy drink if you get it without sugar.
The ok — the spring rolls are not the best in town, and I’m not crazy about the combination they use for peanut sauce that comes with the salad rolls.
Wish they closed a little later, but they are open 7 days a week. Prices are exceptionally reasonable.
It’s a small place, essentially for take-​out, but I’m surprised by how many people eat in (and the number of «large» groups of 6 – 7 that frequent the place, large for such a tiny establishment) and how packed it can get sometimes. I eat in occasionally, they keep it clean and tidy, just not a lot of atmosphere to it. Really nice owners once you get to know them, and they take a lot of pride in their food. I will never stop coming here.

Another hole-​in-​the-​wall Vietnamese place.
Parking is available along Main, as well as 33^rd.
The interior is quite plain, but decent. There are nice colourful pictures of the various food items underneath the table glass, which is helpful for the more obscure dishes.
Food is very reasonable, at $ 7 – 9 for most combos.
The lemon grass chicken on rice I had also came with a spring roll and a small bowl soup (special mention) — this makes it a better deal than many other places. What I liked was that the salad portion was a bit larger, and the rice portion a bit smaller. Somewhat healthier eating. The dish was pretty good.
This place closes early, so be sure to get in there while you can.

Bön Café is like that old pair of sweatpants with holes that you own but will never give it up because even though they’re not the greatest, it’s reliable and comfortable.
I’ve been here a few times now, the food is consistently good, it’s never too busy and unlike Au Petit Café they never sell out of their Banh Mi by 6 pm.
I know I’ll be back in the future when I’m in the mood for some Vietnamese but not for being too adventurous.

I’ve been here many times over the years and tried everything on the menu, so I thought I would give a veteran’s review of this delightful spot.
Bön’s is the iron of the restaurant world. It may not be flashy like gold, or have that rare shine of platinum, but it’s a steady, reliable go-​to when you need food and are too hungry to think.
Why do I keep coming back, when there are lots of restaurants on Main? Because I’ve never once had a bad meal here, and you can easily have dinner for two for under 20 dollars. If you’re looking for a guiltless after work meal that won’t drain away all the money that you just earned, this is a good spot. The staff are always friendly, service is usually quick, and unlike Au Petit (which is amazing, and totally worth the wait if you’re not in dire straights), you can pretty much roll up at any time of day and get a seat. Like I said, it’s the iron of the food world, the place to go when you just need something cheap, reliable, and filling.
As for what to order… the phở is good, the broth is hearty and warming and the noodles have good consistency. The toppings are always fresh with a good cooling crunch to them. My favorite item on the menu is the lemongrass chicken on vermicelli or rice, which comes with lots of crisp veggies to freshen up composition of the meal. The ban mi is decent, but I really prefer the rice/​noodle dishes, because they have a good mix of veggies/​meat/​grains. I always leave feeling nourished with a dash of indulgence, without having to clean out my wallet.
So if you’re reading this with a hunger headache and the need to eat something NOW, then look no further. Bön’s has got your back.

With Au Petite Café a block away, it is highly unlikely that I will ever return here.
My banh mi was quite dry, and somewhat flavourless on a toasted roll with a unique addition — cilantro dental floss. Apparently the individual who crafted my sandwich decided to put full stems of cilantro on my sandwich rather than just the more tender leaves, so I was stuck fishing 4 inch ropey, unchewable cilantro stems from my mouth every second bite — yech!
Thank goodness I read Marc D’s recommendation about the Little Mountain Coffee Company which is located right across the street and was able to wash down the not great Bön Café food with a delicious espresso.