Paris Bakery

Had a craving for a Vietnamese sub and now I’m happily sated!
Been to to many places that offer Vietnamese subs but they don’t measure up to this place. I always compare their Special Bahn mi. They always put in the standard head cheese (sandwich meat –Google it), can shaped meat ball slices (like homemade luncheon meat), pork liver pâté, shredded picked carrot and daikon (white radish), green onion and jalapeño peppers (optional heat which I love), cilantro, homemade mayonnaise and salt & pepper. They make it right away so maybe wait less than 5 mins mainly for them to toast the subs (a must to refresh the bread) which makes them crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside.
Never order Bahn mi from Phở restaurants as those places specialize in phở and usually make a disappointing sandwich using fatty pork slices instead of head cheese, use squishy meatball meat like sloppy joe meat but pork, use hoisin sauce or soy sauce, or even grill your bread instead of toasting it lightly. The Special or «Dac Biet» sub, apart from the pâté is a cold cut sub. Some places are so stingy with their meat, they put in a single paper thin slice of each meat but Paris gives you a decent amount.
And to top it off, they are the most economical at $ 4 (incl tax) for a Special sub. Other places that don’t even taste as good and make you wait and you pay $ 4.50−5.50 and some charge you GST on top.
I’ve decided to stop trying other places out of convenience when I have the craving an just see a random Vietnamese place offering Bahn mi. Been coming back to this place for subs since high school and now my eldest just started high school so it’s been a long time. You’ll love them and become addicted!

My favourite places in the neighbourhood to get bahn mi have closed down so I have been to this place a couple of times because of the lack of options in the area. The name is very misleading since it’s not a bakery and it’s not French. The display cases are pretty bare, the place is kind of dirty, the décor is cheap, some of tables/​chairs are wobbly, and the tables are covered with scattered old newspapers. I have tried the chicken sub and the pork sub. It was ok (I guess) but considering «bakery» is in the name I had hoped they would make their own bread and not use the packaged bread from a bag I saw behind the counter. What annoyed me the most was the horrible service. Both times I went, the place was almost empty and it still took a long time. The first time I went with a friend and her kids and the lady saw us come in but ignored us for a really long time and then took forever to start on our orders after she finally let us place them. She gave us a dirty look when my friend’s baby started fussing but he was only upset because he was hungry and didn’t like how we were sitting there for seemingly no reason. The second (and last) time I was there the lady was talking to some man who wasn’t even ordering food. They were just chatting. And again, she ignored me for about twenty minutes before she finally acknowledged me and let me place my order. The prices aren’t bad and there aren’t many places for bahn mi on the Drive anymore but taking half an hour to receive a sandwich that only takes a couple of minutes to make and especially when there is nobody with orders ahead of me is just plain ridiculous. Between the rude treatment, the time wasted, lack of cleanliness, and all for a sandwich that was just barely ok I do not recommend this place.

Love getting a banh mi (Vietnam Sammie) and coffee (hot or iced) from here for strolling around the drive.
I do not usually eat in but it is quite lively inside, especially when there is a game of any sort on. Regulars joint with chess and chatter.
Cash only.

Wait this is a bakery or café… really? The décor looks like a hole in the wall and not the good kind, there was barely anything in the display case, the general feel looked as though it was a pop up shop than a café you actually want to be in. The choices on the menu were less to be desired. Was I in the right place? I came here based on the Unilocal reviews, however, I feel as though I was in a completely different place all together.

Kinda want to give it a 4 for just being open on christmas day, hardworking, hole in the wall but good iced coffee & good salad roll if you’re into something bulky, including a chunk of cucumber instead of thinly slice, as pic shows lol.
Sell mostly baguette sandwiches & some fruity drinks, no phở bowls here. Even some individual bags of chips in display lol.
Lot more vermicelli than usual, thus after each bite, either it’s that or the skin’s not thick enough, but kudos to the dipping sauce, that was a bit hotter than usual but good.
but as w/​most corner locations, great eye view & total casual place. Today 2 big groups of men playing some card game & asian chess, couldn’t tell.
parking also avail on side street of Kitchener.

$ 5 meal.
Delicious banh mi (Vietnamese sub) and a cola.
I will be returning to try more but I’m already sold because of the chicken sub.

A gem of a Vietnamese café that looks and feels like it was transplanted directly from Vietnam.
Since my recent trip to Vietnam, I’ve been suffering from withdrawals from the café culture over there. Delicious fresh fruit smoothies and knock-​you-​on-​your-​ass coffee enjoyed during too-​hot, idle afternoons. Time well wasted.
The name of Paris Bakery is a little misleading — it’s more a café than a bakery — but there’s no mistaking it’s a little slice of Vietnam on the diverse Drive. The place is always crowded, but never busy — packed with regulars leisurely enjoying their drinks and playing chess — either inside the spartan interior or the sparse outdoor seating.
My Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk was one of the better ones I’ve had in Vancouver — smooth, dark and not overly-​sweetened. My friend enjoyed his lychee ice — although it wasn’t a secret the lychees were from a can. All the drinks were around $ 4 (taxes in) and they also had smoothies (durian, avocado, etc.) on the menu. They also give you a side of light tea (warm or iced) with your drink, which I like.
There’s also a variety of banh mi (Vietnamese subs — $ 3.50) and other snacks (spring rolls, etc) as well. I didn’t try their banh mi since I was a bit put-​off by the pre-​packaged baguettes-​in-​a-​bag on the counter — but it look stuffed to the limit when one was brought past my table. Will definitely have to give it a go next time.
Overall, a dope little Vietnamese café — the cheapest way to Vietnam without a plane ticket.