HOUSTON – Vietwich in Stafford, Texas, has been a top-rated place for the ever-popular bánh mì sandwich for years. In fact, they were ranked in Yelp’s top 100 places to eat in the country for three consecutive years! Owner and founder Tran Viet has always had a vision for his delicious food.
“Really the origin started as I was a YouTuber, with my own show called, Tran Can Cook which teaches people how to make Vietnamese food. From there, went to NBC’s America’s Next Great Restaurant, that ‘failed’ but I learned that I wanted to open a restaurant,” Tran told Houston Life.
Tran’s first restaurant wasn’t in the most ideal location, but the food spoke for itself.
“I started nine years ago in a gas station not too far from here, and five years ago this is our first location here, and we’ve been doing it since then,” Tran said.
Both Tran and his Wife Michelle were born and raised in Houston. They felt that the food their family shared amongst themselves needed a bigger platform.
“It stems from his mom. She’s such an amazing cook and always having her food, we wanted to share it with everyone,” Michelle said.
The power couple has proven to be a successful team.
“We have to find a balance for sure. You have to have that separation of work and family life, but then you have to find time to come together and build it together,” she said.
“I think it boils down to love and passion to make great food to make sure that when someone has our sandwich that they’re walking away like wow that’s a really great sandwich. Really passing down my mom’s cooking too, really trying to honor her passion for food as well,” Tran said.
Surprisingly, the tofu bánh mì i is the most popular dish in meat-loving Houston.
“We have die-hard meat-eaters coming in here all the time, big rough guys who only eat pork or beef and they try that tofu and they can’t stop eating it now,” Michelle said.
Tran wants to open more Vietwich restaurants in the Houston area and eventually across the nation.
Watch the couple’s full interview with Tessa in the video above.
To order a bánh mì from Vietwich, click → here.