Davis is lining up another carb-friendly campus hangout this winter, with Paris Banh Mi set to land at The Davis Collection. The franchised Vietnamese bakery-café, known for its generously stuffed banh mi sandwiches, will bring sandwiches, French-style pastries and Vietnamese drinks to the redeveloped center that replaced University Mall.
Franchisee Liem Nguyen confirmed to local reporters that the shop is headed for 855 Russell Blvd, Suite 160, where it is expected to take up roughly 1,400 square feet. The opening is slated for early January 2026, and the business is already hiring full- and part-time baristas, cashiers and kitchen staff, according to WhatNow.
Where It Will Sit
The Davis Collection, the rebuilt shopping center on Russell Boulevard that took over the former University Mall site, shows Paris Banh Mi on its official site plan and slots the café along the courtyard near the main restaurant row. Brixmor's leasing page lists "Paris Banh Mi Cafe Bakery" as a tenant in Suite 104 at roughly 2,000 square feet, a different footprint than the one cited by WhatNow. The center, located between Sycamore Lane and Anderson Road across from UC Davis, has been steadily adding national and regional tenants as it fills out this winter.
What They Will Serve
Across its locations, Paris Banh Mi typically leans into Vietnamese flavors with a French-bakery twist. Menus often feature grilled pork, lemongrass chicken, cold cuts or tofu on baguettes, croissants or burger buns. Sweet options like cake slices and cheesecake, plus specialty drinks including boba teas, matcha and fruit slushes, round out the lineup, as reported by Comings & Goings.
A Growing Chain
Paris Banh Mi lists roughly 50 authorized locations on its website, with existing California shops already operating in Elk Grove and Clovis, per the company's locations page. The Davis café will be run by Nguyen in partnership with Ken Tran and Nhi Tran, according to WhatNow.
Local Fit
The Davis Collection has been redesigned to cater to UC Davis students as well as the wider community and already includes anchors such as Trader Joe's and Nordstrom Rack. Calicraft Brewing has also joined the restaurant mix, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. With Paris Banh Mi on the way, the center is set to add another fast-casual option for campus lunches and late-afternoon snack runs as build-out continues this season.
