At Coconut Grove's Books & Books, the plot twist is not on the shelves, it is at the café counter, where BANH has turned a quiet bookshop nook into a full-on bánh mì magnet. What started as a small setup pouring boba and Vietnamese coffee has morphed into a weekend crush of readers, office workers and curious passersby queueing for sandwiches in between chapters. For Grove locals, the combo of good reads, strong caffeine and gloriously messy baguettes feels very on-brand for Miami.
Co-founders Aidan Friedson and chef Phuoc Vo launched BANH in August 2025, rolled out homemade boba at the Grove café in October and followed that with a four-sandwich bánh mì lineup in January. A viral video and fast-moving social media buzz did the rest, quickly shifting the operation from low-key to slammed and forcing the team to tighten up assembly lines and staffing. As reported by Miami New Times, Friedson is planning to expand the coffee menu, add a breakfast bánh mì, increase staffing and eventually open another shop.
What is on the menu
BANH keeps things tight but meticulous. The four headliners are The OG Viet Deli ($19), Don't Cluck With Me ($18), Lê Dunk ($23), which is served with a side of 24-hour pho broth for dunking, and The Faux Real ($18). Every sandwich lands on the counter finished with BANH Umami Garlic Aioli, pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro and fresnos, plus there is a rotating roster of bubble tea and Vietnamese coffee to match. The menu and prices are listed on BANH's site.
Where the bread comes from and how it is made
The baguettes, a big part of the hype, come from La Provence Bakery in North Miami. BANH preps proteins and pickles in a commercial kitchen, then assembles sandwiches on-site at the Grove café. Techniques like sous-vide for proteins and quick pickling are used so the crew can move fast without losing any polish on texture or flavor. As reported by Miami New Times.
Behind the counter
Friedson, a two-time Chopped Junior champion, runs the front of house and business side, while Vo, who has logged time as a sous-chef at the Ritz-Carlton in Santa Barbara, Marriott Palm Springs and Disney, leads the kitchen. Those bios appear on BANH's site. The résumé power has not gone unnoticed. The Infatuation included BANH in a guide to Miami bánh mì spots, and neighborhood chatter keeps circling back to the shop's focused, high-level execution.
How to try it
BANH operates inside the Café at Books & Books at 3409 Main Hwy in Coconut Grove, serving both walk-ins and online pickup orders. Hours and online ordering are listed on Toast.
For now, the Grove bookstore counter feels like a very modern third space, where a strong cà phê, a chewy baguette and a good paperback peacefully coexist. If you are heading over, plan on an early lunch to dodge the peak lines and leave yourself enough time to linger over a chapter or two.
