The chef behind Banh Mi Boys is taking his talents to Oak Street, and this time sandwiches are off the menu. Peter Nguyen, who built a cult following on Vietnamese-inflected po-boys out of a Metairie gas station deli, has announced plans to open a new restaurant in the Leonidas neighborhood space most recently occupied by PrimoHoagies.
The new restaurant will take over 8228 Oak Street, and according to NOLA.com, it will not serve sandwiches at all — a notable departure for a chef whose name is practically synonymous with the format. Nguyen is partnering with Khoa Tran, described as a beauty and real estate entrepreneur, on the venture. Per the same report, Nguyen plans to have the sister restaurant operating by March 2027, though further specifics, including the menu and name, are expected to be revealed only once a new sign goes up on the building.
From a Metairie Gas Station to Oak Street
Nguyen's original restaurant has deep roots. Banh Mi Boys began as Vietnamese sandwich shops set up in a deli attached to his parents' gas station in Metairie, before expanding into a concept that blends classic Vietnamese ingredients with New Orleans-style po-boys. As nola.com reported, the counter-service eatery opened in 2015 under his parents' skeptical eyes as they ran the gas station next door. Nguyen wanted a sandwich that would meld the New Orleans po-boys and Vietnamese banh mi he grew up eating, and was sure there was even room between the bread for Korean bulgogi beef, Japanese chicken katsu and Chinese char siu barbecue pork.
That ambition paid off. The outlet notes the restaurant built an intense following in the local food scene, drawing regulars for its specialty sandwiches and its exuberant cheese fries, topped with sauces ranging from oyster Rockefeller to Vietnamese bo ne. Banh Mi Boys has since expanded Uptown and into other states through franchising, making the jump to Oak Street a natural next step for the brand's growing footprint.
Why Ditch the Sandwich
For his new venture, Nguyen has said he wants to showcase another type of Vietnamese food, just as he did with Banh Mi Boys, and that the Oak Street restaurant will offer quality, affordable food in a fast-casual setting. The move fits a wider pattern playing out across the city, where, as nola.com has reported, second-generation, native-born Vietnamese New Orleanians are adding their own perspectives at their own restaurants, creating what the outlet describes as a Viet-New Orleans hybrid. Other examples of that blending include Ba Chi Canteen on Maple Street, which has served Vietnamese-style chicken wings, including a spicy lemongrass version, since opening in April 2013.
A Hoagie Shop's Second Act
The building Nguyen is taking over has its own recent history. PrimoHoagies, a Philadelphia-style sandwich shop that opened in south Philadelphia in 1992 serving sandwiches piled high with meats and cheeses on seeded bread, opened its first Louisiana location at the Oak Street address on Nov. 30, 2023, according to Biz New Orleans. That 1,500-square-foot shop, owned by Tulane graduate William Kulick, specialized in Italian-style hoagies, cheesesteaks, hot meatball sandwiches, wraps, vegetarian options and antipasti salads, and was expected to employ about 20 people when it opened.
A listing for the property on lacdb.com confirms the space was formerly occupied by PrimoHoagies and describes it as a fully built-out quick-serve restaurant without a hood, one that underwent an extensive renovation in 2022. That existing infrastructure could give Nguyen and Tran a head start as they work toward the targeted March 2027 opening, though no permits, lease details or construction timeline have been made public.
