The storefront of Bánh Mì Ok, a forthcoming Vietnamese sandwich shop, at 37 Main St. in Keene, where a Subway used to operate. (Noah Diedrich/Sentinel Staff)

A new business will soon be serving up banh mi in the Elm City.

Bánh Mì Ok, a Vietnamese sandwich shop, will open in downtown Keene, according to owner Brian Tran. He said he aims to open his doors Oct. 10.

The restaurant is setting up shop at 37 Main St., where a Subway used to sit. Landlord Mitch Greenwald said the company ceased operations there in December 2024. 

That same month, the Subway swapped franchisees, leading to a temporary closure, The Sentinel reported at the time. The sub sandwich chain's corporate offices had leased the storefront since the '80s, Greenwald previously told a reporter.

Tran purchased the property from Greenwald Realty in August, according to the building's deed. 

Bánh Mì Ok's menu will include sandwiches, rice bowls, appetizers and a selection of smoothies, with flavors ranging from mango to avocado. 

A bánh mì is a baguette sandwich typically filled with meat and vegetables, and the new restaurant will offer six different kinds, including beef, chicken, barbecue pork and a vegan variant, Tran said.

In Vietnam, it's a staple food that can be eaten with every meal, Tran said. 

"In our culture, that was our breakfast, lunch and dinner," he said. 

Tran is a veteran of the restaurant business. In the past eight years, he's opened two other Bánh Mì Ok locations. The others are in Alabama and downtown Boston, the latter of which is quite popular, he said. 

Tran's wife heads up the restaurant's kitchen, and has lifelong experience cooking Vietnamese food, he said. The pair moved to Keene looking for a more relaxing environment after his sister took over the Boston location.

The "Ok" in the restaurant's title refers to Tran's want to just get people who are newcomers to Vietnamese cuisine to try a bánh mì. That way, they can determine whether or not they enjoy it, he said. 

"I want people to have an opinion of what the sandwiches taste like, rather than me tell them what it is," he said.

Tran said he is looking forward to serving the student population in Keene and hopes to entice the older members of the community to try his fare as well. 

"We'll see what we're able to drag in," he said. 

Bánh Mì Ok is looking to hire more staff, and Tran said those interested can reach him at 781-808-7356.

Noah Diedrich can be reached at 603-355-8569, or ndiedrich@keenesentinel.com.

These articles are being shared by partners in the Granite State News Collaborative. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org.
 
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