City Càphê

That was one of the most pathetic banh mi I have ever eaten. I know that I’m a bit spoiled by the numerous Vietnamese shops in the SF Bay Area, but I was hoping for more than a sliver of meat, a sprinkling of veggies, and a stale bun. London, I am not impressed.

Vietnamese street food joint which tends to be a popular lunchtime venue with long queues from 12−2pm however if you haven’t tried the food here, its well worth the wait! So get there early if you can…
A great selection of Noodles soups and Banh Mi’s — my particular favourite is the Summer Spring rolls which come with a dipping sauce which is fab :-)

There’s always a queue. There’s a reason that there’s always a queue. Get on that queue. Now.

We built this city… we built this ciiiiity on baaaanh mi!
Oh yes, so now that I work in the city my lunch options have been opened up massively. Vietnamese munching has become a favourite of mine since I moved to London and the City Caphe has now been established as my lunch venue of choice for phở, spring rolls or the ever awesome bank mi.
Located near St Pauls on a side street you will be amazed by the crowds this place draws in on your first visit. Afterwards you will understand why famously impatient city workers will happily queue down the block to get a slice of Hanoi goodness.
My standard order is now the chargrilled pork banh mi and it never disappoints. A stop to the City Caphe comes highly JD Recommended

Popped in here a long while back with Alex for a quick lunch meeting and the food was delish!
It’s crazy busy with city-​folk working around the area and the line was out the door when I got there. They only take cash, and I had a hard time finding a cash machine (always the case when you’re actually look for something), so come prepared.
The place is great, and I’d give it 3.5 stars, which Unilocal doesn’t let you do. It lost stars from me because 1. it was crazy busy and the shop is so tiny (great for them and their business, but takes up more of your lunch time queuing in line), and 2. they will nickel and dime you for every little thing like sriracha — which in my opinion should be included.
But despite my whinge, the food is great — the summer rolls and beef vermicelli was yum, and the portions just right.

***Cash only for under £15*****
I go to City Caphe at least once a fortnight, as I’m lucky enough to work around the corner. It’s authentic, well-​priced Viet in the heart of the City! Expect a queue every time you go, but don’t be put off — it moves very quickly. The phở is fantastic and I also love the lemongrass infused bun
hue (vermicelli salad).

All reviews here mention the queues so it was with trepidation that I came to City Càphê for the first time. It’s nestled away from the usual hubbub of Cheapside so has clearly built it’s following on reputation alone. I arrived at about 1pm and the people were lined up outside of the door and along the road. However, it was clear that the line moves quickly (alas I didn’t time it).
I’d always loved the chicken and rice box at Bahn Mi Bay in Bloomsbury so thought it would be the best comparison. I was also feeling incredibly hungry so ordered their original spring rolls too. The menu offers a great range of other choices though, from phở to noodle boxes and some tasty looking baguettes too. They have vegetarian options in addition to the pork, beef, prawn and chicken grilled meats.
The Jasmine rice was really tasty. I liked the stickiness and the chilli sauce boosted the flavour when drizzled over the top. The pickled veg were also very nice and added a bit of crunch to the meal. The chicken had a nice flavour but I found it to be a little dry so I’d try something else next time. The spring rolls (four served with lettuce, mint and sweet chilli sauce) were delicious but I soon realised I needn’t have ordered so much.
I’m pleased to have found a new lunch venue in the city. I’ll certainly be recommending it to friends.

My favourite place for lunch in the city — quite authentic vietnamese in middle of the city with good takeaway option. Offers everything from phở, cum and bun, and sandwiches… My favourite are bun hue spicy noodle soup with beef. Go before noon to avoid the rush and cash only for under 15gbp.

We went down for a take away during a lunch break. As mentioned by previous reviews anytime after 11 the que is big! But they move it through pretty quickly.
I was tempted by the spicy beef soup but decided on the standard beef phở. It was served in the usual paper container with spoon and chop sticks. There’s a decent amount of other choices on the menu also.
I thought the broth was really tasty and the noodles were the right texture. The beef was just right and there was a decent amount. I would have liked a few more bean-​shoots and other additional ingredients but for a lunch time fix it was right on the money, and at £6.75 it didn’t break the bank.
Anyone between bank, Moorgate and St. Paul’s should give it a go!

This is my second review for City Caphe based on my further experience of its amazing dishes — and my rating goes from 4 to 5.
Per my previous review, their phở is solid. Much better than the chain, Phở’s, in my opinion. Since my last review, I’ve repeatedly had their bahn mi’s (Vietnamese sandwich in baguette, if you will), vermicelli with tofu/​spring rolls and summer rolls. I can’t emphasise enough how I’m falling more in love with their tasteful offerings every day.
Also, service is great as well. As said before, whilst the line can get long during peak lunch hours, they have the «assembly line» down to every finger flick that it does by pretty quickly. Furthermore, after my frequent visits, one of the main owners has begun to memorise my initials too which was rather touching! (FYI they ask for your initials so that they can call it out when your food is ready).
The only downside is that their store space is a bit too small for my taste to dine-​in, but honestly, that’s not a problem when they’ve got great take-​away boxes and bags!
Definitely recommended for those that work in the City!

There is a distinct lack of non chain lunch venues in this area, hence the huge queue at city Caphe during the lunch peak despite serving mediocre food. I had the vermicelli grilled pork salad, the meat was rather stringy, not chargrilled and lacked any taste of lemongrass. It is cash only for transactions under £15. Not sure why most reviews rate this place quite highly, I have previously tried the Phở here, the noodles were hard and the broth bland & lukewarm. I only returned on this occasion as there was no queue after 2pm and for the convenient location.

It’s hard to beat City Caphe for Vietnamese in the City and that would explain why there is always such a long queue during lunch. As all the previous reviews have reiterated, if you don’t want to wait, get here early.
The phở soup broths are light, but packed with flavour and doesn’t leave you thirsty (common side effect of msg). In terms of meat, I personally prefer the chicken and beef as the pork tends to be a bit dry. I would also recommend the spring rolls here, both the pork/​prawn as well as the vegetarian option.

Been wanting to try this place for a while, which is often dangerous as you end up setting ridiculously high expectations because of the anticipation. Alternatively, you get to a stage where you want to like it so much that you decide you like the food before even tasting it.
I turned the corner into Ironmonger lane and the first thing I saw was this enormous queue of city workers (note: city workers don’t like queuing), that in itself was a testimony. After doing all my due diligence I had heard that they blitz through the queue and that the chargrilled pork banh mi was the meal to order, as I got to the front of the queue, I kept thinking that my queuing would not be justified if i just bought one item, so I threw in a portion of classic spring rolls too.
The food! The banh mi was a good all-​rounder, the baguette was fresh, but not quite toasty like they are over at Banh Mi 11. The filling/​bread ratio at City Caphe was bang on. The vegetables were deliciously pickled and the pork well marinated, although it was a tad dry near the middle. The spring rolls came with portioned lettuce, mint leaves and sauce, they were on the small side too, but packed with meat, it was very tasty!
All in all, City Caphe exceeded my expectations — despite lunch rush, they still delivered quality food. There’s still a lot on the menu that I would like to try: the phở; bun hue, so there’s no doubt I’ll be back next time I have a meeting in the City.
Definitely worth the visit and the queue, maybe I’ll bring a friend next time… on second thoughts, I could do with one less person in the queue.

Pretty authentic. Being from California and Asian, the pricing for a banh mi is ABSURDLY OVERPRICED. But, if you want something that’s comparable to what a typical lunch would cost, this would be a fine place. Be sure to get here at 11:30 or earlier. It gets incredibly busy thereafter.

The queue here is always crazy after 11:30 am, so it’s very important to budget your time when coming here to pick up lunch. That said, it moves quickly and the staff is very efficient with orders so you are usually in and out within 10 – 15 minutes. I usually get the vermicelli noodles with the char grilled pork (I’ve had chicken once and was a bit disappointed), but you can also get it over rice, or go for phở or the banh mi. I highly recommend the egg rolls and the accompanying sauce, they are fantastic!

I’m typing this with tingling lips, a runny nose and slightly splattered desk, which can only mean one thing — it’s a bun hue day!
First a confession: I don’t (/didn’t) like noodle soups *gasp*. Messy, unsatisfying, confusing to eat — do I use a spoon or a fork or what?! I just didn’t get it. Then an enthusiastic colleague started getting lunch here 4 out of 5 days a week, and with the smells wafting over I soon I caved to curiosity and joined him.
Now I’m a chicken bun hue addict (though more weekly than daily). Given the queue snakes down the street from 12, we usually go at about 11.30ish (or I send my order with a kind-​hearted colleague if it’s raining eek). If that’s too early for you, expect a 15−20min wait at peak time in a long but swiftly-​moving queue. Staff are abrupt but efficient, and almost everyone takes away though there are a handful of chairs inside.
Eating it is a skill in itself — from experience I would strongly urge you to fashion a bib out of the napkin, and lay another one out on your desk for inevitable splashes. Add everything from the little bag of extras they give you — chillies, beansprouts, basil leaves etc — except the lime wedge which is better squeezed. Stir well with chopsticks and begin by pulling up the noodles from the bottom as otherwise you just get all the chilli at the top; amateurs should perhaps wait until the soup has receded below the halfway mark before lifting the pot to drink from it. Good luck, and get ready for the jealous looks from colleagues within sniffing distance.
Yes it’s still messy, but I’m definitely left satisfied (and blowing my nose). Only reason it’s missing the 5^th star is that the prices seem to sneak up every couple of months — bun hue was sub-£6 first time I went and is now £6.80. Not cool, City Caphe. Doesn’t seem to have affected its popularity so far though! Cold sufferers should consider this versus buying a load of vicks/​nasal sprays — just the thing to clear out the sinuses in this rubbish weather. Ok better go clean my desk… :P

Due to a few too many whisky tasting evenings recently and quite poor insulation in my bedroom, this morning I could feel a cold coming on.
Since Christmas Party season is just over the horizon I dont have time to get ill!
With all this in mind, I went on a search for something «hot ‘n’ spicy» to make me feel better and hopefully annihilate any germs that were lingering and thinking about multiplying (Damn you gross germs! You’re all going to die! Mhahaha!).
Ahem.
Anyway, a knowledgable friend of mine suggested City Caphe, as despite the huge queue, their Bun Hue will clear my sinuses and blast those pesky blighters (the germs) away.
When I got there, there was in fact a queue of about 23 people, BUT it did move quite quickly so was only waiting for about 7 – 10 mins.
Portion size was good, but for £6.50, I may expected a *little* more, maybe even just a little more veg? but the flavours were all there and, yes, I now find it a little easier to breathe.
Good place, *slightly* pricey.

City Caphe is roughly a 10 minute walk from work, but it’s worth the wait every time. Come a bit early, as by 12:30pm the queue stretches out the door, across the storefront, and onwards.
I’ve wanted to try other things, but there’s only one thing you need to get here: Chargrilled Pork Banh Mi.
The chargrilled pork is the best I’ve had yet in London, and is up to bar with the upper quality chargrilled pork I’ve had in the states. The baguette is fresh, as well as the other ingredients. The ingredients pair very well, but the pork steals the show. My friend likes to add a bit of fish sauce for an added flavor — in case that’s your kind of thing.
I’ve wanted to try other things on the menu, but I can’t ever pass up the chargrilled pork. If you haven’t tried it yet… you’re missing out!

So i am a REGULAR at this place bc I work in the Bank area and this is a spot we all go to (granted there is no other viet place in the area), but i really do like this place. Its a long line if you get there at noon so i would recommend trying to get there after 1:30 PM. Sooo I’ve had :
Chicken Phở — good but not as good as I would say other places are (Caphe
House). I also think the hot sauce which is an additional £0.50, is not the real deal. its sweet and not as spicy as i like my sauce to be.
Veggie Phở – eh. not a huge fan.
Chicken Banh Mi– Deliciously flavored and feels quite healthy
Summer Salad rolls– Fresh and nicely flavored.
Chicken Bun– grilled chicken over rice noodles. light and healthy and nicely flavored chicken.
I absolutely love this place otherwise I wouldnt have reviews for so many of their dishes. Its nice to find good flavored dishes that are pretty healthy.

I work in the City and City Càphê is a regular lunch spot for all my colleagues and myself. They are open for lunch only and during lunch rush they are extremely packed — there’s always a line out the door. I recommend coming early or late (before 12 or after 1:30) if you don’t want to wait in line. It moves relatively quick but you can plan on at least a 20 minute wait at peak times. This place is more for take away. There are only a few seats and the long line usually crowds very close to the seating area.
The Bún Hu soup (£6) is amazing! I usually go for chicken and it’s always just the right amount of spicy and never oily. I am literally addicted (sometimes we enjoy up to 3 or 4 times a week!). Even if you’re not a soup person (I’m not either) you should try this — I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love it! I give City Càphê five stars for this soup always rocking my socks off and never letting me down.
I’ve also had many times the vermicelli salad (£5) with char grilled pork. Also a pretty good dish. I would say the Bánh Mì are only mediocre — I think they’re around £3.50. They taste good but definitely no wow factor. Another Vietnamese place opened up near by that do a much better Bánh Mì but nothing is better than the Bún Hu here!

City Caphe City Caphe, how I crave your £3 summer rolls, even if they add to my stomach rolls.
The £6 beef phở and lemon grass noodle soup is nothing to write home about, but it fits the bill when I want something warm and cozy, and Eat’s and Pret a Mangross’s faux asian soups don’t satiate that craving.
£4 classic pork bahn mi are a bit lacking in filling, but you might have better luck with the beef, chicken, and bbq pork. Their £5 vermicelli salad has hearty helpings of meat (my fave might be the pork so far), but I should expect it at that price.
All in all, solid place to get lunch especially in the midst of desolate food chain territory. Too bad everyone else in the long line at 12:30 is thinking the same thing. Get there before 12 to avoid it.

Once again people in London don’t have this food semi-​indigenously so aren’t particularly discerning when they first encounter it (condescending and presumptuous much?).
Went for a bahn mi and was left bahn’ed out.
Vietnamese baguettes are usually as crispy as the inside of a kitkat bar which their achieve using 50% wheat flour and 50% rice flour. Was this the case at City Caphe? I doubt it, but even if it is the case, they aren’t good bakers and the baguette was more akin to a stale hot-​dog bun.
Inside, they overdid it with mediocre pickled veggies, omitted the pâté (which is the absolutely critical ingredient), omitted home-​made mayonnaise, and used chicken cooked far too early in the day to be considered fresh. I ate the sandwich, but only because I was hungry and not in the mood to go anywhere else (it was raining and my hair is frizzy at the best of times).
Also ordered the veggie spring rolls which were filled with a root vegetable of some sort (i.e., pumpkin or sweet potato), and tasted as if they were cooked last week. Seriously, pre-​cooked spring rolls? Even all-​you-​can-​eat chinese restaurants in soho know the value of freshly fried spring rolls.
The place is cute enough, but shitty food. Visit Vietnam, Vancouver, Virginia or California and try a bahn mi – they’re a completely different animal (and much much cheaper).
I’d just bought some new shoes and the check-​out girl asked me for my initials, which I misheard as ‘new shoes?’ to which i replied, yes I did buy new shoes in a very confused tone. Obviously, she was more confused than me at this point, but whatever! BORED OF REVIEWING!

Das Time out Stadtmagazin kennt es schon, Londons allerneustes Báhn Mì Café hat im Bank Distrikt eröffnet und es ist das: wahrscheinlich Beste der derzeitigen Báhn Mì Café– Schwemme.
Báhn Mì? Schwemme? Wir also da hin.
Zur Mittagszeit erreichen wir das in freundlichem sonnengelb gestrichene City Càphê, in einer langen Schlange wartet die geduldige Kundschaft auf die Spezialitäten des Hauses: Báhn Mì, Cuôn und Ph. Auf einer Schiefertafel über dem Getränkekühler dankt das Café seinen Gästen für die ersten vier Wochen, es scheint, wir sind in einer Erfolgsgeschichte gelandet.
Báhn Mì ist eine vietnamesische Erfindung und eventuell das nächste große Ding. In Vietnam selbst, in den Vereinigten Staaten, Australien und England ist Báhn Mì als schneller Snack bereits populär: ein kleines, knuspriges Baguette französischer Art jedoch mit einem Anteil Reismehl gebacken und belegt mit geröstetem Fleisch (Schwein, Rind oder Huhn), Koriander, Möhrenstreifen, Gurken, scharfen Chilis.
Ich wähle vorab Cuôn, Summer Rolls, mit Salat, Garnelen, Gurken und Möhren gefüllte Reispapier-​Rollen mit süßscharfer Sauce, ein saftiger, leichter Genuß.
Das Báhn Mì begeister. Krachendes Baguette mit würzigem Schweinefleisch und knackfrischem Gemüse. Das ist so simpel und so gut, mich wundert, dass in der Heimat noch niemand drauf gekommen ist.
Schon am nächsten Tag sind wir wieder da und probieren diesmal die ganz ausgezeichneten Ph, würzige Buillon, knackige Gemüse und ein Tütchen mit frischer Minze, Chilischeiben, Sprossen und Limettenscheiben erinnert daran, dass City Càphê auch ein Take away ist.
Die Nudelsuppe ist köstlich, wer mag kann mit Fischsauce, Chilisauce und Sojasauce noch nachwürzen, war aber pur schon eine Wucht.
Unbedingt zum Schluss auch den köstlichen Eis-​Càphê probieren, ein starker schwarzer Kaffee geht mit süßer Kondensmilch über Crushed Ice und hilft echt aufs Fahrrad !