Purple Thread Cafe

A relatively new restaurant down near City Dock in Annapolis. The menu features primarily Vietnamese dishes with some dim sum as well. The Bahn mi sandwich I had was excellent. They have a variety including Vietnamese sausage, pork, chicken, etc. The dim sum that I had was also quite good. It is a small restaurant, but it makes for a very casual, laid back dining experience. The staff was friendly and helpful.

The bahn mi is 4 stars but the bubble tea 2 stars. They don’t use dyes in their bubble teas however it would have been better for them to use some fruit to go in their teas for flavoring (real fruit and not as a smoothie).

Wen and his sister (who only helps on Sundays) were incredibly welcoming and kind. They were ready to close shop when we arrived and kept it open for us. We tried the Boba Tea, Classic Banh Mi, Pork bowl, and shrimp spring roll. All were extremely fresh and tasty. The kitchen is a slightly challenging space because it is so small, and Wen really makes the most of it and provides delicious homestyle Asian food. His mom is Vietnamese and his dad is Chinese, and he has lived all over the world, so the various influences shine through in the food. It’s a nice casual place to grab a meal in a friendly, laid back environment that encourages locals to stay and visit by having things like a used book shelf or rubics cubes. I hope he is successful and remains there a long time, as this storefront has changed hands way too often in the 12 years I have been in Annapolis!

Good to see something finally stuck in this space! It had changed hands so many times. The food is well priced, delicious and represents the only place of its kind in Annapolis. They could certainly clean up the look of the place a bit better, as outside and inside have a bit of a cluttered vibe. As far as good cheap eats it fits the bill and is the only food of its type in town. Pet peeve, paint over the last remaining bit of pink from the last restaurant! It looks like you could not reach with the paint brush and irritates me every time I walk by. Maybe its just me though! This place is succeeding entirely on its food an good prices. But to the random tourist, they may pass you by because the place looks so haphazard inside. Don’t pass by, come in and have some good inexpensive food!

Nice to have another vegetarian option. Local favorite for me in Nap town. Owner is the coolest!

Love their fresh fruit Boba Tea! This is probably the only place in the Annapolis area that will have fresh boba tea.
It is about time downtown Annapolis got a Vietnamese place like this. In my shopping excursions downtown I try to stop in for some Boba.
Don’t be fooled by the «Americanized» menu they do have some pretty authentic food for us who love the weird stuff. Just ask and they can accommodate.

I love this place, the owners are excellent company, super friendly, and the bubble tea is made with real, fresh-​brewed tea. The only qualm I have for 5 stars is the place’s ventilation. Even by sitting for a short while, you walk away smelling like fried food for the rest of the day; it also makes it a little hard to breath. I hope they can do something about the ventilation, because I would love to spend more time here (they have games on the tables)!

The entrée «bowls» over your choice of rice or vermicelli are addictive. Selection of veggie, seafood, pork, beef or my favorite chicken keep me coming back. See you there next week!

Everything was really good. Fair prices for the food and the service is fast and kind.

This place can stay here forever. Came in on my lunch break today and had beef spring rolls, red bean pastries, and all the lemon water I could drink for $ 12 (including a 20% tip). The food is light but filling (I suspect that this would be amazing hangover food). You could stop in for a small, quick bite or for a full meal.
The staff members have the sunniest smiles and are so friendly. There are a few window tables in the front, smaller tables, a large table in the back, and a lovely mossy brick patio in back. (Sit there, on a sunny day it’s so breezy.) The guys across from me had sandwiches and seemed to like them.
Perfect spot for a snack and they take all major credit cards. There’s also a bookshelf with used books for sale :) Just what Annapolis needed.

Hooray for this place! Lovely couple owns and operates. Quirky patio out back. Tasty not-​too-​sweet bubble tea and great bahn mi sandwiches. Do it to it.

Just ate lunch and thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff was extra friendly and helpful. You definitely knew they cared about their customers. It is great for college students as they offer a discount. The coffee was an extra treat to top off our lunch.

This place is so good, I want everyone to eat here! The owners need only say the word and I’ll stand outside with a sign

Maybe 3 stars cause they were so nice and accommodating, but I can’t endorse the food. The cold parts on my Bahn Mi, cilantro and vege, were spot on but I could hardly find the pork. The Classic is devoid of Mayo and Pâté, two things that make a Bahn Mi. The vinaigrette on the sandwich was quite salt and the roll while nice, was 80% of the dish. The shrimp salad rolls were good but they are better at Lemmon grass up the hill.

Supporting local businesses owned by exceptionally nice folks just feels good. When the food’s fresh and delicious, it reminds me why I try to avoid chains while traveling. Eating and visiting with the locals is part of the experience!
My visit to The Purple Thread provided one of those memorable food and local experiences — the #1 Bahn Mi was stuffed with just enough meat and lots of crispy, fresh cakes, peppers, carrots and lettuce. And the French iced coffee added just the boost I needed for the balance of the Annapolis afternoon.
If your visiting Annapolis, do drop in and support Wen and Hong in their local endeavor, you’ll be glad you did!

We went into The Purple Thread Café one day while exploring historical downtown Annapolis. The signage of «bubble tea» and «bánh Mí» caught my eye.
Earlier that day, I was talking to my sister about how much I missed San Diego and K’s Sandwiches and how I couldn’t find places here for Asian food I missed unless I went to DC.
Purple Thread Café provided lovey customer service. They were nice and polite.
We ordered the milk tea. It was okay. I liked that there was no additives. Just tea and milk. But I wanted a Thai tea. Not bad though.
I ordered the grilled chicken bánh Mí, which came with a bag of chips. The bread was good. The sandwich didn’t taste like one I’d get on the West Coast like at Lee’s Sandwiches.
The prices were slightly expensive. $ 7.50 per sandwich when I was used to only having to pay $ 3.75 back in California, $ 5.00 on the high end.
Overall, because the customer service was great and the sandwiches were good, I would come back here.

Anyone who’s been to Annapolis knows it can be noisy, crowded, and a little bit stuck up. Purple Thread Café is a respite from all of that, with its peaceful interiors and gentle Vietnamese menu. When you first arrive, you are provided with refreshing lemon water – not just water with a lemon wedge in it, but actual lemon water. Menus are on the table already, so there’s no feeling of pressure to rush your order.
Since last fall, I’ve had the good fortune to try just about everything on their menu, as well as a few things that aren’t on their regular menu, but which appear in their bakery case.
Appetizers:
Steamed Dumplings — The dumplings here are slightly different from the ones you are used to from the Chinese restaurants. Clearly hand-​made, these dumplings are filled not just with meat, but with a pleasing complement of green vegetables that really brings out the flavor of the whole dish.
Wraps:
These are what I think of as guy cuon in other Vietnamese restaurants – the Vietnamese salad roll. However, as with all their dishes here at Purple Thread, Wen has made his own mark on these rolls by offering four different kinds of fillings, each with its own different complimenting greens and fillings.
Banh Mi:
Of course, this is what lures many a hungry traveler in, as it did me. With the wide availability of banh mi around the DC metro area from countless restaurants and food trucks, there’s a lot of competition out there. Yet, somehow these stand out for me. Wen starts with freshly baked bread (his own recipe, I’m sure), and from there layers on the fillings cooked to succulent perfection, and finally the crispy, crispy vegetables that give a good banh mi its signature zing. While there are bottles of sriracha on the tables, if you ask for extra fresh peppers you will find you do not need such a crude instrument to achieve the heat level you crave. Meat or veggie – you can’t go wrong here.
Specialty Beverages:
Bubble Tea — Made with real brewed tea, this isn’t the milkshake confection you are used to from the shopping malls. This is actual tea, augmented with freshly cooked tapioca pearls.
Vietnamese Coffee — If you’re looking for slow, sweet goodness, this is your drink. Brewed at the table into sweet condensed milk, this strong coffee will keep you feeling light for hours.
Hong Kong Tea — I had this in the hot incarnation on a cold, wet, rainy day, and it was just the warm goodness I needed to keep going the rest of the afternoon. A truly lovely tea.
Yin Yang Drink — Half coffee, half black tea, this tasty concoction gives you the zing of coffee with the sweetness of tea. Somehow the tea cancels out the bitterness of the coffee.
Off-​Menu Extras:
The bakery case is frequently full of wonderful delicacies – remember that owner Wen is a baker first at heart. Everything from croissants light as air to brownies that melt in your mouth to sweet vegetable pound cakes await you in that bakery case. Selections vary by day, but you’re not likely to be disappointed.
Beyond their menu, however, there is another quality to Purple Thread that makes it worth visiting – and coming back to again and again. There seem to exist certain places in this world where interesting people just seem to intersect. Purple Thread seems to be one of them. Every time we’ve bene there, we’ve found ourselves engaged in conversations with other patrons, all of them fascinating people living diverse lives. If you aren’t chatty, there is a back room with more tables that seems to be less popular with the regulars, but staying up front by the window seats may offer you an entirely new dimension to your meal beyond the food and drink on your table. If you really want to get to know the people who live and work in Annapolis, check out the Purple Thread – it’s the common connection between all of us, with tasty food to boot!

Has a very home-​y feel. Owners are super friendly and the food is good. It isn’t to die for or anything but I enjoyed it very much.
Tried the fried dumplings: yum.
Definitely give this place a try if you haven’t already!

Quick, inexpensive, tasty and memorable! This place is right outside gate 1 of the naval academy and has both inside and outside seating. For the outside seating, it is located on the backside of the restaurant in a small, secluded nook. The owner is friendly and genuinely cares about each and every person who comes in, greeting with smiles!
The food has clear-​cut flavors, is non-​greasy, and delicious! This is a testament to the saying, «bang for your buck!»
Out of all the restaurants I have been to, it is safe to say that the owner here cares more than most. So if you’re looking to support a local business, make a friend, enjoy a relaxing meal with decent and quick service, the Purple Thread Café is the place to go!
Oh yeah, so in addition to their entrees, The owner is QUITE skilled at making pastries. He doesn’t make them every weekend, but if you happen to be there when they are still available, DO IT! My favorite is the cinnamon role (without pecans)! They even warm it up for you at the restaurant!

Found this corner café through Unilocal and thought we would stop by. Ordered the banh mi with ham and it was delicious! I’ve had many banh mi’s in my lifetime, but this one was a little different. I liked how they added lettuce to give an extra crunch to the sandwich. It was the perfect bread to meat/​toppings ratio! Usually there’s always wayyyy to much bread in the sandwich but this place has got it down!
The only critique that I have is that I wish they advertise what came with the meal. When I ordered a banh mi, I also received a cup of hot or cold milk tea and a bag of chips with your sandwich. It was a nice and filling surprise, but I wish they presented the combo better. There are also military and student discounts (10%) which I thought was nice for the locals. Definitely a must go for a quick bite!