Beijing Restaurant Review: Vietnamese Banh Mi at RollBox

By Noelle Mateer

Images by Holly Li

The sunglass-wearing mascot for Rollbox – smiling, brown and ovular – may resembles a pinto bean, but it is, in fact, a roll.

For Rollbox doles out dope rolls. The Xingfucun Zhonglu spot makes some of the best Vietnamese sandwiches in Beijing. And for under RMB30 each, they just might be the best Vietnamese sandwiches in Beijing.

Rollbox keeps things simple: a chalkboard menu of sandwiches (RMB18-30), plus quality Thai milk teas to wash them all down. If you're unfamiliar with Vietnamese sandwiches, two things: First, bless your sweet soul. Second, start with the classic pork roll (RMB25). Rollbox’s version ticks all the boxes, and by boxes we mean all eight fillings of a proper banh mi, which include pork shank, jelly ham, pickled carrot and daikon. If you are already familiar with Vietnamese sandwiches (thank you), then opt for the beef satay roll (RMB30) or the BBQ pork roll – the classic, all sauced up (RMB28).

And don’t leave here without getting buzzed, because Rollbox offers not-oft-seen ways to get your caffeine fix. We loved the chilled rose tea with cranberry bits (RMB12), but the Thai milk tea (RMB15) appears to be the most popular. There is also, simply, coffee.

Rollbox does what more restaurants should: one thing, simply and well. OK, there are a few riffs on that one thing (plus accompanying drinks), but you get what we mean. Rollbox is That’s Beijing’s Find of the Month™. That’s not an actual trademark, by the way. We're just trying to convey how good this place is.

Daily, 9.30am-8pm. Building 1, Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang 朝阳区幸福村中路1号 (177 1091 8725)

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