A new Asian restaurant sets an opening date along this bustling Midlands roadway
A new restaurant that will bring the flavors of Vietnam to West Columbia is set to open its doors.
Pho & Banh Mi restaurant will open Friday, Aug. 9, at 2250 Sunset Blvd., according to a post on the restaurant’s social media and a sign in the window at the location. The restaurant will be in the Westland Square shopping center that also includes a Food Lion grocery store, Cucinella’s pizza joint, Woody’s Pet Supplies and other businesses.
“West Columbia food lovers, get ready,” the restaurant said on Facebook. “Taste the authentic flavors of Vietnam with our delectable Pho and Banh Mi offerings. Fresh ingredients, traditional recipes, and a cozy atmosphere await you.”
As noted by culinary website All Recipes, pho is “a Vietnamese soup consisting of bone broth, rice noodles, and thinly sliced meat” and is often served with herbs and various garnishes.
Banh mi is a type of Vietnamese sandwich typically built on a baguette, and the style has continued to gain popularity in the U.S. — and in the Midlands — in recent years. In July 2023, Little Bee Bun Mee opened at 904 Knox Abbott Drive in Cayce, right next to Duke’s Pad Thai. In June 2023, the Banh Mi Boys restaurant, which has roots in New Orleans, opened at 625 Whaley St. in Columbia, across the street from the sprawling Olympia Mills apartment complex. And Paris Banh Mi opened in northeast Columbia in December 2023.
Pho & Banh Mi is coming to a high-traffic area of West Columbia, just east of Interstate 26 and Lexington Medical Center’s main campus. About 31,000 cars per day travel down that section of Sunset Boulevard, per state Department of Transportation statistics.
