Chu Minh Tofu and Vegan Deli Reviews

This has quickly become my favorite restaurant in Seattle! Located in Little Saigon in the International District. The restaurant is small and simple, and adorned with devotional Buddhist art and mantras that reflect its wholesome and entirely plant based Vietnamese cuisine. The staff is extremely friendly, attentive and courteous and always leaves me smiling. Their Bahn mi (try BBQ “pork” or lemongrass tofu) is some of the best I’ve had with delicious pickled vegetables, the perfect amount of spice, and a baguette that is always warm, crispy and fresh. I also recommend their Bahn bao, a steamed bun stuffed with a variety tasty ingredients like taro, carrots and vegan “ham”. Their prices are extremely affordable as well! Can’t wait to try their Bahn xeo (Vietnamese crepe) and fully stocked buffet. Thank you Chu Minh!!

My family and I had an incredible lunch at this restaurant. The bond me were out of this world. All the Buffet options were delicious and memorable. It’s a little bit hard to find, but worth the trip. The food is all vegan, but would satisfy any meat eater.

Delicious, simple food that's served with a smile. Everything on the menu looked tasty, and the very friendly cashier even offered me a few samples from the hot bar before I ordered. I eventually decided on the tofu summer rolls, veggie rice noodle soup, and lemongrass tofu banh mi. The summer rolls were fresh, light and so good when dunked in the dipping sauce that accompanied them. The soup arrived in a giant bowl, brimming with fragrant, steaming broth poured over a hefty serving of rice noodles and topped with handfuls of fresh vegetables and herbs. I wanted to eat the whole bowl (and tried!) but the portion was so generous that I ended up having to take it to go. I also ordered the lemongrass tofu banh mi to go. The lovely cashier packed up the food for me, and when I got to my car I realized she'd thrown in an extra order of spring rolls for free! The banh mi was excellent, and I've been craving another ever since. The fresh, crusty French bread, packed with savory lemongrass tofu, pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, and the sandwich sauce combined to make one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Thanks for the fabulousl food, ChuMinh Tofu and Vegetraian Deli! I'll definitely be back again soon!

This is almost the epitome of a hole in the wall. Unsophisticated, inelegant, in a somewhat dubious neighbourhood. You order at the counter and the food is cooked and brought to your rather shabby table. But the food is good, Vietnamese vegetarian street food. It is basic but very tasty. The staff are friendly and overall is quite fun, even if you are left to stare at someone’s dirty dishes in the dining room/dishwashing area.

The last time I reviewed this place, I reviewed their buffet. This time, I have to highlight their banh mi. Chuminh offers 9 different types of vegan banh mi and the 3 we have tried so far have been excellent! I called in my take out order for a spicy tofu, a roasted pork and a spicy lemongrass chicken banh mi. Pick up was simple and I added some spring rolls when I arrived. The banh mis are delicious. A bit spicy but so flavorful. A definitely departure from the typical tofu banh mi you can get at other non-vegan restaurants. I can't wait to try their other selections. At $6.95, they are a little bit on the pricier side but definitely worth it since you are getting veggie meat.

This is such a sweet little place. The owner and staff and generous, kind, attentive, and accommodating. It was so great to see rice cookers full of rice and an incredible variety or vegan dishes I had never even heard of before. Along with delicious hot tea and incredible bubble tea this dining experience was nothing short of heavenly for the hungry vegan who loves variety. I tried a little of literally everything and wasn't disappointed once. I was also eyeing some great looking soups and sandwiches that others around us had ordered from the menu. Wow! I wish I lived near by. But there is no doubt this is the first place we'll go overtime we return to the Seattle area. Thank you Chuminh Tofu! You exceeded my expectations and made my trip special!!

Small and unassuming, Chuminh has a fantastic vegan buffet with a number of extremely interesting and tasty options (their "bbq pork" is one of the best faux meats I've ever tried). The people are also super nice and the sit-down atmosphere is actually very warm and inviting. It's a bit out of the way and has a definite hole-in-the-wall vibe but don't let either keep you from trying this place out!

This is a hidden gem in a strip mall on the (southwest) corner of Jackson and 12th of International District. One side is the restaurant and the other side take-out. It is run by a very nice Vietnamese lady and her family. Excellent tasting tofu dished made to look and taste like chicken, pork, etc. Great value. One of the best tasting vegetarian restaurants in town. But go there mainly for food.

One of my favorite places in all of Seattle! I am not a vegetarian, but my friends are vegan and this place we absolutely love. The buffet style lets you try food you'd never try otherwise. The owners are the sweetest people who are kind and generous. It's a very mom and pop style so it's a real experience. I am a repeat customer and brag about them all the time!

This place is tiny and if you are easily grossed out by a little dirt on the walls and sticky surfaces, then don't bother. However, if you truly love food and a flavor explosion in your mouth, try to look beyond this hole in the wall and try some of their food. It is traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a catch: Everything is vegetarian. Even the the tit cho banh mi! The sandwich I had was one of the best I have ever had and I regret not packing some to go after stashing away two. Definitely worth a visit, especially at the very moderate price point. Amazing. Truly amazing food.

This little Vietnamese vegan buffet is really tasty. The presentation is basic. The food is good, with so much variety it’s almost stifling. Luckily, you can try everything. There are tofu dishes, jackfruit, eggplant, bamboo, and much more. The staff is very nice. Roll the dice on this little restaurant and you’ll win!

Been going there for years. and 100 spring rolls for a party. All vanished quickly. Strictly vegetarian. New items daily. Yes the area is somewhat sketchy. You could be in Saigon, say. But we've never had a problem, and it is improving. Not prepossessing. Entrance room a buffet and cooking area with more prep in the rear, a refurbished dining area to the side. The two tiny always cheerful sisters who own it are delightful, Buddhists, they sincerely believe in their mission to provide healthy flavorful inexpensive sustenance. We've seen them give beggars food. One trained as physician is a deft phlebotomist at Va Mason hospital when she's not working in the store. The other trained as a biologist operates a nearby tofu manufactory as well. Their English is adequate and enthusiastic. If they're out, some of their back ups might be challenging but you can point to the buffet or the wall menu. Toothpicks on the counter for sampling. We've never stayed for the buffet; always carry out bon mi, the best I've had in town, spring rolls, items from the buffet. Optional tofu mayonnaise for the bon mi. Many foods are quite hot. I sample new items in advance and have them leave out the green peppers. There is always something mild, last visit tofu meatballs and seitan duck. I could eat the bon mi every day.

Visited ChuMinh for a sit-down dinner. No atmosphere, and its to-go business is busy. The hostess was very gracious, but her limited English, along with my non-existent Vietnamese, didn't produce clarity in explanation of the menu items (thank goodness for a few photos!). Not being vegan and not knowing what was "good," I decided to go for the all-you-can-eat vegan buffet. I was astonished at the selection of items -- over twenty -- offered. And, the aromas . . . the mild curries and other spices enticed me to keep trying the offerings. I tried a little of nearly everything. I'll say that the two pickled items were a little on the "too sour" side for me, but everything else was quite good. The vegan lobster tail was probably my favorite. Give ChuMinh a try -- invariably, there WILL be several items that you'll find to be yummy!

I had an outstanding vegetarian banh mi - moist on the inside, packed with flavours and crunchy on the outside (you can choose it from being baked soft OR crunchy). The place is small but has space to sit. The owners are so friendly, helpful and sweet. This is cloud nine.

10/9/2021 Recommend? Yes. I arrived right after they open with my luggage because I was starving from my long train ride in from Whitefish, MT. The server was super nice. He got me hot tea and banh cam to settle in with. I ordered bo bia (autumn rolls), vegan pho, and roasted pork banh mi (to go). The banh cam had a thick dough and it was huge. Two of those could've been a whole meal. Everything I ordered was delicious and they were so kind! My favorite was definitely the banh mi. It was even good after I had refridgerated it. The best part was the vegan butter and vegan pate. I absolutely loved it, best vegan banh mi I've had.

I found out about this place from Vegfest and finally had a chance to try it out with my family. The buffet has about 15 different dishes, all vegan I believe. The buffet reminded me of the Buddhist food I've had in Hong Kong and vegetarian food I love in Singapore. It was so good. While we were eating (Sunday lunch buffet), I noticed a steady flow of people coming in to get take out from the buffet. It seems like a popular restaurant! The lady at the front was really friendly and chatted with each customer. She gave my son a couple of empanadas to go! We will be back!

This is a GREAT place, a gem in the rough (sketchy neighborhood), run by two very sweet, skilled, and kind sisters, who serve large amounts of really good veg Vietnamese food. We had their unlimited buffet for $10, which was an amazing, varied, scrumptious, and filling adventure. Highly recommended!

Excellant mom and pop or sister and sister rather, operation with great and varied selection of Curry, Tofu, Vegetable dishes served in large portions, even offer an all you can eat buffet or 9.99. No meat not even fish, I estimate a total of about 20 different selections not including brown or steamed rice, Drinks are canned or bottled. Only thing I would give a forgivable lesser point was the interior of my egg roll was cool indicating they had been frozen prior to deep frying so unsure if homemade but regardless still very good tasting total seating for about 20 or so

First time there 6/14/22 with family - Good Variety of Banh mi and soup noodles, they even have a nice selection of buffet food that I haven't found at any other locations in Seattle or Eastside! Tasty food and meets our taste, I'd say try it even if you're not a vegetarian or vegan! I so wish this is at the East side Bellevue, Redmond or Lynnwood, especially great if they can be located with lunch buffet around the working businesses. I'll definitely go there again!

When we walked in, we were greeted by a petite, smiling lady who invited us in like it was her home. She explained that we could either eat from the menu or enjoy the hot buffet of food before us. She explained what everything was and we quickly decided that we must gorge ourselves on these Vietnamese delights!! Hubster was VERY impressed and keeps asking to go back here, probably because there is a dish that tastes very similar to BBQ spare ribs, and also because the adorable lady gave him a hug and thanked him for coming in and convinced him he needed to eat more. We tried everything she had to offer and it was all fresh, flavorful, and very filling. This is now one of our favorite restaurants in the city, hands down. It is located in the international district in a little strip mall and isn't much to look at when you walk in. Don't let that discourage you! This place is a gem! And don't forget to order bubble tea!!

As a Seattleite whose partner only eats at vegetarian restaurants, I've been to them all, multiple times. Somehow, we missed Chu Minh Tofu until yesterday. This is now my favorite restaurant in Seattle. Seriously, Plum Bistro, where we went after said partner proposed will always have a place in my heart, but Chu Minh has a place in my stomach. We had lunch here, and found the place busy with both Vietnamese and White people for a nice cultural mix. My partner had the buffet and I had a "chicken" sandwich and Pho. It was all exactly what I've come to expect from Vietnamese food in the US, and knowing that it was vegan gave me great peace of mind. The Partner liked almost everything he ate. And the host insisted on comping me a sesame ball when the partner went to get one for himself for dessert. Happy cow will tell you they aren't vegan because of the may on the sandwich. The mayo is actually a house-made vegan mayo, safe for all happy vegans! They were welcoming and the food was great and inexpensive. We will keep this in mind for sandwiches on the way to the train in the future (we'd always just done pizza from World pizza, another great Seattle vegetarian establishment).