Toronto’s best cheap banh mi right now

1. Banh Mi Huy-Ky’s lemongrass-garlic pork

A butter-brushed baguette with a thin, flaky crust and a smooshy interior hugs lemongrass-and-garlic-laced pork, crunchy pickled carrot and white radish, and bright cucumber and cilantro. $5, cash or e-transfer only. No website.

2. Baguette and Co.’s French Dip

This is what happens when a banh mi and a beef dip make sweet sandwich love: a crusty French bun loaded with slow-roasted sirloin, provolone, sautéed mushrooms and onions, dressed with a lemon- pepper aioli and served with jus for dunking. $8.85. baguetteco.ca Related: Where to eat for $10 or less in Toronto

3. Banh Mi Nguyen Huong’s garlic-honey sausage

The Chinatown storefront that gave birth (both literally and figuratively) to Toronto’s Banh Mi Boys (the boys’ parents opened it in the ’80s) still makes a mean sandwich. Our favourite dresses grilled honey-garlic pork sausage with all the necessary pickled fixings. $4. No website.

4. Saigon Lotus’s lemongrass tofu-seitan banh mi

For a solid meat-free banh mi, this Kensington Market vegan Vietnamese spot stuffs a crusty baguette with a one-two hit of plant-based protein (tofu, seitan) along with lettuce, pickled veggies, fresh cilantro and a squirt of hoisin. $8. saigonlotustoronto.ca Related: The best budget-friendly bowls of noodles in Toronto

5. Banh Mi Trung Son’s Vietnamese deluxe assorted

Located in a little trailer on Jane Street just north of the 401, this stall sells delicious banh mi through a takeout window. Even with the addition of extra meat and shredded dry pork, the deluxe assorted is still well under budget. $4 (plus $2 for extras), cash only. banhmison.ca