ChuMinh Tofu & Vegan Deli: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

ChuMinh Tofu & Vegan Deli is one of the best things to happen to Seattle’s Little Saigon. Everything on the menu is vegan. You can get a banh mi for $9.95 to $10.95 or fill a plate at the all-you-can-eat vegan buffet. Owner Tanya Nguyen opened the deli in 2011, and she has fed the neighborhood in more ways than one for 15 years. Find the original deli at 1043 S Jackson St. ChuMinh’s second location is Chu Minh Sandwiches and Coffee at 6754 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, and you’ll find the buffet at both. If you want Vietnamese food with no animal products and no guesswork, start at ChuMinh.

What’s vegan and vegetarian at ChuMinh Tofu & Vegan Deli

Every dish is vegan. There’s no separate vegetarian section, because ChuMinh doesn’t need one. Tanya switched the restaurant to fully plant-based food in 2016, and since then everything has been vegan, the mayo on the banh mi included. That means no cross-contamination risk from meat, no quizzing your server, and no awkward substitution requests. Cooks at ChuMinh make their own tofu and faux meats, and you’ll see seitan “chicken,” “pork,” “beef,” and “duck” across the menu.

Signature dishes to order

Start with the B1 Spicy Tofu Sandwich ($9.95), the top seller and the dish that put ChuMinh on the map. It’s a classic banh mi with seasoned tofu, pickled daikon, pickled carrot, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeño on a crisp baguette. Regulars also order the B2 Spicy Lemongrass Chicken Sandwich and the B3 Barbecue Pork Sandwich, both $10.95 and both made with seitan. For soup, get the NS1 Veggie Pho ($17.95), and ask for the gluten-free version if you avoid gluten. Reviewers fill their buffet plates with braised jackfruit, curries, tofu dishes, and eggplant, then go back for seconds.

How to order

You’ve got two main paths. Dine in at either location and eat from the all-you-can-eat buffet if you’re hungry and want variety. Go hungry. Unlimited servings are for dine-in guests only, but you can build a takeout box from more than 20 buffet items and pay by the pound. Or order banh mi, noodle soups, rice combos, salads, and appetizers from the regular menu, where rice and noodle combos with two entrees start at $17.95. For pickup or delivery, order on ChuMinh’s own website, chuminhtofu.com. There are no reservations.

Hours differ by location. On S Jackson St, ChuMinh serves from 11am to 8pm Tuesday through Saturday and from 11am to 7pm on Sunday. Over on Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Chu Minh Sandwiches and Coffee ((206) 457-4469) opens at 9am and serves until 8pm on Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday and until 7pm on Wednesday. Skip Monday. ChuMinh closes both locations that day.

Before you go

If you avoid gluten, read the menu closely. On the menu, you’ll see GF next to gluten-free dishes and a note on the dishes the cooks can make gluten-free. Seitan faux meats contain wheat gluten, though. Stick to tofu. Parking in the International District can be tight, so give yourself a few extra minutes. And if the buffet is the whole reason for your trip, call ahead, since ChuMinh has changed its hours and service style over the years.

Is ChuMinh Tofu & Vegan Deli worth the trip?

Yes, by a wide margin. Prices are low, the vegan commitment is airtight, and the people behind the restaurant give back to the neighborhood every week. Every Sunday since 2018, Tanya and a volunteer group called The Eggrolls have handed out 200 to 250 free meals to unhoused neighbors in Little Saigon. The Seattle Kraken named her a “Hero of the Deep” in 2023 and donated $32,000 to Real Change in her name. In 2026, the city awarded ChuMinh a forgivable Tenant Improvement Program loan to upgrade its tofu making. Tanya built ChuMinh’s reputation on purpose. In June 2026, ChuMinh held a 4.7 on Google across more than 1,100 reviews. If you’re in Seattle and you eat plants, put ChuMinh on your list.