Ordering a lunchtime banh mi at Ja & Jon is so fast and furious, the cafe recently installed airport-style touch screens to keep up. Rolls are assembled via a production line of mayo and pâté (smeared), steaming vats of chopped pork, pepper beef, and lemongrass chicken (stuffed) and assorted picked vegetables (to garnish) and intended for immediate consumption. Hobart and Howrah; jajonbanhmi.com.au.

Banhmi Bites’ signature pork rolls can be made vegan thanks to chef Mimi’s dedication to plant-based alternatives. The traditional version sees spiced pork belly twice-cooked for extra crackly skin, while a tapioca starch, rice flour and five-spice combo sports a crispy coconut ‘crackling’. There’s even a choice of pâté, made either with chicken livers or mushroom and beans. 11 Springfield Ave, Moonah; banhmibites.com.au .

Small Grain’s banh mi-style lunch rolls get the fusion treatment thanks to co-owner Hedeh Nakano’s Japanese heritage: think grilled beef and kimchi, kaarage-style fried chicken and teriyaki eggplant with halloumi. It’s all encased in a toasted roll with lettuce, cucumber, honey soy, Kewpie mayo, bean sprouts, coriander and house-made chilli jam. 166 Charles St, Launceston; smallgrain.com.au .

At Banh Mi n’ Grill, every component is made from scratch – every day chefs fry shallots, bake crispy shelled baguettes and whip up chunky, five-spice-spiked pâté. Here sticky pork neck (marinated in honey, fish sauce and lemongrass) is chargrilled to order. Quick-pickled daikon and carrot and a top-secret chilli soy sauce seal the deal. Hobart and Derwent Park; banhmiandgrill.com.au.

The crackling pork that goes into the signature banh mi at Cyclo is the crunchiest and most succulent in town. Each inch-thick slice of glistening meat is carefully portioned to maximise crackling-per-slice ratio, then sandwiched into a crunchy, pâté-smeared white roll with pickled carrot, fresh cucumber and coriander and a lick of hoisin. You can’t go past it. North Hobart and Moonah; cyclo-online.com.au/northhobart.