Beloved Vietnamese American Bakery Makes a Sweet Return to Brooklyn This September

On Saturday morning, the scent of pandan and butter wafted down a quiet stretch of Bay Ridge Avenue, signaling a long-anticipated comeback. After a year-long hiatus, Bánh & Butter, the Vietnamese American bakery that drew early-morning lines for its airy bánh mì and impossibly flaky egg tarts, quietly reopened its doors on September 4th.

Inside, owner Linh Tran arranged trays of golden chà bông croissants and coconut-studded buns, greeting a steady stream of neighbors—some with reusable totes, others still in gym clothes—eager for their weekend fix. “We missed our regulars,” Tran said, offering samples of her signature Vietnamese coffee pound cake. “It’s good to be back, especially as school starts up and the mornings feel busy again.”

The bakery’s return lands at a time when Brooklyn’s food scene is in flux. Recent closures have left longtime residents craving places that feel both familiar and distinctively New York. For many in the Vietnamese diaspora and curious locals alike, Bánh & Butter’s blend of French technique and Saigon flavors has been a rare anchor. The menu, refreshed for fall, now features mooncakes ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, plus a rotating cast of savory pastries filled with lemongrass chicken and chili jam.

On Saturday afternoon, the sidewalk outside buzzed with a mix of teenagers comparing notes on the best iced coffee in the borough and older couples reminiscing about their first taste of bánh patê sô. “There’s nothing like this anywhere nearby,” said Maritza Alvarez, a local teacher, clutching two boxes for her family’s Sunday breakfast. “It’s the sort of place that makes you feel lucky to live here.”

As autumn settles in and the city’s pace quickens, Bánh & Butter’s return offers a comforting reminder: some of the best New York stories are told in flour, sugar, and a little bit of home.