The first post went up in December 2023, and ever since, the mystery owner has been teasing his social media followers with photos of the food he planned to serve and the interior he planned to build.
During that time, though, he never shared his identity or the address for the business.
Now, the owner of Banh Mi 316 is ready to share details of the restaurant he’s been dreaming about for 26 years.
Kevin Nguyen, who also owns Wichita’s two Feng Cha boba shops, revealed himself this morning to be the owner of Banh Mi 316, which is taking over the old NuWay building at 3441 E. Harry. The sign was erected outside the building Tuesday.
Bahn Mi 316 will open in September in the old NuWay building at 3441 E. Harry. Courtesy Kevin Nguyen
He decided to keep the location a mystery for so long to build interest, he said, and it worked. Now, though, the business is almost ready. Nguyen said he hopes to have it open in mid-September.
The restaurant is the culmination of a dream Nguyen has had since the year 2000, he said. In fact, he’s done the math, and the discussion about the business first happened exactly 316 months ago, which he feels is fate because of the name he chose for the restaurant. (And, of course, 316 is also the telephone area code for Wichita.)
At the time, Nguyen had a nail salon, and he and his employees were lamenting that they couldn’t find in Wichita the kind of banh mi sandwiches they enjoyed growing up in Vietnam. Banh mi sandwiches were at the center of some of Nguyen’s childhood memories, he said. His parents would tell him he could have half of a banh mi sandwich if he did well in school.
“We could not afford to buy a whole banh mi,” he said. “I would have one maybe every three months. . . . I would eat very slowly. I didn’t want to eat fast because I didn’t want it to go away. I never thought one day I would be living in America trying to open a restaurant.”
A drawing shows the interior of Banh Mi 316 Courtesy Kevin Nguyen
Nguyen, who moved to the United States when he was 12, bought the building more than three years ago, he said. It’s taken so long to open the restaurant because he wanted it to look just right. He went through several interior designers before finding one who understood his vision. The interior will have a sleek, modern look and private booths fitted with phone chargers, he said.
When it opens, the restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and will offer different menus at different times of the day.
“The restaurant will actually have a different feeling depending on what time you are coming,” he said.
Banh Mi 316 will open at around 7 a.m., and on the breakfast menu, customers will find things like breakfast banh mi sandwiches with bacon and eggs and breakfast bowls. He’ll also serve a menu of Vietnamese coffee made slow-drip style with a phin filter. Nguyen said he’s excited about his coffee offerings, which will be made with coffee beans imported from Vietnam. He’ll offer some unique concoctions, including fruit coffee, avocado coffee, peanut butter coffee and an Oreo latte. The menu will also include matcha drinks, herbal tea and a few types of boba tea.
The lunch menu will begin at 11 a.m. and run until 8 p.m. and will feature banh mi sandwiches made on special bread that meets Nguyen’s standards of being crunchy on the outside and light and soft on the inside. Among the proteins for the sandwiches will be pork, meatballs and grilled chicken. The afternoon menu also will include build-your-own spring rolls.
Kevin Nguyen, the owner of Wichita’s two Feng Cha boba tea shops, is opening a restaurant called Banh Mi 316. Denise Neil The Wichita Eagle
The evening menu, which will run from 2 to 11 p.m., will feature pho — which is Vietnamese soup — and broken rice noodle dishes known as com tam.
Nguyen, who put on Vietnamese night market events in the building’s parking lot last summer, plans to revive them on Saturday nights when the weather is nice. He thinks those will start in October. He’ll also have a back patio where people can enjoy coffee in the garden.
Nguyen said he’s excited to show Wichita what he’s been dreaming about for so long.
“I want the people to come in and experience how Vietnamese people eat, drink coffee, and gather and spend time together,” he said.
This story was originally published August 18, 2026 at 12:31 PM.
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Denise Neil
The Wichita Eagle
Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.
Dining and Cooking