Marrickville Pork Roll has a cult following for its bánh mì, with scoring impressive high scores on reviews online. I was always curious about why it scored so high, so I was exited when it opened in the more convenient hole-in-the-wall location of Darling Square’s Steam Mill Lane. They do the regular pork roll along with the regular variations using BBQ pork, meatballs and chicken.
2019
This is the original bánh mì thịt ($6.00), packed with a generous amount of meat (6+ slices of pork sausage and headcheese, as well as a handful of chopped up cured pork cold cuts) and a heaping of crisp veges — pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber and coriander — all atop a slathering of liver pâté. They also offer chilli and spring onion, but I prefer to go without.
This roll was crammed fuller than any other pork roll I’ve encountered even without the usual shredded lettuce that some shops use to pad out their rolls. Together with the freshness of the ingredients, the crispness of the vegetables, the crunchy — but not too crunchy that it cuts your mouth — roll, and the on point traditional flavours of a pork roll, this is easily the best pork roll I’ve enjoyed to date and worth the price. It’s rare that a place delivered on the promised hype, but deliver it did. As an added bonus the roll comes in a foil lined paper bag that captured all the juices that almost always end up disintegrating the usual paper bags.
2025
This is a review of the Sydney bánh mì institution that is Marrickville Pork Roll, six years on since it first opened in Darling Square. This time we try the roasted pork belly roll as well, having previously stuck with their original pork roll.
Original Pork Roll ($10.00)
The bread roll was notably soft, lacking the crisp exterior and airy interior that typically defines a standout bánh mì. However, after a brief reheat in the oven (150°C for two minutes), the crust firmed slightly, and the softer bread offered more flavour and a tender bite. The cucumber and coriander were fresh, thick-cut, and crunchy, while the pickled daikon and carrot were generously portioned, well-pickled, and provided a bright, zesty contrast to the savoury meat and pâté. The pâté, in particular, delivered a depth of flavour absent in the more Maggi-heavy version found at Bánh Mì Phương 18. Overall, this roll offered a more balanced interplay of flavour and texture. However, D preferred the saltier profile of Bánh Mì Phương 18’s version.
Roast Pork Belly Roll ($12.00)
The pork crackling was pretty much nonexistent. The pork was juicy, but it was not an improvement on the original pork roll. As with above, the salad was fresh and crunchy, with the perfect amount of acidity.
Marrickville Pork Roll remains a solid option, particularly for its balanced flavour profile and fresh, generously portioned salad. The bread, while softer than ideal, was not abrasive and offered a more pleasant chew after reheating. That said, at $10.00 for the original and $12.00 for the roast pork belly, it is significantly more expensive than Bánh Mì Phương 18 (priced at $7.00 and $8.50 respectively), making it difficult to justify the premium based on quality alone.
Marrickville Pork Roll is located at 16 Steam Mill Lane, Haymarket NSW 2000.