Vietnamese chef opens sandwich and tea shop in Wesley Chapel
Tiên’s Sandwich, located at 2557 Mansfield Blvd., expects to welcome customers in November with imported ingredients and a 40-seat dining room.
By Kwame Silva ·
Wesley Chapel is gaining a new food option as a Vietnamese chef prepares to launch a combined sandwich shop and boba tea lounge.
Tiên’s Sandwich, located in the Wiregrass Ranch area, is scheduled to open in November. The menu centers on Vietnamese-French submarine-style sandwiches, with pricing ranging from $8.95 for a classic banh mi to $10.95 for a premium version. The establishment will also serve beef pho, vermicelli bowls, and spring rolls alongside the tea selection.
Tommy Nguyen and his wife, chef Chau Le, are operating the business together. The couple spent time in Vietnam earlier this year to study specific bread-making techniques. They are using ingredients imported from Vietnam and tea sourced from Taiwan. Nguyen described the baguette dough as a proprietary flour mixture designed to achieve a specific crunch and airy texture.
The shop is named after the couple’s daughter. It features a boba tea lounge and seats approximately 40 patrons. Nguyen noted that the neighborhood has requested more local Vietnamese dining options. He said community members have expressed concern that new restaurants in the area are often expensive chains, while family-owned establishments are closing.
"And then they don’t see many family-owned restaurants, and family-owned restaurants are being closed left and right," Nguyen said. "We’re able to cater to the community to kind of help customize the menu or customize everything to people’s liking."
Le’s family has a history in the industry. Under the guidance of Le’s father, the family has consulted for Vietnamese restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa Bay. They previously owned and operated Pho Nhu Trang, which is now the location of Viet Kitchen on West Waters Avenue in Egypt Lake-Leto.
The couple plans to add regional specialties to the menu in the future and is already considering the opening of a full-service restaurant. For now, they are consolidating the popular dishes from Le’s culinary background into the new space.
