Summer roll or spring roll? Both terms appear on plenty of menus, and many guests use them interchangeably. In fact they’re two completely different dishes – one is crispy and warm, the other fresh and cold. Once you know the difference, you’ll order exactly what you’re actually in the mood for.

In this post we explain both versions in simple terms, clear up the most common mix-ups and show you where to try them in Leipzig-Lindenau: at Mami Viet, both are on the menu – each with a vegetarian version too.

The difference in one sentence

The spring roll is fried and comes to the table warm and crispy. The summer roll isn’t fried – it’s rolled fresh and served cold.

That’s the heart of it. Everything else – filling, wrapper, sauce – follows from there. So if you fancy something light in summer, you mean the unfried version. If you want something hearty to start with, you mean the fried one.

A little memory aid: summer = fresh and cold, spring = hot from the pan. That’s not the historical origin of the names, but it works remarkably well when ordering.

The spring roll: crispy, fried, hearty

Almost everyone in Germany knows the spring roll – it has been one of the most popular Asian starters for decades. In Vietnamese cuisine it’s called nem rán or chả giò, and it’s far more than a side dish: it stands for craft, because every roll is filled and rolled by hand.

What’s typical of the Vietnamese spring roll is the wrapper: it’s made of rice paper, not thick wheat dough. That makes it especially fine and shatteringly crisp when fried, instead of heavy and greasy. The filling is finely cut and aromatic – usually carrots, mushrooms and glass noodles, plus chicken or prawns depending on the recipe.

It’s traditionally served with fresh salad and a dipping sauce. That’s exactly the trick: crispy meets fresh, and the sauce brings the balance of salty, sweet and sour. Wrap the roll in a lettuce leaf and dip it, and you’re eating it the way it’s meant to be eaten in Vietnam.

A common misunderstanding: the thick, doughy rolls from the freezer aisle are closer to the Chinese version. If you want to know more about the differences between the Asian cuisines, you’ll find them in our post Vietnamese, Thai or Chinese.

The summer roll: fresh, unfried, light

The summer roll (gỏi cuốn) is the cold counterpart. Here too the wrapper is rice paper – but it’s only briefly soaked in water and then rolled straight away, with no oil and no pan. You can see the filling through the semi-transparent wrapper: rice noodles, salad, fresh herbs like coriander or mint, plus prawns, meat or tofu depending on the version.

The taste is correspondingly different: light, cool, herb-forward. Nothing sits heavy in your stomach, and because the rolls are served cold they’re a classic summer dish. They usually come with a peanut or fish sauce for dipping.

Try them side by side and you’ll notice quickly: these are two different experiences. One roll crunches, the other tastes of fresh herbs. Both are Vietnamese, both are made from rice paper – but they have about as much in common as fried potatoes and potato salad.

Why the two get confused so often

There are three reasons the terms get muddled:

• Same material: in Vietnam, both are rolled in rice paper. The difference only comes from the preparation.
• Inconsistent menus: some restaurants write “summer roll”, some “fresh spring roll”, some just “rice paper roll”. There’s no fixed rule.
• Translations: nem, chả giò, gỏi cuốn, spring roll, summer roll – depending on the language and region, the same term sometimes means one and sometimes the other.

So the safest route is very simple: ask when ordering whether the roll is fried or fresh. That settles it in five seconds – and nobody ends up with a cold roll when they were looking forward to something crispy.

Both rolls at Mami Viet in Leipzig-Lindenau

At Mami Viet on Merseburger Str. 107 you don’t have to choose – summer rolls and spring rolls are both on the menu, each with a vegetarian version:

• No. 1 Sommerrollen (summer rolls) – €6
  Rice paper rolls filled with salad, rice noodles, cucumber, mango and sesame, served with a house-made peanut sauce. Choose chicken or prawns as the filling.
• No. 11 Sommerrolle vegie – €6
  Rice paper filled with salad, cucumber, mango, sesame, tofu, avocado and Vietnamese herbs, with house-made peanut sauce. Vegan on request.
• No. 2 Gegrillte Frühlingsrollen / 2 pieces (spring rolls) – €6
  Rice paper rolls filled with chicken, Atlantic prawns, oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms and glass noodles, served with salad and a house-made fish sauce.
• No. 12 Gegrillte Frühlingsrolle / 2 pieces vegie – €6
  Rice paper filled with tofu, oyster mushrooms, glass noodles, shallots and wood ear mushrooms, served with salad and our Mami-style sauce.

The mango in the summer roll is our own twist, by the way: it adds a gentle sweetness that works well with the peanut sauce.

Want to try both? That works in one course

If you can’t decide, there’s a plate made for exactly that:

No. 6 Gemischter Vorspeisenteller (mixed starter platter) – €14 with a chicken summer roll, a spring roll, edamame, fried dumplings and salad. Vegan on request.

That gives you the cold and the warm version side by side on one plate – the fastest way to really taste the difference. As a shared starter for two, it works particularly well.

Two more ways to get to the rolls:

• Lunch menu: the grilled spring rolls (2 pieces) cost €4 at lunchtime – daily from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., ideal as a small starter on your break. The main dishes on the lunch menu cost €13, with mini spring rolls included. Our post on the lunch menu in the garden shows what else is on offer at midday.
• As a main course: with Bun Nem (€15), house-made spring rolls arrive together with rice noodles, salad, Vietnamese herbs and peanuts in a lime dressing – here the roll isn’t a starter, it’s the main act.

And when you order to take away, mini spring rolls come as an extra once your order reaches a certain value. Order directly at restaurant-mamiviet.com.

Vegetarian, vegan and with allergen labelling

One point many guests appreciate: our vegetarian rolls aren’t a stripped-down fallback but recipes in their own right, with tofu, oyster mushrooms and fresh herbs – and they cost exactly the same as the versions with meat or prawns. Both summer roll versions and the mixed starter platter are also available vegan on request.

If you want to eat fully plant-based, you’ll also find vegetarian salads, vegetarian soups and vegan sushi options here. Many mains come with tofu, and the Pho 34 is even vegan with tofu and seitan. Allergens are marked on the menu. There’s more in our post about vegetarian food in Leipzig.

If you’d like it lighter still, you’ll find the same principle – fresh herbs, rice noodles, vegetables and a light sauce – in our poké bowl and with summer sushi in the garden.

Which roll suits which occasion?

If you can’t decide between the two, it helps to look at the occasion rather than the menu:

• Cold day, in the mood for something hearty? Then the grilled spring roll (No. 2, or vegie No. 12). Warm, crispy, with a dip – a good start to a bigger meal.
• Warm evening with plans afterwards? Then the summer roll (No. 1, or vegie No. 11). Light, herb-forward, with peanut sauce – won’t make you sleepy.
• There are several of you? Then put the mixed starter platter (No. 6) in the middle. Side by side is where the difference is clearest.
• Short lunch break? Then the spring rolls at €4 during lunchtime – quick, warm and no deliberating.

And if you’re not sure whether Vietnamese cuisine is for you in general: it’s considered one of the lightest in Asia, because it relies on fresh herbs, rice noodles and vegetables rather than heavy sauces. The spring roll is a good example of that in miniature – crispy, but not heavy thanks to the salad and dip.

How to find us in Leipzig

Mami Viet is at Merseburger Str. 107, 04177 Leipzig, in the Leipzig-Lindenau / Altlindenau district, just minutes from Lindenauer Markt. We’re open daily from 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.

🅿️ There’s free parking directly in front of the door – handy if you want to eat quickly on your lunch break or pick something up. You can pay cash or by card for bills of €20 or more. Book a table by phone on 0341 4925 2244, either indoors or in the garden. Allergens are marked on the menu.

FAQ: Summer rolls and spring rolls

What’s the difference between a summer roll and a spring roll?

The spring roll is fried and served warm and crispy. The summer roll isn’t fried – it’s rolled fresh and served cold.

Does Mami Viet serve summer rolls?

Yes. The summer rolls (No. 1) cost €6 and come with chicken or prawns. The vegetarian summer roll with tofu and avocado (No. 11) also costs €6 and is vegan on request.

Are Vietnamese spring rolls made from rice paper?

Yes. In Vietnamese cuisine they’re classically rolled in rice paper, which makes them finer and crispier when fried than thick dough rolls.

Are there vegetarian spring rolls at Mami Viet?

Yes. The grilled spring roll vegie (No. 12) with tofu, oyster mushrooms, glass noodles, shallots and wood ear mushrooms costs €6.

Can you order both rolls together?

Yes. The mixed starter platter (No. 6, €14) includes a chicken summer roll, a spring roll, edamame, fried dumplings and salad – vegan on request.

What do spring rolls cost on the lunch menu?

The grilled spring rolls (2 pieces) cost €4 at lunchtime, daily from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. With the main dishes on the lunch menu (€13), mini spring rolls are included.

How do you eat Vietnamese spring rolls properly?

Wrap them in a lettuce leaf and dip them in the sauce – that way the crispy, the fresh and the sauce all come together.

Are spring rolls very greasy?

Fried from rice paper, they’re noticeably finer than thick dough rolls. Together with salad and dip, that makes for a light starter.

Is there free parking?

Yes, directly in front of the restaurant at Merseburger Str. 107.

Can you pay by card?

Yes, for bills of €20 or more.

Taste the difference at Mami Viet

Now you know what’s behind the two names – and you can order exactly what you want on your next restaurant visit. Or keep it simple and take both: at Mami Viet in Leipzig-Lindenau, summer rolls and spring rolls sit side by side on the menu, each with a vegetarian version, indoors or in the garden – with free parking right outside the door.

We look forward to seeing you – your team at Mami Viet, Sushi & Asian Cuisine in Leipzig-Lindenau. As of: August 2026.

Mami Viet – Sushi & Asian Cuisine
Merseburger Str. 107, 04177 Leipzig (Lindenau / Altlindenau)
Phone: 0341 4925 2244
Web: restaurant-mamiviet.com
Opening hours: Mon–Sun 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.