The Best Street Food in Melbourne

Kalimera Souvlaki Art is a reliable destination for authentic Greek souvlaki. They are highly recommended for their pork gyros platter, dakos salad, and various dips. A common suggestion from visitors is to order an extra pita bread to fully enjoy the meal.

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Ben Shewry

Chef, Attica – Melbourne, Australia

The best souvlaki in Australia! Or the pork gyros platter, the dakos salad, and the dips. Pro-tip: you'll want to order a second pita bread.

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Pho Thin Melbourne, originally from Hanoi, offers a distinctive take on pho that stood out for 40 years in Vietnam before coming to Melbourne. The signature dish is their "stir-fried up" pho bo, where the beef is tossed in a wok before being added to the soup, and green onions replace the usual white. They also offer Vietnamese doughnuts, also known as youtiao, perfect for dipping.

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Pat Nourse

Food Writer – Melbourne, Australia

The signature “stir-fried up” pho bo from famed Hanoi noodle shop Pho Thin. They’ve just arrived in Melbourne having rocked it back in Vietnam for 40 years with their idiosyncratic take on pho. The beef is tossed in a wok before it goes in the soup, the onion is green rather than white, and bean sprouts are verboten. Liked it. I think it’s different to anything else in town, and definitely worth a look. What I really like is that unlike most pho shops in Australia they offer what they call Vietnamese doughnuts (and what I’d call youtiao) on the side for the dippins.

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Mumchan is a Korean restaurant that brings traditional family flavors to your table, either in-store or online. They offer a variety of dishes including Banchan, Kimbap, and traditional Bibimbap, as well as house-made kimchis and other side dishes. For those who prefer home-cooked meals, Mumchan also provides pre-cooked, homestyle dishes that you can easily heat at home.

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Jess Ho

Author & freelance writer – Melbourne, Australia

Pick up a quick and easy kimbap, punch up your meal with house-made kimchis, annul and other side dishes. Hit the fridges for cooked, transitional, home style dishes to heat at home.

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Tom Toon is a popular destination for those who crave the fiery flavors of Isaan Thai cuisine. The menu offers a variety of dishes including the classic pad gra pao with crispy pork strips, num tok with sharp onion and lime juice, and a diverse range of som tum. The restaurant is often bustling with patrons of Thai heritage, showcasing the authenticity of its robust and punchy flavors.

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Rushani Epa

Food Writer – Melbourne, Australia

Fiery Isaan Thai cuisine at its finestWhen you've got a visceral hankering for the spiciest of Thai chillies and strong, punchy, citric flavours, this is the place to go. Classics like pad gra pao toting holy basil can be paired with crisped up strips of pork as opposed to mince, num tok balances the heat with sharp shreds of onion and plenty of lime juice, there's at least ten variation of som tum, and deep fried pork intestines come as a delectable little entree. The space is always packed out with people of Thai heritage and that's always a good sign. It goes to show the flavours hit hard and that TomToon doesn't mess around.

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Dainty Sichuan Hot Pot - CBD is renowned for its la zi ji, a spicy chicken dish from Chongqing, China, often considered the best in Australia. The restaurant is beloved by locals who appreciate its authentic Sichuan hot pot offerings. If you're a fan of spicy food, Dainty Sichuan Hot Pot - CBD is a must-visit.

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Pat Nourse

Food Writer – Melbourne, Australia

I have to stop and remind myself occasionally that I live in the same city as the best la zi ji in Australia. I love you, Dainty; I love you, Chongqing chicken.

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