The 50 best cheap eats in Melbourne

A popular spot among locals and travellers alike, this Lebanese bakery serves up some delicious meals at cheap prices. Stop by for a coffee in the morning and get the A1 brekkie ($16) that comes with two eggs, sujuk, labne, cucumber, tomato, olives, mint and pita bread, or pop in for lunch and nab a halloumi cheese pie ($6) that's served up in the form of a giant doughy crescent. Most items are under $20, and that includes the toasted chicken tawouk wrap, which comes with hot chips, pickled cucumbers, pickled turnips, cabbage coleslaw and garlic dip. 

Snacky steal: Spinach and cheese triangle ($6)

Sparsely decorated with bright pops of colour synonymous with the Mexican flag and jaunty Latin music playing from within its confines, new Johnston Street eatery El Columpio is bringing a slice of homestyle cooking to an oft-underappreciated quarter of Fitzroy. Established by chef Ricardo Garcia Flores as part of a dream to introduce Melburnians to the family heirloom Mexican dishes he grew up with, El Columpio has a short but sweet menu. If you arrive before midday, you’ll be treated to a breakfast menu that comprises tamales and chilaquiles. Arrive after midday and the menu is identical, no matter if you arrive at 1pm or 8pm – expect the traditional Mexican soup pozole, a selection of tacos and a few sides. Weekend specials round things off – when we visit, it’s tacos de barbacoa estilo Hidalgo, one of the most famous exports of the state north of Mexico City, which sees lamb wrapped in agave leaves and slow-cooked in an underground pit. 

Vietnamese duo Ai Huyn and Thi Le are treating the CBD’s intrepid foodies to next-level bánh mì. Just as the Vietnamese took the French baguette and made it their own, Banh Mi Stand has taken the bánh mì and evolved it into something experimental and uniquely Melbourne. For a mere $16 and all this considered, Banh Mi Stand makes for a dang fine cheap eat well worth the CBD pilgrimage.

Snacky steal: Roasted rice tofu bánh mì

Wazzup Falafel owner Ahmad Al Alaea swapped a career in fitness with cheffing after he couldn’t find equivalent falafels to what he’d enjoyed growing up in Jordan as a Palestinian refugee. Training with the best falafel chefs back in Jordan, he opened his food truck in the fateful month of March 2020, soon garnering an ardent following within a five kilometre-radius.

Snacky steal: Junior falafel box with five falafel balls, hummus, tahini, pickles, turnips, cherry tomatoes, olives, herbs and sauce ($12)

Ras Dashen has been sating the appetites of inner westies for more than a decade, and it shows no signs of abating. The restaurant's Ethiopian fare has something for everyone (vegans included), but what you do need to be is someone who’s comfortable eating with your hands. There’s no better way to enjoy torn off bits of injera – the fermented flatbread that's one of Ethiopia’s most famed exports – laden with your favourite curries. 

Snacky steal: Teff injera ($4) with stewed lentils ($10)

While long queues might be a deterrent for some, true foodies know that they're a sign of a sure-fire hit – and join the line! That's how you'll feel about French Fix when you wander down Queen Street on your next lunch break in the CBD: What is this mysterious little France-themed sandwich bar? Are the baguettes really that good? Spoiler alert: yes. They're probably the closest thing you can get to the real Parisian deal within the Hoddle grid, and for that we're eternally grateful. From the owner Murielle's French heritage to the red, white and blue signage, it's all the little details here that will make you feel as if you've hopped on a plane to the City of Lurve.

In the last decade, the cry for true Mexican fare in Melbourne has echoed far and wide, with CDMX being the newest taqueria to respond. The same husband-and-wife team behind Seddon’s Superchido, Beatrice Nacor and Daniel Pineda have brought their artisanal taco recipes straight from the heart of Mexico City, or as the Mexicans call it: Ciudad de México (CDMX – hence the name). What started as a wildly successful pop-up in Melbourne Central now boasts a spacious sister taqueria in Brunswick East, and our verdict’s in: these are the best damn tacos in Melbourne.

Snacky steal: Guacamole and totopos ($11.50)

Hi Chong Qing is the first venture from restaurateur Kevin Houng, who spent some time in Chongqing learning the art of making a good bowl of noodles from a master who has been honing his craft for 26 years. Fresh and springy wheat flour noodles, a mouth-numbing broth due to the inclusion of Sichuan peppercorns, and toppings ranging from intestines to pork feet are features of a traditional bowl of Chongqing noodles, but Houng has swapped out the spiciness for a more subtle level of heat and the offal with more conventional meat cuts. In a departure from traditional meat-heavy versions, the ‘signature Chongqing noodles’ can be made in a vegetarian version if requested. The heady and restorative broth, whether veggo or reduced down from pork bones, is concocted from ten ingredients that include clearly discernible notes of garlic, ginger, coriander, spring onion, soy, chilli and, of course, Sichuan peppercorns. Don’t venture near these noodles with a white shirt, or without a serviette bib – these slurpable oily noodles are messy and they will stain.

Snacky steal: Signature CQ noodles ($12.80)

Butchers Diner, the 2018 winner of our Best Cheap Eat award, is the perfect no-frills venue. Here, you can chow down on a burger made with a seriously good beef patty for just $12, snack on two skewers cooked yakitori-style for just $10, or put away the messy goodness of a Coney Island chilli dog for $17. Daily rotating specials that range from crispy buttermilk chicken sandwiches to green falafel salads also come in at under $20, but the baked French dip roll on Saturdays is our favourite with shaved wagyu beef, sweet onions, Comté and dipping jus. Finish with a $6.50 cup of gelato and you've got a dinner fit for a king or queen. 

Snacky steal: Poutine ($16)

Dodee Paidang's first restaurant is hidden in an unobtrusive basement off Little Collins Street. The next two outposts can be found on Swanston Street and in Box Hill. Whichever one of the  colourful, low-fi and community-driven restaurants you choose, they will all be packed to the brim with Thai natives. Many dishes come in at under $20, and there's plenty to try like the pad thai, green curry on rice and crispy pork with holy basil on rice. Dodee is proud of its origins, gracious in its delivery and delicious in every bite, and we salute it for not pandering to a Western palate.

Snacky steal: Shrimp cakes ($15.90)

In the pho-saturated jungle of Victoria Street, I Love Pho stands proudly as a beacon of soupy salvation. This unassuming family-owned eatery might look like just another pho joint, but don't be fooled — this is the spot for quality pho in Richmond that won't have your wallet weeping. The menu is straightforward: pho, and lots of it. Beef, chicken, or vego, take your pick. The star of the show is their beef pho — a bowl of silky rice noodles, tender slices of beef, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts swimming in a rich broth. Chuck in some chilli if you're feeling spicy, or keep it mild and let the complex flavours do their thing.

Snacky steal: 6 spring rolls ($11)

Once you bite into a Half Moon falafel, there's no going back. Jostle your way to the counter of this unassuming little joint and order a warm pocket of tabouli, chickpeas, hommus, garlic yoghurt, pickles and black olives. They'll smoosh three crunchy Egyptian falafels onto the fillings to reveal a soft, bright green middle. Demolish it in the communal courtyard outside and take a moment to appreciate Coburg's diverse population: students, musos, artists and families.

Snacky steal: Traditional falafel wrap ($10)

There's no denying the kebab is everyone's fave late-night snack, but where do you find the tastiest? Well, we reckon these ones around town are pretty primo but the Triple M Melbourne crew has taken things a step further by asking the people. And after an extensive survey as part of the radio station's rigorous 'Best of Melbourne' competition, one humble kebab shop in Pakenham has emerged victorious as the crème de la crème of Melbourne's kebab scene.

Snacky steal: Doner kebab wrap ($13)

Vola Foods specialises in Cameroonian cuisine, a melting pot of flavours from the north, west and centre of Africa, with a dash of Arabic and European influence. It sprung up in June 2021 in the middle of a Brunswick parking lot, where head chef and owner Ashley Vola’s team has been slinging her coveted jollof rice, puff puff (fried African dough balls) and mouth-watering barbecued meats from a bright orange shipping container ever since. It's the heartiest West African soul food going around.

Snacky steal: Plantain cup with fried chicken ($15)

Mr Lee’s Foods is well worth the trip to Ringwood if you’re a fan of pork; all dishes are derived from this glorious animal, offering a delicious insight into the economical traditions of Korean dining, which utilises an innately cultural nose-to-tail philosophy. Needless to say, this is a vegetarian no-go zone. A housemade soondae (Korean blood sausage), steamed pork belly and pork bone broths with sliced pork, Korean sausage or both, are the only things on offer at Mr Lee’s, and you can comfortably order every dish on the menu for the price of a jug at a pub.

Bowltiful needs no introduction, but for the uninitiated, it is one of the city's most popular noodle purveyors. Chewy hand-pulled noodles find their perfect home inside a bowl of rich broth, beside chunks of tender halal beef, which are topped with fresh, tingling chilli oil and herbs. All Bowltiful chefs train for at least six months to become experts in crafting the noodles, and each serve of noodles is hand-pulled to order. The menu boasts many tempting dishes alongside the popular braised brisket noodle soup, such as braised lamb flap noodle soup, dry noodles, stir-fried tomato, egg and soybean paste sauce, and minced beef with soybean paste and noodles. The Lanzhou-style lamb burger is stuffed with spicy three-hour braised beef brisket and makes the perfect side dish, and for only $8.80 is a real steal.

To know Master Lanzhou noodles is to love Master Lanzhou noodles. The ubiquitous Melbourne chain serves authentic Lanzhou beef noodle soups with hand-stretched-to-order noodles and rich soup that is pure, concentrated beef flavour. Our pick is the signature homemade beef noodle soup that has melt-in-the-mouth slow-cooked beef chuck along with its special chilli oil, coriander and white radish. Be warned; this soup is seriously addictive – thankfully, it only puts you out by $19.50.

It's simply impossible to walk by one of the Hot Star Large Fried Chicken locations in the city and not find yourself staring longingly with envy at some stranger devouring a truly magnificent (and giant) piece of fried chicken. And by giant, we truly mean giant — these things are as big as your face. Hot Star Large Fried Chicken has been serving up its signature oversized chicken cutlets since 2014, quickly becoming a cult favourite. The restaurant's concept originated in Taiwan in 1992 and has since expanded internationally, bringing a taste of Taipei's famous Shilin Night Market street food to Australia.

Snacky steal: Fried chicken ($11.90)

Doubtless you’ve heard that Melbourne has inherited its own branch of Mamak – Sydney’s famed house of Malaysian roti breads, curries and epic queues. In which case you’ll know this is where you need to come at lunch for a frosty iced tea and a nasi lemak – a blank canvas of coconut rice to which you adhere whole toasted peanuts, chilli-seed ridden sambal, cucumber, boiled egg and ikan bilis (tiny dried anchovies) till you’re adequately amused. But did you also know this easy-to-wipe-down, high-turnover cafeteria does late night supper? Roti, if you’re not familiar, is a pan-fried flatbread with layers like sheets of translucent, buttery, tissue paper. They serve it here in all its forms – savoury, with pools of fragrant and fluid curry sauce, and an equally giving lentil mix for running the soft bread through; sweet, as a delicate towering sugar-coated cone with fresh banana slices and a melting blob of ice cream, or stuffed to the seams with minced meat, cabbage and egg (murtabak). 

Biang Biang Noodle House is home to springy, long and flat hand-pulled wheat noodles tossed in accompaniments like stewed pork, slow-cooked beef, and tomato and egg, as well as a ton of chilli oil. The fact that Biang Biang is perennially packed speaks to its appeal. The namesake biang biang noodles are the must-order, but if you’re feeling like something different or can’t process gluten, there are rice noodles served cold as well as vermicelli. The best part is that all the bowls only come in at between $13 and $21, so if you've got an extra tenner or so in your wallet, you can also try Biang Biang’s rougamo, colloquially known as a Chinese hamburger (choose between cumin beef, chicken, tofu skin and egg, beef tripe or pork sandwiched between crisp pastry). 

Out in Huntingdale, small family-run restaurant Chef Wong is serving up one of the finest – and most affordable – yum cha feasts you can enjoy in the state. With over 40 years of experience in preparing authentic Cantonese food, Chef Wong makes everything from scratch and you can even get a bag of his tasty creations for takeaway or order them online. You'll spot all your favourites on the menu, from pork siu mai to har gow and the crowd favourite, a fried beancurd prawn roll. 

Snacky steal: Xiao long bao ($2.90)

Now in its 35th year, the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition has crowned its 2024 winner – with Victoria’s Buddy Bakery taking out the top gong. This year’s competition was incredibly fierce (and flaky), with more than 2,000 pies from 367 bakeries nationwide vying for the $500 prize and bragging rights to Australia’s best plain meat pie. So, what exactly makes a “good pie”? According to chief judge Mike French, it comes down to several key criteria: “a base that is two to three millimetres thick with a nice even cooked-through bake. Good lamination on the lid with natural colour. Filling that doesn’t run, is stable and has good sensory appeal (taste, smell, texture and aftertaste).” Good job, Buddy!

Snacky steal: Ned Kelly pie ($5.50)

Bain-marie food gets a bad rap – mostly thanks to lukewarm food court curries pooling in oil – but you won’t find any of that at popular Indonesian lunchtime spot Salero Kito Padang. Formerly nestled on the periphery of Tivoli Arcade, it’s since moved to 9 Rose Lane. What has remained the same is the amazing array of food on offer. From anywhere between $13.50 and $20, you can get different combinations of dishes with rice. Think tempeh and green beans stir-fried in red chilli paste, crisp deep-fried ox lung, spicy chicken, jackfruit curry, beef rendang and so much more. 

If the line snaking out of Bourke Street’s Mid City Arcade is anything to go by, Mr Ramen San is well worth your time. The pork bone broth (simmered for no less than 10-hours) is soft and creamy without being heavy, sporting a level of gelatinousness that slips rather than sticks. Thin and bitey wheat noodles, made in-house, are just the right vehicle for the lower-viscosity tonkotsu soup, while sliced spring onion, pickled bamboo shoots, seaweed and a jammy soy egg tick the customary topping boxes. Bowls range from $16.90 to $17.90, depending on the type of ramen you chose, and the best part is you can order extra noodles for free. 

At Coppe Pan, archetypal Japanese street food dishes – from gyoza (dumplings) and takoyaki (octopus balls) to chicken karaage (fried chicken) and yaki soba (stir-fried wheat noodles in a sweet and savoury sauce) – are sandwiched in pillowy white bread rolls known as ‘pan’. Don’t expect the crusty sourdough that soaks up eggs benny in cafés around Melbourne though, Coppe Pan’s bread is soft and fluffy as a result of its high percentage of water and sweeter than your average Western loaf of bread. Sandwiches are so cheap you’ll be able to splash out on a matcha soft serve or a matcha tiramisu and still come in under $20. 

For a quick, cheap, no-frills Japanese noodle experience, head to Udon Yasan. If you’ve never been before, take the lead of the person in front of you: order your udon at the front counter, grab a tray for your bowl of noodles, and proceed along to grab sides such as egg or kimchi. After paying for your noodles and sides, avail yourself of free toppings that include fried tempura flakes, spring onion, grated radish, bonito flakes and an array of sauces. Price-wise, the heaping seaweed udon noodle soup will put you out by $7.40, whereas more involved bowls like the beancurd udon or the sukiyaki beef and half-boiled egg noodle soup will put you out anywhere between $8 and $12.40 – before you account for sides. In any case, this cheap eat is an absolute steal. 

You can head to the lovely ladies at Queen Victoria Market’s borek shop for the most value-for-money lunch, or stop by the Borek Bakehouse, where the same people have set up shop a hop, skip and a jump away from the market and are dishing up snacky Turkish staples. A trip to the Bakehouse is incomplete without a crisp, bready borek stuffed with punchy feta and spinach, aromatic lamb and veggies, or spiced potatoes. If you feel like some other doughy goodness, opt for a pide stuffed with sucuk and egg or chicken and mushroom. Whatever you choose, it's unlikely to cost you more than a tenner.

So good they named it thrice, this hole-in-the-wall down Meyers Place is a blessing for locals, tourists and city revellers alike. You can’t miss its sign, a neon yellow arrow blaring ‘pizza pizza pizza’ from the window. What you may miss, however, is the cosy cocktail bar nestled out the back, accessible by paring back a shiny black curtain – the perfect nook for a discrete nightcap. 

Delhi Streets may be named in honour of India’s capital, but its menu criss-crosses the country. An all-in nutritious meal of thali plates (rice, naan and pappadum served with two curries) comes in between $17 and $20, while you can get a masala dosa (a thin crisp pancake made from fermented batter stuffed with spiced potatoes) for $18. Indian-inspired wraps and pizzas similarly won’t break the bank. 

Renowned chef Eyal Shani did us all a favour when he brought his Israeli pita empire to Melbourne's Hardware Lane. For $16, the classic falafel comes in the form of Shani’s ‘falafel burger’ with tomato, sour cream and pickles. You'll also find the French Provençal stewed vegetable dish of ratatouille is given a new lease of life in pita form, with caramelised eggplant and onion finding an unfamiliar, yet perfectly sound pairing in creamy dollops of tahini and a half-boiled egg. The majority of the pitas come in at just under $20, and you’ll be full for hours. 

Located in the centre of the Greek community of Oakleigh, Kalimera Souvlaki Art dishes out pork and chicken gyros ($17 for a souvlaki, $30 for a whole platter) to hungry punters who drop by this busy suburban joint looking for a hearty and reliable feed. Owner Thomas Deliopoulos relocated from Greece to Melbourne and brought with him his family and a passion for smokey souva. Go here for meat skewers, fresh pita bread, family platters, traditional salads and housemade tzatziki all for a really good price. 

If this isn’t the best little hole-in-the-wall dumpling den in Melbourne, we’ll eat the menu. Just watch us. More expensive than your average dumpling spot but far more refined in terms of quality, Shandong is known for its plate of fish dumplings – you’d be hard-pressed to find the variety, or the quality of dumpling, at any other Melbourne dumpling restaurant. The dumplings are ugly-beautiful: a loose mince of oily mackerel, fragrant with ginger, coriander root and chives, captured in the thinnest white dinner jacket. You can easily have an all-out feast here for less than a cool fifty.

The xiao long bao was a dumpling of intrigue and mystery to non-Shanghainese diners and the perpetrator of many burnt tongues when this dumpling house first quietly opened up in 2010. But three venues later, it has secured its place as a leader in delivering perfect XLBs. There are five different varieties available, and other classic favourites like shu mai, wonton soup, spring onion pancakes, mapo tofu and kung pao chicken. Individual rice and noodle dishes cost under the $20 mark to varying degrees, as do the bamboo baskets of steamed dumplings. 

Tawooq is a family-run business that sprung up on the Brunswick East end of Lygon Street in mid-2024. The casual, buzzy spot is now a popular go-to destination for affordable, Beirut-inspired street food snacks. If you order anything, please for the love of all things holy, get the chicken tawooq wrap. The impeccably balanced bread parcel of tart pickles, garlicky white sauce, herbaecous, salt-dusted fries and impossible tender chicken breast is just... everything.

Good Times checks just about all the boxes – a hearty meal (check), that’s cheap (check) in a vibey atmospheric setting (check). If you haven’t heard of it, that’s probably because there’s no fancy shmancy Instagram page, but don’t be fooled, it gets a fair share of attention from word-of-mouth recommendations and its bright-as-the-sun yellow facade on St George’s Road. Chances are you’ll have noticed the yellow building with the big thumbs up imprinted on it when driving past. As the name suggests, it’s all good times from the minute you enter.

Hector’s Deli originally opened in Richmond (with its most recent outpost in Fitzroy), serving up classic combination sandwiches made using high-quality ingredients and decked out with extra flourishes that inspire hour-long queues. The menu has six hot sandwiches and five fresh sandwiches – it’s hard to offer up our top picks because they’re all extremely good, right down to the unassuming HCT which may be the best ham and cheese toastie we’ve ever had. Rest assured the sangas will be some of the most luxurious, satisfying and aesthetically pleasing sandwiches you've ever eaten, and they all come in under $17.

Ca Com Bánh Mì Bar is the Covid baby of fine diner Anchovy, which has now transitioned into a Laotian eatery called Jeow, and is the brainchild of chef-owner Thi Le and partner Jia-Yen Lee. Lockdowns may be over, but Ca Com Bánh Mì Bar is going strong. It’s impossible to compile a list of cheap eats without singling out the bánh mì. And while the bánh mìs here are a little pricier than the average roll, they boast unusual fillings like jungle-spiced Laotian pork sausage, chicken marinated in turmeric and coconut, and sardines cooked in tomato sauce – all worth every penny. 

Nico’s first made a name for itself during those never-ending lockdown days. With the opening of its CBD store scuppered by you-know-what in early 2020, it resurfaced in a pop-up off Brunswick Street to resounding success among Fitzroy locals. The crowning glories of its menu are contingent on who you ask – some love the fresh panko-crumbed chicken thigh sandwich ($16) on a fresh country loaf slathered in nori butter, while others swear by the toasted Cubano ($17), which sees house-smoked pork belly and grandma-smoked ham complemented by koji chimichurri and American mustard. In addition to the CBD and Fitzroy outposts, a newish store has opened up in Brunswick East, so there's no excuse not to seek out one of these great value sandwiches. 

At Fitzroy old-timer Sonido, the arepa takes centre stage. Opened in 2010 by Colombians Santiago Villamizar and Carolina Taler, the café has made the humble arepa a household name. The flatbreads are made the traditional way: whole Australian corn is cooked, mixed, ground and shaped into rounds that are grilled to produce mild-tasting disks blistered with char. They can be eaten on their own but are even better crowned with proteins and vegetables. In the ropa vieja ($15.80), shredded beef is slow-cooked with tomato, onion and spices, delivering sweetness and the kind of comfort food you’re prone to needing in Melbourne’s fluctuating weather. 

With its fairy-esque lights, vibrant green hanging plants that curl out of their baskets and the ever-present smell of grilled meat, Sunshine Social is the epitome of the Australian backyard barbecue, only indoors. The menu reflects the modern Australian community, jumping from salt and Sichuan pepper fried calamari ($15) to hot Belgian waffles ($10.50), while old favourites like a double beef burger ($19.50) and fish fingers in white bread ($15.50) get a look in, too. But if you’re here for the big meats, the half charcoal chicken with sage stuffing ($17) also comes in under budget.  

Snacky steal: Greek-style chicken skewer ($5)

Wherever you hail from in the world, it’s hard not to love Malaysian food. Who can deny the pleasures of a fluffy mound of roti bread, even tastier when soaked in a rich beef rendang or chicken curry? Or the steamy comforts of a good bowl of laksa on a winter’s night? It’s the healing gingery Hainanese chicken rice and the creamy fried egg noodles with beef that have this writer all starry-eyed.

This three-in-one bakery, café and supermarket serves up fresh, fabulous food and stocks all things Middle Eastern. After agonising over your order (will it be the Oasis snack pack, falafel plate, chicken shawarma wrap or lamb and feta pizza? Note: they’re all under $20), you’re handed an electronic device that vibrates when your meal is ready. In the meantime, you can browse the supermarket and take home pillowy Turkish bread or super fresh almonds.

We dig a bold title, and we do indeed bow down to Laksa King as the ruling monarch of noodle soup. The broth of the King's laksa is so warm and creamy you’ll want to slip right in. The combination curry laksa ($15.50) has you gobbling up springy egg noodles and fluffy rice vermicelli while you work your way through choice toppings including tender poached chicken, silky fried eggplant and jewel-like pink prawns.

Slice Shop’s storefront, with rudimentary red, white and blue signage recalling its home team, the Footscray Bulldogs, is nothing to look at, but the bold font spelling out ‘Slice Shop’ and ‘Pizza’ make it clear what people flock here for: 18-inch pizzas served both by the slice and the pie. Burn City Smokers co-owners Steve Kimonides and Raphael Guthrie have swapped wood-smoked meat for enormous hand-tossed pizzas at this latest venture, inspired by the famous New York slices that are eaten on the go. 

Snacky steal: Big slice of pepperoni 'za ($7) 

The taste of Hank's chewy, malty handcrafted bagels is irresistibly New York, a city that’s inspired the owner since he was a teen. Opt for onion, sesame, plain, everything, sourdough, blueberry or gluten-free, and go wild as you wish with the fillings. There’s bacon and eggs, chicken schnitzel, harissa-roasted pumpkin, salmon cured with beetroot and gin, and more. Dessert comes via utterly heavenly thick shakes.

Snacky steal: Malteser shake ($10)

Khao man gai (roughly translating to 'fatty rice') is the specialty of this snug Hardware Lane joint of the same name, with queues of people lining up during both the lunch and dinner rushes to get their fix. It’s created through the boiling of a whole chicken until its fats are rendered into the water to created a flavour-packed broth, further enhanced with a generous infusion of fresh garlic and ginger. This elixir of life is then used to cook the rice, of course. 

Snacky steal: Crab rangoons ($10.50)

Upon arrival in Australia, Iranian Hamed Allahyari began working with Asylum Seeker Resource Centre Catering and Free to Feed, two social enterprises designed to support new migrants through food and dining. Then, seven years later, he opened Café Sunshine & Salamatea, a social enterprise restaurant designed to employ, train and mentor asylum seekers and refugees facing similar paths to him. It’s been a beloved local gathering place ever since – not just for its friendly, community focus but for its approachable Persian fare, which is hard to come by in Melbourne.

Snacky steal: Persian sambuse plate with two fried potato pockets, homemade tomato relish, yoghurt and Shirazi salad ($16)

Citrus isn't the only all-you-can-eat Sri Lankan offering in Melbourne right now (there’s Maalu Maalu in Brunswick, and a more recent opening, Serendib in Northcote), but it’s one of the first, and for that, we pay our respects. The premise is clear. Cough up $22 and you’ll get to fill your plate as high as you like from the ten-plus dishes on show. An extra $3 gives you bottomless access, meaning you can go back for as much as your belly will allow. Though the curries on offer aren’t as rich and spicy-hot as what you’d find in Sri Lanka (Citrus wishes to cater to more sensitive Western palates), the multi-tiered condiments station is where you can go wild. Try coconut sambal, the tongue-puckering sour lime pickle, pineapple chutney and the chilli paste for extra heat.

Snacky steal: An all-you-can-eat plate ($22)

Sri Lankan food is having its deserved day in the sun in Melbourne, but Lankan Tucker was perhaps one of the first cafés to open Melburnians’ eyes to the wonders of Sri Lankan food. At a flat price point of $25, a village breakfast will get you roti filled with egg, green chillies and red onion alongside three different types of sambols and a creamy chickpea curry. Stir-fried shredded kottu roti interspersed with sliced vegetables and a delicious melange of soy sauce and chilli is even more delicious if you get it with a bullseye egg. 

Snacky steal: Cheezy roti ($10)