Have a stroll down the library and station end of Edwardes Street and you're bound to come across one of Reservoir's best-kept secrets — depending on who you ask. To people who know bánh mì, Luke's won't be a new name, but if you've never heard the name before, then do yourself a favour next time you're in the mid-north of Melbourne.
Step inside, and you're greeted by a large menu board showcasing all the options — with pictures, which is always nice. In case all the images of bánh mì didn't alert you that you were in a Good Place, there's even a couple of murals dedicated to the sandwich.
The extensive bánh mì line-up caters to carnivores and plant-based devotees alike. Sink your teeth into the crackling pork for a textural joyride, or go rogue with the vegan 'pork' that'll fool many a meat-eater. In fact, vegans are eatin' good here, with vegan 'chicken' and vegan 'Peking duck' also on the menu.
Or try some of the many other options they have on the board. With 19 bánh mì varieties in total, you could come for lunch every day for two weeks and still not have tried them all. Oh, and the best part? They all sit in the $7.50 to $10 price range. Lovely stuff.
But don't let the bánh mì hype blind you to Luke's other delights. You can grab Luke's special fried rice, which is fried with egg, pea, carrot, corn, char siu pork, chicken and shallots, then topped with lettuce, carrot, cucumber and tomato for an easy $13. This also comes in a vegan option.
There's also a variety of noodle bowls on offer, including crackling pork, BBQ chicken, and even a vegan option, all for $13. If you're feeling snacky, grab yourself some rice paper rolls, steamed buns or one of the many baked sweet treats. And whatever you do, don't you dare leave without grabbing yourself a Vietnamese iced coffee.
Luke's Bakery is open seven days a week from 7am–4pm.