Lunch can make or break you during the work day. A disappointing midday meal can set the tone for your entire afternoon, while dipping out for a meal that is fresh, fast and delicious can be just the boost you need. These eateries are so popular that you might want to consider arriving slightly earlier to beat the inevitable lunch rush.
This French-Vietnamese hotspot on Barrack Street is a lunchtime favourite for city workers serving up some of the best banh mi in town, and you’re going to want to get your paws on one. They’re just $8, with fillings ranging from original to chicken, crispy roast pork to vegetarian and more. There are a range of different salads changing daily as well as a heap of snacks on the side ($4 pork buns, anyone?). They’ve also got some of the cheapest coffee in the city ($3 regular, $4 large) for those coming into the office pre-dawn, and you can snap them up with your credit card without incurring a charge.
Uncle Joe’s Mess Hall is part barber shop, part fantastic office lunch den. The quirky hipster magnet on King Street serves up quality eats to go (and a haircut if you’re so inclined). Coffee, smoothies and more are ready to complement your choice of eats. They receive deliveries of Top Dup donuts daily at Uncle Joe’s Mess Hall, and there are takeaway lunch options to bring back to the office for maximum coworker jealousy. Along with daily specials, there are sandwiches with prosciutto, avocado and Wagyu, burgers, bagels, and Nood organic bowls. Don’t forget a caramel pretzel bar for a 3pm pick-me-up.
Lunchbox has fast become a favourite of workers looking for something fresh in their lunch break. Keep an eye out as you walk down St Georges Terrace for their unmissable front window packed with colourful kids’ lunch tins, and venture in for some ‘super bao’ with fresh salad and your choice of meat, or a bowl of Vietnamese pork salad. Wraps, rolls, salads, sushi, sandwiches and more are all ready to grab and go. Lunchbox opens their doors well before the lunch rush too – head in bright and early for a caffeine hit made from locally-roasted Pound Coffee beans.
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