In most instances, eating out in Melbourne will not break the bank due to the abundance of reasonably priced dining establishments available. With that in mind, we've put together a list of Melbourne's best cheap gets to eat for under $20 so you can enjoy some of the city's finest restaurants without breaking the bank. Don't lose hope; the results will be worth your patience.
Leave the packaged ramen alone. Despite its reputation as one of the world's most expensive cities, Melbourne is actually home to a surprising number of restaurants offering reasonably priced fare.
For those looking to get the most out of their money, we've compiled a list of some of our favourite low-priced picks. Gözleme, bagels, gyoza, and falafel are just some of the options.
FAQs About Cheap Eats In Melbourne
- Lamb Roast. There's nothing more Aussie than a Sunday roast.
- Banh mi. Thousands of refugees settled in Melbourne after the Vietnam War, and with them came a wave of incredible Vietnamese bakeries.
- Meat pie. Visiting Melbourne between March and September?
- Gozleme.
- Hot jam doughnut.
- Pippies in XO.
- The magic.
- Capricciosa pizza.
McDonald's, Hungry Jack's and KFC are the cheapest fast-food chains in Australia, by average monthly spend, with Aussies paying no more than $70 a month to eat on the cheap (or $840 per year), according to our survey.
McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken are convenient restaurants, but they differ in environment and food options. However, Mcdonald's has cheaper items on their menu. To add, McDonald's and KFC both have cheap foods. The cost per meal for these two restaurants are between $8 and 10 dollars.
Melbourne's food and drink scene have been voted one of the best in the world. It's safe to say we all know Melbourne's food and drink scene is outstanding, so it's always great when we get the accolades to prove it. Similarly, Melbourne was voted highly for its cultural offerings.
Melbourne is world-known for its coffee culture and multicultural cuisine. With the higher number of cafes and restaurants, Melbourne is the top city for food in Australia, especially freshly prepared food from worldwide, in your favourite format.
Butcher's Diner
Its primary selling point is its availability around-the-clock, but this has not led to a decline in the quality of the service or the goods sold. Whether you're in the mood for a medium-heat leg of lamb, a confit duck leg, a falafel salad, or a burger made with aged beef, Butcher's Diner has you covered. Those who are short on time can use the lobby's vegan vending machine to grab a bite to eat or browse the selection.
Mr. Lee's Foods throughout Ringwood is the place to go if you like pork. Everything on the menu contains pork in some form, providing a tasty glimpse into the economic and cultural social rules of Korean dining. Vegetarians and vegans should stay away from here. Mr. Lee's entire menu, which consists of sundaes made from scratch, slow cooked pork belly, and bap made using the dwaeji process, can be purchased for the price of a jug of beer at the a bar.
Ima Project Café
When it comes to food, bacon is noticeably absent from of the menu at this Japanese restaurant. At Ima Project Café, they put furikake on their avocado toast instead of nori paste for a savoury savoury bomb. Two more instances of how the Japanese have placed their own spin on conventional breakfast items are immiso-infused a's tomato bread eggs and porridge slathered with mostly Mitarashi brown sugar, a traditional Japanese rice dish of soy sauce and sugar.
Marios
We owe a great debt of gratitude to the Marios, or Mega Man times two. Back in 1986, when Marios Coffee opened as Brunswick Street's first coffee shop, Fitzroy was a café void ab initio ruled by uncivilised landed gentry and ravenous megafauna. Even as urban legend goes, this was the catalyst for the birth of the suburb's thriving café culture and the first "all-day brunch" in a city that has since become synonymous with the concept. The once unassuming trat has earned the status of icon in the city's hip NoHo district. Many people of different ages frequent Mario's. It's common knowledge that the two Marios struck it rich by eating Italian cuisine that wasn't exactly inexpensive but didn't call for paper napkins. The lasagne is famous for being incredibly tasty.
La Pinta
You might be pleasantly surprised to discover a busy Spanish greasy spoon eatery and wine bar at the very end of High Street, where it fades into Reservoir. The restaurant's owner, a local guy named Adam Racina, opened it in August of 2020, just ahead of one of the lockdowns. Popularity of the restaurant has skyrocketed since it reopened to the public with table service. The prices are reasonable, with a wine glass costing $5 as well as a tray of tapas costing $10, so you can look around without worrying about breaking the bank.
Lulu's Char Koay Teow
Many people love Lulu's because its carbonaceous kway teow is identical to the kind you'd discover on the streets of Penang. Lulu's traditional char kway teow is great as takeout or as a container for leftovers. In order to achieve that signature charred but also smoky flavour of char kway teow, the flat, thin noodles are simmered over a hot wok. These are combined with ingredients like shrimp, lap Cheong, poached eggs, tahini, pork lard, scallions, and chilli peppers.
Göz City
The scent of freshly roasted gözleme fills the air whenever a market is nearby. Turkish focaccia is traditionally filled with cheese as well as kale, but the experts at Göz City offer a variety of other fillings, including abstract — chicken, minced meat, mushrooms, and vegetables. If you're looking for a heartier dough-based meal, try the Succuk cheese and egg pide.
Sal's Authentic New York Pizza
The only Melbourne pizzeria that can credibly claim to serve New York style pizza is Sal's. Sal's is actually a spinoff of actual New York pizzeria, which opened in Little Throat, Queens, in the '70s; in fact, the owner, Sal, has relocated his pie manufacturer, Brian Alias, to Melbourne in order for the city can enjoy genuine New York pizza. All of the dishes were made with locally sourced ingredients like Wisconsin mozzarella, California vegetables, and freshly milling process New York flour. Indulge in some New York-style pizza, garlic knots crammed with minced garlic as well as parmesan, and half a kilo of buffalo wings to satisfy your pizza craving.
Dodge Paidang
The 150-person capacity venue is hidden away in the storage room of Accommodation Causeway 353, just off Little Collins Street. It is well-known for its colourful interior, lack of Wi-Fi, and focus on the local community. The star of the show is the noodle itself, which is served in a straightforward, cutely porky, chicken broth and crowned with puff croissant wonton strips. Dodge is unapologetic about where it came from, is gracious inside its presentation, and tastes great without trying to appeal to the a western audience.
Asado
Asado to Go is the Argentinian restaurant's spin-off pizza place, and this is their polo Frito sandwich. Comprised of fried chicken, scrambled eggs, mozzarella, as well as chipotle mayonnaise. You don't want a hot and heavy date, do you? Substitute an empanada in its place.
Wild Life Bakery
To accept your fondness of carbohydrates is to indulge in a piece of Wild Life Bakeries' rye bread with such a crust as crunchy but instead rich throughout caramel as that. To get their morning repair of the strenuous, chewy crumb, locals flock here. It's delicious spread with miso butter or dunked in harissa-heavy shakshuka. The toasties are just as wide as a man's face and as thick as just a man's forehead, but they accomplish their goal of melting the mountain of Comté sandwiched between layers of onion marinated in Worcestershire sauce.
Rat The Cafe
This same Rat Cafe is indeed a popular meeting place in the area because of its high quality coffee, delicious food, and environmental activism. Named after the initials for the parts of the an element that are typically discarded, "Rat" is an abbreviation for "root and finger," and entrepreneur Callum MacBain tends to take a wast of time approach to developing his menu. Besides the usual suspects of eggs, beans, and bread, the menu always features toast, an oatmeal dish, a cheese sandwich, a blastocyst dish, a bean dish, as well as a sweet dish. That's it, and I think it's great.
Slice Shop
Slice Shop Pizza's front window is nothing to worth writing home about; it showcases some unremarkable red, white, as well as blue signage in support of the Footscray Bulldogs, the team that plays near the restaurant. People come here because the 18-inch pizzas cost only $5 per slice, as advertised by the large letters please spell out "Slice Shop" as well as "Pizza" inside. Burn City Smokers co-owners Steve Kimonides as well as Raphael Guthrie were inspired by the city's famed "slices" to start serving huge, hand-tossed pizzas instead of wood-smoked meat.
Dari Korean Cafe And Bar
Korean-inspired sandwiches, made popular by Dari Korean Café, are the latest craze in the booming market for Asian-style sandwiches. Visiting Melbourne was Yoon-Ji Park. This young man, originally from S.korea, has set up shop on Hardware Lane selling a variety of interesting sandwiches and other Korean-inspired street foods. Four segments of white bread are stuffed with Mexican salad, egg and tomato bisque, and a mountain of strawberry jam to create the Idol Sandwich. Like a peanut butter as well as jelly burger, but better, the flavours combine to produce chocolatey barrages of sweet and savoury.
Lankan Tucker
However, Melbourne has yet to become a centre for Sri Lankan cuisine. Nonetheless, we are convinced that Lankan Tucker will be the one to start a "thing." Traditionally, a hopper (a crepe made of glutinous rice and coconut) is topped with a runny egg and sambols (sauces made from coconut, onion, and parsley) for flavour and texture. Urad lentil crepes or a kottu flatbread are good options for a heartier breakfast.
Atiyah Streetfood
In the heart of Fed Square, you'll find Atiyah, Australia's first zero-carbon, street-food kitchen powered entirely by renewable energy. Manakish, a cross between Foccacia and pizza, is one of the offerings at the kiosk, along with other popular Lebanese street foods. Cheese and vegetables can be added on top of the za'atar crust.
Issan Thai Street Food
Upon entering Issan Thai, you will immediately realise that you have discovered a hidden gem. To your left is a bain-marie with a revolving feast of Issan delights like spicy and fermented blue gill stew, stones of blazing larb, and curl forest curry. You can order some som tum instead of the customised stir-fries that have made their takeout business so successful. The combination of fresh fruit, dried shrimp, crushed peanuts, lime, fennel, chilli, and shrimp paste creates a powerful new salad option. The fermented crab adds a salty, savoury flavour to a pla a version and rounds out the meal nicely. The bulk of a menu consists of meat dishes that are completely covered in a leaf or a chintzy ball of grain and ingested on the go; if you enjoy spam, you will love this.
Jojo Little Kitchen
Despite its Malaysian origins, Jojo Little Kitchen has evolved into a powerful franchise thanks to its dedication to using only the highest quality ingredients and time-honored techniques. Jojo is famous for his pan mee pasta, which come in a variety of soups and dry preparations, both of which can be customised to your liking.
ShanDong MaMa
If this is not the best dumpling knot in Melbourne's backstreets, we'll eat everything on the menu. Please keep an eye on us. When compared to their more sophisticated counterparts, rustic dumplings may lack the presentational polish and pinpoint pinches, but they more than make up for it with their insanely delicious flavour. The fish dumplings are a must-eat before you leave town. Ugly-beautiful, they feature minced oily mackerel fragranced with ginger, coriander stem, and chives and encased in the paperiest white supper jackets.
Hector's Deli
Sandwiches at Hector's Deli in Richmond, Virginia, are made with traditional methods and high-quality ingredients. There are a total of six options to choose from on the menu. All of these eggs remain. No special plating is being used. There was zero cutlery available. These sandwiches, that will cost you or less twenty dollars, are guaranteed to be the most lavish and artistically presented fare you've ever laid eyes on.
Sonido
The arepa at Sonido, which can be found in Fitzroy, is some of the best in Melbourne. It was established in 2010 by Colombians Santiago Villamizar as well as Carolina Taler, and it is largely credited with bringing the once-obscure arepa to the forefront of American cuisine. Traditional preparation entails preparing food whole Australian corn, combining with other ingredients, milling it, and afterwards shaping the pastry into cycles to be grilled. The finished discs are mild in flavour and have just a hint of char.
Even when eaten on their own, they have great flavour, but when combined with proteins as well as vegetables, those who become a masterpiece of culinary art. Ropa vieja, made from beef that has been shredded, is sweet and soothing like mom's casserole because of the long, slow cooking process used to bring out the beef's natural sugars and flavours.
Coppe Pan Japanese Bakery
At Coppe Pan, traditional Japanese street fare such as gyoza, takoyaki, chicken karaage, as well as yakisoba are served inside fluffy white bread rolls (or "pan"). The crusty doughs that is ideal for mopping up excess egg yolks will be unavailable. Because of its higher water content, the bread served at cafes serving Bennys in Melbourne, Australia, by Coppe Pan is sweeter and lighter than a standard Western loaf.
Sunshine Social
An indoor version of an Australian backyard barbeque, full with string lights, going to hang plants, and the smell of cooking meat, Sunshine Social is a must-visit for any visitor to Australia. Traditional fast food like beef burgers as well as chicken nuggets sit alongside more exotic options like tandoori chicken drumsticks and tofu with kimchi, reflecting the diverse modern Australian population. We imagine you came here in search of a roast chicken or a rack of ribs big enough to feed the whole family.
Heartattack And Vine
You can find a lot to like in Heartattack & Vine. It was inspired by Italy, whose immigrants infused the city of Melbourne with its famously welcoming attitude. Yet, compared to the other Italian cafes which line this Carlton street, Heartattack doesn't harken back to the dying years of dining options and drinking. Like tapas, cicchetti are appetisers meant to be paired with a drink. It's tough to overstate the enormity, breadth, as well as depth of this aperitivo. If you're hungry, you should go to Heartattack and find out.
Just Falafels
One of the best things about Just Falafs is the simplicity of its menu. Crispy falafel may be the star of the show, but hummus, tahini, as well as vegetables are standard fare in most plates as well. The food is predicated on essentials found in whatsoever Israeli home, and the atmosphere is meant to evoke a cosy kitchen. Throughout addition, the proximity of the Edinburgh Gardens makes the Picnic Bundle for two very appealing.
Red Sparrow Pizza
Vegan pepperoni seems to be entirely possible, as evidenced by Melbourne's 1st vegan pizza joint. Our guilt-free wood-fired pizzas don't have to skimp on flavour. Instead of ordering another Margherita, branch out and try the Pepperoni Pizza with its gluten and tofu-based star ingredient and coconut oil-based mozzarella. Even the most dedicated carnivore might have trouble saying "no" to this pizza.
Laksa King
We like names that are confident in themselves, and Laksa King is rightfully hailed as the emperor of all noodle dishes. The warm, velvety broth will make you want to take the plunge in. Combination laksa ($12.70) features sautéed chicken, satiny fried eggplant, as well as dazzling pink prawns, along with Hokkien lentils, rice vermicelli, and a number of other tasty toppings.
Shujinko
No one can explain how Melbourne managed to thrive without a those ramen joint, but the arrival of Shujinko as in Downtown Central Business District, not far by some of the city's most popular late-night venues, is a blessing. It's no surprise that a warm bowl of soup and some slurpable noodles makes for good fuel after a stroll through the city at night. The black variety is an umami nuke that will keep user coming back for even more, and the karakuchi variety is ultra-spicy and will do the trick for trying to clear your sinuses.
Conclusion
Butcher's Diner, Ima Project Café, Marios, and Mr. Lee's Foods are just a few of Melbourne's many affordable restaurants. These eateries are open all hours and have a wide selection of cheap food options like falafel, gyoza, bagels, and gözleme. Avoid these eateries if you're a vegetarian or vegan because they don't sell pre-packaged ramen. Vegans and vegetarians can choose from delicacies including homemade sundaes, slow-cooked pig belly, and bap prepared following the dwaeji method. In 1986, Marios Coffee debuted as the first coffee shop on Brunswick Street, ushering in the era of the suburb's flourishing café culture and the first "all-day brunch."
Both Mario's, a local institution in the city's trendy NoHo neighbourhood, and La Pinta, a Spanish greasy spoon and wine bar, are worth a visit. Char Koay Teow at Lulu's is reminiscent of what you might get in Penang, while Göz City's may be stuffed with anything from Turkish flatbread to chicken, minced pork, mushrooms, and veggies. There is also a lot of demand for succuk cheese and hot peppers. The original Sal's Pizzeria was established in the 1970s in Little Throat, Queens, and this franchise is based on the original restaurant. Wisconsin mozzarella, California veggies, and freshly milled New York flour are just a few examples of the regionally sourced ingredients that go into this dish.
Dodge Paidang is a community-oriented bar in Jakarta, Indonesia, with a bright atmosphere that can fit up to 150 people. Wild Life Bakery's rye bread with a crust as crispy but instead rich throughout and its Comté sandwiched between layers of onion marinated in Worcestershire sauce are famous, as are the pizzas at Asado to Go, the pizza offshoot of an Argentine restaurant.
Popular Melbourne eateries include Rat The Cafe, Slice Shop Pizza, Dari Korean Cafe & Bar, Lankan Tucker, and Yoon-Ji Park. Rat The Cafe is well-known in the community for its eco-conscious ethos, excellent coffee, and delectable fare. Sandwiches and other Korean-inspired street foods are available at Dari Korean Café and Bar, while Slice Shop sells 18-inch pizzas for only $5 per slice. A hopper consisting of sticky rice and coconut, topped with a runny egg and sambols, is one example of the Sri Lankan fare available at Lankan Tucker.
Content Summary
- There are plenty of moderately priced restaurants in Melbourne, so going out to dine won't break the bank.
- So that you may experience some of Melbourne's greatest restaurants without emptying your wallet, we've compiled a list of the best inexpensive spots to eat for under $20.
- Melbourne is often listed as one of the most expensive cities in the world, yet it actually has a larger number of restaurants than one might expect that provide affordable options.
- Here is a selection of some of our favourite inexpensive choices for individuals who are wanting to stretch your dollar as far as it will go.
- Some examples of the available cuisines are the gözleme, the bagel, the gyoza, and the falafel.
- The Butcher's Table Restaurant Its key selling feature is that it is accessible at any time, yet this has not affected the quality of the service provided or the products offered.
- If you're in the market for some pork, Mr. Lee's Foods has several locations in the Ringwood area.
- We're Opening a Project Cafe If you're hungry and in search of a place to eat, look elsewhere: bacon is not on the menu at this Japanese eatery.
- Immiso-flavored a's tomato toast eggs and porridge covered in primarily Mitarashi brown sugar, a traditional Japanese rice dish coated with soy sauce and sugar, are two further examples of how the Japanese have put their own touch on customary breakfast foods.
- In 1986, Marios Coffee debuted as the first coffee shop on Brunswick Street, and before that, Fitzroy was a café empty ab initio, controlled by barbaric landed nobility and hungry megafauna.
- Urban legend has it that this event was the impetus for the development of the suburb's booming café culture and the introduction of the first "all-day brunch" to the city that has since been synonymous with the term.
- The simple trat has become a cultural landmark in the trendy NoHo neighbourhood of the city.
- The Pinacoteca When High Street eventually peters out into Reservoir, you may be pleasantly delighted to find a bustling Spanish greasy spoon eatery and wine bar.
- Since reopening to the public with table service, the restaurant's popularity has surged.
- Char Koay Teow from Lulu Carbonaceous kway teow of the kind you'd find on the streets of Penang is what makes Lulu's so popular.
- A takeout order of Lulu's classic char kway teow, or a container of leftovers, is a fantastic idea.
- Although cheese and kale are the traditional fillings for Turkish focaccia, the specialists at Göz City provide a wide range of alternative fillings, such as chicken, minced meat, mushrooms, and veggies.
- The original Sal's Pizzeria was founded in the '70s in Little Throat, Queens, and the current owner, Sal, has sent his pie manufacturer, Brian Alias, all the way to Melbourne so that the locals there can experience authentic New York pizza.
- The recipes featured mozzarella from Wisconsin, vegetables from California, and wheat milled in New York.
- If you must eat pizza, try some New York-style pizza, some garlic knots loaded with minced garlic and parmesan, and half a kilo of buffalo wings.
- Avoid the Paidang The venue, with a capacity of 150 people, is in the basement of Accommodation Causeway 353, which is located immediately off Little Collins Street.
- It's famous for its vibrant decor, absence of Wi-Fi, and dedication to the neighbourhood.
- Noodles take centre stage in this dish, which has a simple, yet endearingly porky, chicken broth and puff croissant wonton pieces for garnish.
- This is the polo Frito sandwich from the Argentinian restaurant's pizza spin-off, Asado Asado to Go.
- Featuring crispy fried chicken, fluffy scrambled eggs, fresh mozzarella, and spicy chipotle mayo.
- Bakery with Wild Life Enjoying a slice of the rye bread from Wild Life Bakeries, with its crispy, but instead rich throughout caramel, crust, is an admission of your carbohydrate preference.
- Ratty Cafe In fact, this very Rat Cafe is well-liked by locals for its excellent coffee, tasty fare, and eco-conscious ethos.
- Cafe and Bar, Dari, in Korean The Korean sandwich, popularised by Dari Korean Café, is the newest trend in the exploding market for Asian-inspired sandwiches.
- This South Korean expat has opened a business on Hardware Lane, where he sells unique sandwiches and other Korean-style street eats.
- Tucker, Sri Lankan However, the Sri Lankan food scene has not yet taken off in Melbourne.