Just off Bridge Road, running parallel to the Yarra River, Victoria Street in Richmond has earned its reputation as Melbourne’s premier Vietnamese dining strip. For more than four decades, this stretch of road has served as the heart of Melbourne’s Vietnamese community, a place where the aroma of pho broth mingles with the scent of fresh herbs, where families have passed down recipes through generations, and where first-generation immigrants built businesses that now feed third-generation Australian-born Vietnamese families.
What makes Victoria Street special isn’t just the quantity of Vietnamese restaurants—it’s the quality and the authenticity. These aren’t restaurants adapting Vietnamese food for Australian palates. They’re the real deal, serving dishes that taste exactly what you’d find in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, or the countless regional cuisines of Vietnam. Whether you’re hunting for the perfect bowl of pho, craving a crispy pork banh mi, or exploring less familiar Vietnamese dishes, Victoria Street delivers.
This guide covers everything you need to know about eating your way through Melbourne’s Little Vietnam—from the essential institutions to the newer arrivals keeping the strip fresh.
Understanding Victoria Street’s Vietnamese Food Scene
Before diving into specific restaurant recommendations, it’s worth understanding what you’re looking for. Vietnamese cuisine is remarkably diverse, and Victoria Street reflects that variety. The strip isn’t homogeneous—there are regional differences, stylistic variations, and different approaches to the classics.
The Two Main Styles
Most Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne fall into one of two broad categories, and Victoria Street has examples of both:
Northern Vietnamese (Hanoi-style): Characterised by lighter broths, wider rice noodles (bánh phở), and a greater emphasis on herbs. The pho tends to be more subtle, with the beef flavour taking centre stage without the sweetness found in southern preparations. Lemongrass and fish sauce play supporting roles.
Southern Vietnamese (Saigon-style): The more common style in Melbourne, featuring sweeter, richer broths, narrower noodles, and a generous use of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and chillies. The pho is often more robust, and you’ll find more rice paper rolls and fresh spring rolls on the menu.
Victoria Street leans southern, reflecting the origins of the Vietnamese-Australian community (most refugees who arrived in the 1970s and 1980s came from the south). But you’ll find northern specialties at several restaurants, and some places blend both traditions.
Key Vietnamese Dishes to Know
- Pho: Rice noodle soup with beef (or chicken), served with a side plate of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime, and chillies. The foundation of Vietnamese cuisine.
- Banh Mi: Vietnamese baguette sandwich with various fillings—most commonly pork (including paté and grilled pork), chicken, or tofu. The bread is the star: crisp outside, soft inside.
- Bún: Rice vermicelli bowls, typically served with grilled meat, fresh herbs, peanuts, and a fish-sauce-based dressing (nước mắm).
- Gỏi Cuốn: Fresh spring rolls—rice paper wrappers filled with pork, shrimp, rice vermicelli, and herbs, served with peanut sauce.
- Nem Nướng: Grilled pork sausage, often served with rice paper wrappers for DIY wraps with herbs and dipping sauce.
- Cà Phê Sữa Đá: Vietnamese iced coffee—strong sweet coffee condensed milk, served over ice.