Best Vietnamese Restaurants in Footscray and Richmond

If you want the best Vietnamese food in Melbourne, you go to one of two places. Footscray, where Hopkins Street and Barkly Street form one of the densest Vietnamese eating strips in the country. Or Richmond's Victoria Street, the original "Little Saigon" of Melbourne and still one of the strongest banh mi and pho strips in Australia.

This is a working guide to both. Where to go, what to order, which strip suits which kind of meal, and how to do it like a local instead of a tourist with a pho craving.

Why Footscray and Richmond Are Melbourne's Vietnamese Capitals

Both suburbs trace their Vietnamese food culture back to the late 1970s, when waves of Vietnamese refugees settled in Melbourne after the Vietnam War. Richmond's Victoria Street became the first major hub, with banh mi bakeries, pho houses, and grocers opening through the 80s and 90s. Footscray followed slightly later but has overtaken Richmond in many ways, helped by lower rents that kept the food cheap and the operators independent.

The result is two distinct Vietnamese eating scenes within 20 minutes of the CBD, each with its own personality. Footscray is broader, more affordable, and slightly more focused on northern and central Vietnamese regional cuisine. Richmond is more compact, banh mi-focused, and increasingly sharing the strip with newer non-Vietnamese restaurants as gentrification reshapes Victoria Street.

Best Vietnamese Restaurants in Footscray

Footscray's Vietnamese scene is concentrated around Hopkins Street, Barkly Street, and the cross streets connecting them. You can walk the entire strip in 15 minutes and pass 30-plus Vietnamese venues. Most are small, family-run, BYO, and absurdly cheap by Melbourne standards.

Pho Hung Vuong 2 is one of the better pho houses in Melbourne and a benchmark for what Footscray pho should taste like. Clean, deeply flavoured broth, generous portions, and prices that haven't lost touch with reality. The kind of place locals actually eat at, not the Instagram crowd. Cash and card both work, but it's a no-frills setup, so don't expect table service or wine glasses.

Pho Toan Thang is the other Footscray pho standout. Slightly different broth profile to Pho Hung Vuong 2, equally good, and the bun bo hue (the spicy beef noodle soup from central Vietnam) is one of the best in Melbourne. Worth seeking out specifically for that dish.

Beyond these two, Footscray has dozens of strong Vietnamese venues. Look for places with mostly Vietnamese-speaking customers, plastic stools or basic seating, and laminated menus. That's the strip's character and usually correlates with quality.

Best Vietnamese Restaurants on Victoria Street, Richmond

Victoria Street runs from Church Street through to Hoddle Street and is Richmond's main Vietnamese drag. The strip has changed considerably over the last decade as some long-running venues closed and new operators (both Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese) moved in. The core Vietnamese eating culture is still there, but it's denser at the western end of Victoria Street, closer to the Richmond train station.

Victoria Street's strength is banh mi and casual pho. The famous bakeries along the strip have been making banh mi the same way for 30 years and still serve some of the best in Australia. Walk the strip and you'll see Vietnamese workers queuing at lunch from 11.30am, which is the most reliable signal of what's actually good.

For pho, Victoria Street has plenty of options, though most local Vietnamese will tell you Footscray now slightly edges Richmond on broth quality. The Richmond pho experience is faster and more convenient if you're coming from the city, but Footscray rewards the longer trip.

What to Order: A Vietnamese Menu Guide

Vietnamese menus can run to 80 or 100 items in the bigger restaurants. Here's the shortlist of what's actually worth ordering and what each dish is.

Pho

The famous beef noodle soup. Order pho tai (rare beef) for the lightest version, pho dac biet (special) for the full mix of beef cuts, or pho ga (chicken) if beef isn't your thing. Add the herbs and lime yourself at the table, dose the chilli sauce conservatively at first, and don't ask for chopsticks if there's already a spoon in the bowl. The spoon is the point.

Banh Mi

The Vietnamese baguette sandwich. The crackling-crusted, airy bread is what makes it. Order banh mi thit nguoi (cold cuts), banh mi xa xiu (Vietnamese-style barbecue pork), or banh mi ga (chicken). Most bakeries in both suburbs do them for $7 to $12. The best are eaten on the spot while the bread is still hot.

Bun Bo Hue

The spicy beef noodle soup from central Vietnam. Stronger, fattier, and chilli-forward compared to pho. If you've only had pho and want to try something more interesting, this is the move. Pho Toan Thang is one of the better Melbourne options.

Com Tam

Broken rice plates, usually topped with grilled pork chop, shredded pork, and a fried egg. A southern Vietnamese specialty and one of the best lunches you can get in either suburb. Ask for nuoc cham (the sweet, sharp dipping sauce) on the side.

Bun Cha

Grilled pork meatballs and pork belly served with cold vermicelli noodles, herbs, and a dipping broth. A northern Vietnamese dish that's grown in Melbourne over the last decade. Less common than pho but worth ordering when you see it.

Goi Cuon

The fresh rice paper rolls. Usually with prawn and pork, served cold with hoisin and peanut dipping sauce. A good entree if you're ordering for the table.

Cha Gio

The fried spring rolls. Crispier and smaller than the fresh rolls, often served with lettuce and herbs to wrap them in.

Where to Go for Each Dish

If you're chasing one specific dish, here's how Footscray and Richmond stack up.

Best for Pho

Footscray edges it. Pho Hung Vuong 2 and Pho Toan Thang both serve pho at a higher standard than most Richmond equivalents in 2026. The broth tends to be deeper and the meat better-handled.

Best for Banh Mi

Richmond wins this one. Victoria Street's long-running bakeries still bake their bread on-site through the day, which is the difference between a good banh mi and a great one. Footscray has strong options but the bakery culture isn't quite as concentrated.

Best for Bun Bo Hue

Footscray. Several specialists on the strip do central Vietnamese cuisine seriously, and Pho Toan Thang's version is consistently strong.

Best for Com Tam

Both work, but Footscray has more options and slightly cheaper pricing. Look for restaurants advertising com tam specifically rather than ordering it at a generalist Vietnamese venue.

Best for a Quick Lunch

Richmond. Closer to the city, easier parking, faster service. If you've got an hour for lunch and you're starting from the CBD, Victoria Street is the practical choice.

Best for a Proper Eating Day

Footscray. The strip has more depth, more variety, and rewards a longer walk. Start with banh mi, work through pho or bun bo hue at lunch, finish with Vietnamese coffee or sweets at one of the dessert places.

Tips for Eating Vietnamese in Melbourne Like a Local

A few things worth knowing.

Cash often beats card. Many of the best venues in both suburbs are cash-only or charge a card surcharge. Bring cash if you want maximum flexibility.

BYO is alive and well. Most casual Vietnamese restaurants in both suburbs allow BYO with low or no corkage. A bottle of off-dry riesling or gewürztraminer pairs beautifully with most Vietnamese food.

Don't ask for fork modifications. The chopstick-and-spoon combo is how pho is meant to be eaten. The chopsticks lift the noodles and meat, the spoon catches broth. It works.

Lunch is the strongest meal. Most Footscray and Richmond Vietnamese venues are at their busiest and best between 11.30am and 2pm. The kitchen is fully primed, the bread is fresh, and the locals are eating.

Take the train, not the car. Footscray station is a five-minute walk from the strip. Richmond station drops you almost on Victoria Street. Both are far easier than driving, especially during lunch rush.

Skip the touristy Vietnamese places in the CBD. They exist, they're convenient, and they're consistently worse than what you'll find in Footscray or Richmond. The 20-minute trip is worth it.

Saturday mornings are peak. Both strips are at their most authentic on a Saturday morning, when the locals are doing their grocery runs and the bakeries are working at full pace. Worth experiencing if you have the time.

Footscray vs Richmond: Which Should You Choose?

If you're deciding between the two, the short version:

Choose Footscray if: You want the deepest Vietnamese eating experience in Melbourne, you've got a few hours to spend on it, and you want the best pho.

Choose Richmond if: You want a fast lunch close to the city, you're chasing the best banh mi, or you want to walk a single dense strip rather than navigate a wider area.

Both are worth knowing. Most Melbourne Vietnamese eaters work both into their rotation depending on what they're after.

FAQ: Vietnamese Restaurants in Footscray and Richmond

Where is the best Vietnamese food in Melbourne?

Footscray and Richmond's Victoria Street are the two strongest Vietnamese eating areas in Melbourne. Footscray edges Richmond on pho and central Vietnamese regional cuisine. Richmond edges Footscray on banh mi and convenience.

Where can I get the best pho in Melbourne?

Footscray is the strongest pho strip in Melbourne. Pho Hung Vuong 2 and Pho Toan Thang are two of the best pho houses in the city, both serving traditional, slow-simmered broth in a no-frills setting.

Where can I get the best banh mi in Melbourne?

Victoria Street in Richmond is the home of Melbourne's banh mi tradition. The long-running bakeries along the strip bake their own bread on-site through the day, which is the difference between a standard banh mi and a great one. Most are between $7 and $12.

Are Vietnamese restaurants in Footscray and Richmond cheap?

Yes. Most pho, banh mi, and com tam dishes sit between $12 and $22. A full meal with drinks rarely exceeds $25 a head. Both areas are among the cheapest places to eat well in Melbourne.

Do Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne accept bookings?

Most don't. Both strips operate on a walk-in basis with quick table turnover. Larger groups (six or more) should call ahead, but for one to four people, walk-ins almost always work.

Can I bring wine to a Vietnamese restaurant in Melbourne?

Most Footscray and Richmond Vietnamese restaurants allow BYO with low or no corkage. Always confirm with the venue before you arrive, but BYO is one of the strongest traditions in both suburbs.

Find More Vietnamese Restaurants in Melbourne

For more Vietnamese venues across Footscray, Richmond, and beyond, browse Restaurant Near Me by location. New venues are added regularly, and you can filter by suburb and cuisine.

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