Pho, banh mi, bun bo hue and banh cuon on Melbourne's best Vietnamese food street
St Albans is where Melbourne goes for Vietnamese food. Not Footscray, not Richmond. You drive west to Alfrieda Street and Main Road East, park wherever you can, and follow your nose.
The suburb has been the centre of Melbourne's Vietnamese community since the 1980s. Four decades later, the food strip is still going strong. Bakeries, pho houses, BBQ joints and dessert shops line both streets within walking distance of each other. Prices are low. Portions are big. Most places are cash-preferred, though cards are slowly creeping in.
Address: 320 Main Rd E, St Albans
Price: $15-$22 per dish
Hours: Open 7 days
Co Thu Quan keeps popping up on social media for good reason. The menu leans northern Vietnamese, which means the broths are cleaner and the flavours more delicate than the sweeter southern style you find at most places in Melbourne.
The pho here is textbook. Clear broth, thin slices of beef, and fresh herbs piled high. But the dish people travel for is the crab noodle soup. Rich, slightly tangy, loaded with crab meat. Not cheap by St Albans standards but worth every dollar.
The banh cuon is also excellent. Steamed rice paper rolls filled with minced pork and mushroom, served with fried shallots and a side of nuoc cham.
Address: 290 Main Rd E, St Albans
Price: $7-$12
Hours: Open 7 days
Ask anyone in St Albans where to get the best banh mi and they will point you here. Banh Mi Viet does one thing and does it properly. Crusty bread baked on site, generous fillings, and that perfect balance of pate, mayo, pickled carrot, coriander and chilli.
The grilled chicken banh mi is the standout. Juicy, well-marinated, and there is enough of it to actually fill you up. At under $10, it is one of the best lunch deals in the western suburbs.
There is usually a queue at lunchtime. That is a good sign.
Address: 290A Main Rd E, St Albans
Price: $12-$18
Phone: 03 9366 9595
Banh Cuon Ba Nguyen is a specialist. They make banh cuon fresh to order in front of you. The batter hits the steaming cloth, sets in seconds, gets filled with seasoned pork and wood ear mushroom, then rolled and cut. You watch the whole thing happen.
3AW food critic Emilia Rossi called it one of Melbourne's best northern Vietnamese restaurants. The space is small and no-frills, but the quality makes up for it. They also do a fish noodle soup that regulars swear by.
Address: 71 Alfrieda St, St Albans
Price: $14-$20
Phone: 03 9356 0567
Website: songhuong.com.au
Want bun bo hue? Song Huong is the place. This spicy beef and pork noodle soup from central Vietnam is their signature, and Melbourne's Vietnamese community has known about it for years. The broth is rich and deeply flavoured with lemongrass and chilli. Thick round noodles, sliced beef shank, and pork knuckle make it a proper meal.
Reddit threads about Vietnamese food in Melbourne's west almost always mention Song Huong by name. The restaurant is straightforward. No fancy fit-out, just solid food at honest prices. Open seven days.
Address: 66 Alfrieda St, St Albans
Price: $12-$22
Phone: 03 9366 4147
Quang Vinh has been on Alfrieda Street for as long as most locals can remember. The menu is enormous. Pho, broken rice, stir-fries, hot pots, and a full drinks list. Bring a group of ten and everyone finds something they want.
The com tam (broken rice) plates are a reliable pick. Grilled pork chop, shredded pork skin, a fried egg, and pickled vegetables over rice. Simple, satisfying, and under $18. Stays open late and gets busy on Friday and Saturday nights.
Address: 298 Main Rd E, St Albans
Price: $14-$20
Do's Cafe specialises in nem nuong Ninh Hoa, a dish from central Vietnam. Chargrilled pork sausage rolls arrive at your table with rice paper, vermicelli, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables and a thick peanut dipping sauce. You wrap everything together and eat it like a fresh spring roll.
The pork has a smoky char on the outside and stays juicy inside. The DIY wrapping is half the fun, especially if you are introducing someone to Vietnamese food for the first time. Great shared dish for two to four people.
Address: 28 Alfrieda St, St Albans
Price: $14-$30
Phone: 03 9366 5686
Phi Phi is a St Albans institution. The menu runs to several pages and covers everything from pho and congee to salt and pepper quail and whole steamed fish. Vietnamese and Chinese dishes sit side by side, which reflects the mixed heritage of many families in the area.
The duck egg noodle soup is a regular favourite. Egg noodles in a clear broth with sliced duck, greens, and fried shallots. Portions are generous and prices have stayed reasonable despite everything going up. The dining room fits family dinners and large groups.
Address: Shop 1/329 Main Rd E, St Albans
Price: $5-$10
Che Desserts serves the colourful Vietnamese sweet soups and iced drinks you see in bakery display fridges, but done properly. Layers of coconut milk, pandan jelly, red beans, taro, and crushed ice in a tall glass. Each cup costs between $5 and $10. Vietnamese iced coffee and smoothies too. The kind of place you stop at after eating your way down Main Road East. Grab one for the road.
| Rank | Name | Location | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Co Thu Quan | 320 Main Rd E | $15-$22 | Pho and crab noodle soup |
| 2 | Banh Mi Viet | 290 Main Rd E | $7-$12 | Banh mi (grilled chicken) |
| 3 | Banh Cuon Ba Nguyen | 290A Main Rd E | $12-$18 | Fresh steamed banh cuon |
| 4 | Song Huong | 71 Alfrieda St | $14-$20 | Bun bo hue |
| 5 | Quang Vinh | 66 Alfrieda St | $12-$22 | Com tam, big groups |
| 6 | Do's Cafe | 298 Main Rd E | $14-$20 | Nem nuong (DIY wraps) |
| 7 | Phi Phi | 28 Alfrieda St | $14-$30 | Duck egg noodle soup, huge menu |
| + | Che Desserts | 329 Main Rd E | $5-$10 | Vietnamese sweet soups |
Local tip: The two main food strips in St Albans are Main Road East and Alfrieda Street. They run roughly parallel, one block apart. Most of the best Vietnamese food is clustered between the St Albans train station and East Esplanade. You can hit three or four places in a single visit if you pace yourself.
St Albans has been feeding Melbourne's west for decades. These are the spots where locals eat, not where food bloggers stop for a one-off photo. For more restaurants and takeaway in the area, browse all cafes and restaurants or explore businesses in St Albans.
Authentic northern Vietnamese with exceptional pho and crab noodle soup. One of the highest-rated Vietnamese restaurants in St Albans.
320 Main Rd E, St Albans VIC 3021
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Widely considered the best banh mi in Melbourne's west. Crunchy bread, juicy grilled chicken, and generous fillings.
290 Main Rd E, St Albans VIC 3021
Open in Google MapsSpecialist banh cuon maker. Silky steamed rice rolls made fresh to order. Featured on 3AW radio.
290A Main Rd E, St Albans VIC 3021
Open in Google MapsA go-to for bun bo hue among Melbourne's Vietnamese community. Rich, spicy beef broth with thick noodles.
71 Alfrieda St, St Albans VIC 3021
Open in Google MapsA long-running Vietnamese staple with a huge menu. Open late, reliable, and always busy on weekends.
66 Alfrieda St, St Albans VIC 3021
Open in Google MapsSpecialist nem nuong restaurant. Chargrilled pork sausage rolls wrapped in rice paper with fresh herbs and dipping sauce.
298 Main Rd E, St Albans VIC 3021
Open in Google MapsA St Albans institution with an enormous menu spanning Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. Known for duck egg noodle soup.
28 Alfrieda St, St Albans VIC 3021
Open in Google MapsVietnamese dessert specialist serving colourful che, sweet soups and iced drinks. The perfect way to finish a Main Rd E food crawl.
Shop 1/329 Main Rd E, St Albans VIC 3021
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