Your Guide to Hampshire Road, Sunshine (2026)

Hampshire Road is the spine of Sunshine. It runs roughly north-south from the Sunshine station area towards Sunshine North, lined with Vietnamese bakeries, Afghan kebab houses, an Ethiopian restaurant, independent shops, barbers, dental clinics, and a retro cinema. If you want to understand what makes Sunshine tick, walk this street.

Time Out Melbourne published a local's guide to Sunshine back in 2021. It mentioned Hampshire Road as the food destination. Five years later, the strip has only gotten better. New cafes have opened, the existing restaurants have matured, and the foot traffic keeps growing.

This guide walks you through Hampshire Road from south to north. Start near the station, eat your way along, and finish with a coffee at the top end.

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Eat

Pho Hien Saigon

284 Hampshire Rd | Vietnamese | $14-$20

Pho Hien Saigon is where most people start a Hampshire Road food crawl. The pho is textbook. Clean, aromatic beef broth, thin rice noodles, rare beef slices, and a plate of fresh herbs and bean sprouts on the side. 754 Google reviews at 4.4 stars. Yelp reviewers from overseas have called it one of the best pho experiences they have had outside of Vietnam.

Thuan An

253 Hampshire Rd | Vietnamese | $12-$22

A few doors down, Thuan An has been feeding Sunshine for years. 1,339 Google reviews. The crispy fried rice is the signature dish. Charcoal grilled meats are another strong option. Reddit users call it a "definite must try." Service is fast. Turnover is high. This is a restaurant that runs like a well-oiled machine.

Afghan Shaheen

231 Hampshire Rd | Afghan | $15-$28

Afghan Shaheen breaks the Vietnamese run with something completely different. Lamb kebabs grilled over charcoal. Handmade mantu dumplings with yoghurt. Kabuli pulao, the fragrant Afghan rice dish with carrots and raisins. 614 reviews at 4.2 stars. Hampshire Road's multicultural range starts to show here.

Co Do

207 Hampshire Rd | Vietnamese | $14-$22

Co Do is the bun bo hue specialist. This spicy beef noodle soup from central Vietnam has a deeper, more complex flavour than pho. Lemongrass, chilli, thick round noodles, and generous portions of beef shank. 1,380 Google reviews. TikTok food reviewers have featured it. If you only try one dish on Hampshire Road, make it the bun bo hue here.

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Drink

Brimby's Cafe

301 Hampshire Rd | Cafe | $5-$20

Brimby's is the cafe stop on Hampshire Road. 4.9 stars on Google across 89 reviews. It sits near the Sunshine Library, which makes it a natural pause point. Good coffee, well-made brunch plates, and the kind of friendly service where the staff remember your name after a few visits. TripAdvisor rates it 5 out of 5.

Agha Juice Centre

Shop 4/5-9 Clarke St (one block off Hampshire Rd) | Juice | $6-$14

A short walk off Hampshire Road, Agha Juice Centre serves fresh Persian-inspired juices, smoothies, and faloodeh. Over 1,000 Google reviews at 4.6 stars. It is the most reviewed juice bar in the area by a wide margin. Carrot, pomegranate, and mango blends made fresh to order.

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Services

Barber Plus

12a/254 Hampshire Rd | Barber

Barber Plus is the most reviewed barber in Sunshine. 507 Google reviews at 4.7 stars. Walk-ins are welcome. Qualified master barbers. Cuts, fades, beard trims, and hot towel shaves. If you need a trim while walking the strip, this is the spot.

Sunshine Family Dental Clinic

232A Hampshire Rd | Dentist

Right on Hampshire Road, Sunshine Family Dental has 299 reviews at 4.9 stars. It is the highest-rated dentist in Sunshine. Family-friendly, with patients praising clear explanations and gentle treatment. Handy to know about even if you are not visiting Hampshire Road for the food.

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Explore

Village Cinemas Sunshine

At the southern end of Hampshire Road, near the station, Village Cinemas has been showing films in Sunshine for decades. It has a retro 1980s feel that Time Out Melbourne specifically highlighted. Cheap Tuesday tickets make it one of the best-value cinema experiences in Melbourne.

Sunshine Library

The Brimbank Libraries branch on Hampshire Road sits near Brimby's Cafe. It is a modern, well-stocked library with free wifi, study spaces, and community events. A good place to spend an hour before or after eating your way down the street.

H.V. McKay Memorial Gardens

A short walk from Hampshire Road, the McKay Gardens are heritage-listed and recognised as one of the earliest industrial gardens in Victoria. They were built for the workers at the Sunshine Harvester factory. Quiet, shaded, and a nice contrast to the busy food strip.

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Quick Reference

Tips for Walking Hampshire Road

• Park at one end, walk to the other. Hampshire Road is about 1.5 kilometres from the station to the northern end. Most of the food is in the middle section between Devonshire Road and the station. Street parking is available along the length.
• Catch the train. Sunshine station is on the Sunbury and Bendigo lines. It is a 20-minute ride from Southern Cross. Hampshire Road starts right at the station.
• Go hungry. The portions at the Vietnamese restaurants are large. If you want to try multiple places, share dishes or order small. You will not make it past three restaurants if you eat full meals at each.
• Weekday lunchtimes are quietest. The food strip gets busy on Friday and Saturday nights. Tuesday to Thursday lunch is the best time for quick service and plenty of seating.

Hampshire Road does not try to be trendy. It is a working main street where people shop, eat, and get things done. That is exactly what makes it worth visiting. For the full list of Hampshire Road businesses, explore businesses in Sunshine.