Melbourne has one of Australia’s strongest Vietnamese dining scenes, stretching from lively CBD restaurants and modern fusion venues to Docklands lunch spots, dessert shops and casual banh mi cafes. The best Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne are not all trying to do the same thing. Some are made for cocktails and shared plates, others for pho, rice paper rolls, banh mi, noodle bowls, chè desserts or quick weekday lunches.
This guide focuses on seven Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne worth knowing: Hochi Mama, Straight Outta Saigon, Coda, Che Desserts Australia, THEM Authentic Viet Restaurant, An Di and BMNC – Banh Mi & Noodle Co. Together, they show how varied Vietnamese food in Melbourne can be, from bold modern dining to traditional comfort food and fresh casual meals.
1. Hochi Mama
Hochi Mama is one of Melbourne CBD’s most popular Vietnamese-inspired restaurants, combining bold flavours, a lively dining room and a strong cocktail-bar feel. Located on Little Bourke Street, it works especially well for groups, birthdays, date nights and after-work dinners where the meal should feel fun rather than formal.
The food leans into modern Vietnamese and Southeast Asian flavours rather than strict tradition. Expect dishes built around herbs, chilli, citrus, sauces, noodles, curries, grilled items and share plates. It is the kind of restaurant where the table is better off ordering several dishes and passing them around, rather than everyone choosing one main and eating separately.
The appeal of Hochi Mama is energy. It has the right CBD formula for a social night out: strong flavours, colourful dishes, cocktails, set menus and a room that suits groups. It is not the place to choose for a quiet bowl of pho, but it is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne when you want dinner to feel like the start of a bigger night.
Hochi Mama is best for Vietnamese fusion, cocktails, birthdays, group dinners, shared plates, date nights and anyone looking for a lively CBD restaurant with plenty of flavour.
Address: 35 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
2. Straight Outta Saigon
Straight Outta Saigon brings modern Vietnamese food to Russell Street with a playful, upbeat personality. It is a strong choice for diners who want Vietnamese flavours in a polished CBD setting, especially if the night involves cocktails, shared dishes and a room with more energy than a casual takeaway shop.
The restaurant works well for groups because the menu is built around sharing. A good meal might include bao, rice paper rolls, crispy snacks, curries, noodles, grilled dishes, rice plates and cocktails. The food is approachable, but the setting makes it feel more like a night out than a simple lunch stop.
Straight Outta Saigon is also useful for city dining because of its location. Russell Street is close to Chinatown, theatres, bars, hotels and shopping, which makes the restaurant easy to use before or after other CBD plans. It is casual enough for a weeknight meal, but lively enough for birthdays and larger group dinners.
Straight Outta Saigon is best for modern Vietnamese food, cocktails, share plates, group dinners, casual dates, CBD lunches and anyone looking for a fun Vietnamese restaurant in the city.
Address: 138 Russell Street, Melbourne
3. Coda
Coda is not a traditional Vietnamese restaurant, but it belongs in this guide because Vietnamese and broader Asian flavours are central to its identity. Set in a basement space on Flinders Lane, Coda is a polished modern restaurant that blends French technique with Vietnamese and Asian influence.
This is the most refined option on the list. Coda is the place to choose when you want Vietnamese-inspired flavours in a more elegant dining-room setting, with wine, cocktails, polished service and dishes designed for sharing. It works for date nights, business dinners, long lunches, pre-theatre meals and occasions where the food should feel considered.
The appeal is balance. Coda can be bold and aromatic, but it is also more restrained than a loud, casual Vietnamese restaurant. It suits diners who like Southeast Asian flavours but want them presented through a modern Melbourne restaurant lens.
Coda is best for Vietnamese-influenced dining, modern Asian food, date nights, business meals, wine, cocktails, special occasions and anyone looking for a more sophisticated Flinders Lane restaurant.
Address: Basement, 141 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
4. Che Desserts Australia
Che Desserts Australia gives this list something different: Vietnamese dessert. Located on Lonsdale Street, it focuses on chè, drinks and sweet Vietnamese-style treats rather than savoury restaurant dining. That makes it one of Melbourne’s most useful stops when you want something after dinner, during a city walk or between shopping and transport.
Chè is a broad category of Vietnamese dessert, often built around ingredients such as beans, jelly, fruit, coconut milk, pandan, tapioca, grass jelly and crushed ice. It can be sweet, creamy, refreshing, colourful and textural all at once, which makes it very different from a standard cake or ice cream stop.
Che Desserts Australia is especially useful because it adds the sweeter side of Vietnamese food to Melbourne’s CBD dining scene. You might visit after a meal nearby, grab a drink and dessert during the afternoon, or use it as a casual stop with friends when you want something light and fun.
Che Desserts Australia is best for Vietnamese desserts, chè, sweet drinks, casual city stops, after-dinner treats, groups of friends and anyone wanting to try a different side of Vietnamese cuisine.
Address: Shop 2, 359 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
5. THEM Authentic Viet Restaurant
THEM Authentic Viet Restaurant brings a more traditional Vietnamese option to Docklands. Located on Siddeley Street, it is a practical choice for nearby workers, residents, hotel guests and anyone looking for pho, rice dishes, rolls and casual Vietnamese food close to the waterfront and office towers.
The appeal here is comfort and convenience. Docklands has plenty of polished bars and large venues, but a restaurant like THEM fills a different role: quick lunches, simple dinners, takeaway, noodle soups, rice paper rolls, banh mi-style meals and everyday Vietnamese food that does not need to be overcomplicated.
THEM works well for solo meals, weekday lunches, casual dinners and low-pressure catch-ups. It is also useful for people working in or visiting Docklands who want something fresher and lighter than a pub meal or fast food.
THEM Authentic Viet Restaurant is best for pho, Vietnamese rolls, casual lunches, takeaway, rice dishes, Docklands work meals and anyone looking for a simple, authentic Vietnamese restaurant near Siddeley Street.
Address: Shop 13A, 60 Siddeley Street, Docklands
6. An Di
An Di is another strong Vietnamese option in Docklands, located on Collins Street. It brings a modern but still recognisably Vietnamese approach to the area, with grilled meats, rice dishes, vermicelli bowls, rolls and fresh flavours that work well for both lunch and dinner.
The restaurant is useful because it fits real weekday dining. Around Docklands, many diners are looking for quick lunches, office meals, takeaway, catering or an easy dinner after work. An Di suits that rhythm while still offering food with more freshness and personality than a generic lunch stop.
The menu is especially good for people who like Vietnamese food that feels bright and balanced. Grilled meats, herbs, pickles, noodles, rice and sauces give diners a mix of freshness, sweetness, acidity and savoury flavour. It is the kind of food that can be filling without feeling too heavy.
An Di is best for Vietnamese lunches, vermicelli bowls, rice dishes, grilled meats, Docklands dinners, catering, takeaway and anyone looking for fresh Vietnamese food around Collins Street.
Address: 5A/854 Collins Street, Docklands
7. BMNC – Banh Mi & Noodle Co
BMNC – Banh Mi & Noodle Co is a fresh Vietnamese-style cafe in Dandenong, focused on weekday lunches, banh mi, noodle bowls, coffee, pastries and easy takeaway meals. It is one of the most practical Vietnamese food stops in Melbourne’s south-east because it suits the way many people actually eat during the week: quick, fresh, affordable and satisfying.
The name gives away the core appeal. Banh mi and noodle bowls are ideal lunch foods because they are flavourful without feeling too heavy. A good banh mi gives you crunch, herbs, meat or tofu, pickles and sauce in one easy meal, while noodle bowls offer a fresher option with rice noodles, vegetables, herbs and protein.
BMNC is especially useful for workers and locals who want something better than a generic sandwich but still fast enough for a lunch break. It also works for takeaway, casual coffee stops and simple catch-ups during the day.
BMNC – Banh Mi & Noodle Co is best for banh mi, Vietnamese noodle bowls, weekday lunches, coffee, takeaway, casual meals and anyone looking for a fresh Dandenong Vietnamese cafe.
Address: 42 Halpin Way, Dandenong
Final word
The best Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne cover more than one kind of meal. Hochi Mama is the lively CBD choice for Vietnamese fusion, cocktails and shared plates. Straight Outta Saigon is the Russell Street restaurant for modern Vietnamese food and group dinners. Coda is the refined Flinders Lane option for Vietnamese-influenced modern Asian dining. Che Desserts Australia is the Lonsdale Street dessert stop for chè and Vietnamese sweets. THEM Authentic Viet Restaurant is the Docklands choice for pho, rolls and casual meals. An Di is the Collins Street Docklands pick for fresh Vietnamese lunches and grilled dishes. BMNC – Banh Mi & Noodle Co is the Dandenong cafe for banh mi, noodle bowls and weekday eating.
Together, they show why Melbourne’s Vietnamese dining scene is so strong: fresh, generous, varied and flexible enough to cover everything from quick lunches and desserts to polished dinners and lively CBD nights out.