Aangan
INDIAN
559 BARKLY STREET, FOOTSCRAY WEST
(03) 9689 4175 • MAP P.300
LICENSED
OPEN MON–FRI 5PM–11PM, SAT & SUN 12.30PM–3PM
ENTREES $6–$8.50, MAINS $11–$17.50, DESSERTS $7.50
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
Aangan calls itself the courtyard of India, and hidden at the end of its unassuming hallway really is a beautiful Indian courtyard. Even if it isn’t a balmy night (and it’s Melbourne, so it probably isn’t) it still feels balmy among the tropical palms. This is the perfect place to bring kids; they can be set free to play among the leaves, under the fairy lights. The courtyard can be hired for functions, but regular punters can usually take advantage of the festive atmosphere too, and on some nights Bollywood videos are projected on a screen at the end of the tent. Aangan not only serves exceptional versions of Indian favourites, but also has an extensive menu that goes beyond these standards. A feast could be concocted just from the list of starters, without even considering the succulent tawa chicken, cooked on the hot griddle, or the dal makhani, which takes twenty hours to prepare. Book ahead because this restaurant is busy any night of the week and everyone wants a seat in the courtyard.
The Abyssinian
ETHIOPIAN/ERITREAN
277 RACECOURSE ROAD, KENSINGTON
(03) 9376 8754 • MAP P.300
LICENSED & BYO, CORKAGE $8 A BOTTLE
OPEN MON–SAT 5.30PM–10PM
ENTREES $5–$6, MAINS $10–$24, DESSERTS $4–$5
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
If you agree with the statement ‘food tastes better the messier it is to eat’, then you will adore the Abyssinian. Whoever washes the dishes here must have it pretty darn easy because there isn’t a lot to wash. Food is served on a bed of bread that sits on a metal tray. You break off bits of the bread – a sour, tangy and vaguely crumpet-like flatbread – scoop up the fresh and delectable curry-like dishes and lick your fingers in deliciously decadent fashion. With African ornaments hanging all over the brown walls and dangling from the ceiling, you might feel like you’re trapped inside a primary school diorama illustrating ‘African Life’ – but in the best possible way. There’s a reason people come back to the Abyssinian time and time again. The combination of beautiful and interesting food, cool, friendly owners and exotic surrounds is an absolute winner. ‘Where on earth is Abyssinia?’ you might ask. Well, Africa, obviously. It’s kinda complicated, but it’s basically Ethiopia. For various reasons, though, you should look it up. Interesting stuff.
Café Lalibela
ETHIOPIAN
91 IRVING STREET, FOOTSCRAY
(03) 9687 0300 • MAP P.299
LICENSED & BYO, CORKAGE $2 A HEAD
OPEN DAILY 11AM–10PM MAINS $10–$15
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
Eating is as much about ritual as it is consumption. The ritual of Ethiopian food is a wholesome one – the tearing of injera (sour-tasting, spongy bread) to scoop your favourite dish into your mouth. It’s a hearty way to eat that enlivens the senses and leaves the fingers slick and oily with flavour. For over a decade now, the unassuming Café Lalibela has served the western side of Melbourne an authentic taste of Ethiopia at a very reasonable price. Try rocking up without a booking and you’ll see why it’s the recipient of various awards for both food and price. The kitchen is kept busy with a steady stream of diners, all keen for their fill of stewed meats, beans and vegetables. Doro wot, a popular spiced chicken stew, makes for a great start. From there your choices are either stewed or sautéed, but the flavour of each meal is unique. Vegetarians are well catered for, with a variety of vegetable and bean dishes, all served with as much spice as your tongue can withstand.
Cornershop
MIDDLE EASTERN
9 BALLARAT STREET, YARRAVILLE
(03) 9689 0052 • MAP P.300
LICENSED
OPEN MON 8AM–5PM, TUES–SAT 8AM–9.30PM, SUN 8AM–4PM
ENTREES $6–$14, MAINS $14.50–$19, DESSERTS $5–$14
VISA, MC
Cornershop might give the impression of comfortable mish-mashery, but don’t be fooled: everything in this Yarraville eatery has been thought out down to the last detail. The bustling little restaurant moves smoothly from breakfast through brunch to dinner, offering lovely service, luscious morsels and lots of semi-compulsory salad. The fitout is an immaculate collection of hipster retro: lampshades made of other lampshades, tiny apothecary milk bottles, a bookie’s board for drinks, a pressed tin counter, custom-made glasswork, and fat, mismatched aluminium teapots that pour perfectly. They even have their own customised font. With a Middle Eastern flavour, and a hearty bed of greens underneath most dishes, you won’t leave feeling like a zeppelin. The veg options are star performers: savoury zucchini and mint fritters, fried haloumi and a lunchtime white bean purée toasted pide. For carnivores, there’s polenta-fried quail, braised meatballs and roasted pork belly. Sitting in the window, watching people bustling past the beautiful art deco Sun Theatre, it’s easy to see why cafes like Cornershop are a big part of what makes Melbourne so special.
Hung Vuong
VIETNAMESE
128 HOPKINS STREET, FOOTSCRAY
(03) 9689 6002 • MAP P.299
BYO, CORKAGE $1 A HEAD
OPEN DAILY 9AM–8.30PM
ENTREES $7–$9, MAINS $10 NO BOOKINGS
CASH ONLY
Hung Vuong is all about the noodle soup. By all means order sides to share if you so desire (the spring rolls are very good), but a single bowl of pho is a satisfying meal and should be your first – if not your only – choice from the menu. Choose your size, noting that a large is quite literally designed to feed a family; even for huge hungers, a medium should suffice. Then choose your flavour – chicken or beef. (Veterans can get more adventurous, perhaps trying the stand-out beef special combination with tendon and tripe.) When the steaming bowl arrives with slippery rice noodles and wafer-thin slices of meat, create a dish to your liking with the accompanying plate of bean sprouts, Vietnamese mint, lemon and chilli. Then grab your chopsticks and tuck in, slurping up the fresh, comforting flavours. There are loads of pho restaurants in Footscray, but Hung Vuong is deservedly popular. Its modern canteen-like interior is a cut above some others in the area, and its high turnover of patrons ensures the food is always fresh.
Huy Huy
VIETNAMESE
108 HOPKINS STREET, FOOTSCRAY
(03) 9687 4130 • MAP P.299
BYO
OPEN DAILY 10.30AM–9.30PM
ENTREES $4–$8, MAINS $8–$16, DESSERTS $3–$5
VISA, MC
Huy Huy lies in the heart of Footscray’s Vietnamese restaurant territory – a bit of an institution, with its wooden shopfront, mirrored walls and smiling proprietress. If you don’t call ahead, you may have to stand around waiting for a table. It might seem like Huy Huy’s menu can be measured in hectares, but actually there are only six sauces, with your choice of protein: fish, chicken, seafood, beef, tofu or antelope. Just kidding! There are seven sauces. Look outside these menu-fillers for Huy Huy’s more interesting dishes: Vietnamese classics like pho noodle soup, spring rolls with sweet nuoc mam fish sauce, three-colour drinks, a fresh rare beef salad with lemon and coriander. Someone might even be game to try the avocado cocktail from the drinks menu, or the soda and egg yolk. It doesn’t get much quicker or better value than Huy Huy, so if you’re short on pennies, this is a great place to get lunch or dinner without haemorrhaging cash.
Katarina Zrinski Restaurant
CROATIAN
THE AUSTRALIAN CROATIAN ASSOCIATION, 72 WHITEHALL STREET, FOOTSCRAY
(03) 9689 5866 • MAP P.299
LICENSED
OPEN MON–WED 11AM–3PM, THURS–SUN 11AM–3PM, 5.30PM–11PM
ENTREES $3–$22, MAINS $19–$34, DESSERTS $3–$6
VISA, MC, AMEX
Katarina Zrinski is half Mama’s kitchen, half pub, half modern function centre, half clubhouse. (That makes two, which it’s certainly big enough to accommodate.) Located in the distinctly institutional Hrvatski Dom building on a bleak road in Footscray, Katarina Zrinski is the Croatian Club’s restaurant and meeting place. The details belie the slick decor: the liquor shares a shelf with a statue of the Virgin Mary, and a recessed lightbox holds a shiny tug-of-war trophy. Serious Croatian men stare down over the diners on one side and happy peasants on the other. Foodwise, once you’ve navigated the slightly confusing menu, you have your choice of chips and salad with Croatian favourites like ĉevapĉići (little skinless sausages), ražnjići kebabs with tasty capsicum relish, or stuffed sarma cabbage rolls. There’s also a stack of pub fare like steaks, parmas and schnitzels. Katarina Zrinski is packed on Friday and Saturday nights, and popular with local lunchers for its enormous, hearty meals – this is hungry man’s fare, if ever it existed.
Laksa King
MALAYSIAN
12 PIN OAK CRESCENT, FLEMINGTON
(03) 9372 6383 • MAP P.300
LICENSED & BYO, CORKAGE $5 A BOTTLE
OPEN MON–SAT 11.30AM–3PM, 5PM–10.30PM
ENTREES $4.90–$21.80, MAINS $9.20–$18.80, DESSERTS $4–$6.50
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED (CASH ONLY FOR TAKEAWAY)
The New and Improved Laksa King just keeps going from strength to strength. When the restaurant moved about ten metres (from inside a weird suburban little alleyway to prominent street frontage) and increased its size tenfold, the fans waited with trepidation to see if the quality would downgrade with the upgrade. But hurrah! Things have only got better at Laksa King. And where previously you could never get a seat because there were only six, you can now hardly get a seat even though there are hundreds. The locals are still embracing the takeaway option, but a dine-in experience at Laksa King is well worth the planning or waiting. Loud, busy, shared tables and hurried service – it’s all part of the charm. The menu abounds with delicious Malaysian treats, but you just can’t go past the laksa, for which this place is deservedly famous. And vegetarians and vegans rejoice! Along with the upgrade came a vegie laksa option that will make you want to kiss the chef.
TO BREKKY OR BRUNCH?
WHETHER YOU PREFER A LATE BREAKFAST OR AN EARLY LUNCH, THESE PLACES WILL ENSURE YOU GET YOUR MORNING FI LL.
Babka
358 BRUNSWICK STREET, FITZROY • (03) 9416 0091 • LICENSED & BYO • OPEN TUES–SUN 7AM–7PM • BREAKFASTS $4.70–$13, LUNCHES $8.50–$16, DESSERTS $3–$7 • NO BOO KINGS • ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
Serving all types of Russian sweets and savouries, Babka does a mean breakfast blintz as well as croissants and danishes to please even the most pedantic of pastry connoisseurs.
Café Sweethearts
263 COVENTRY STREET, SOUTH MELBOURNE • (03) 9690 6752 • LICENSED • OPEN DAILY 7AM–3PM • BREAKFASTS $6–$16, LUNCHES $7–$22, DESSERTS $11 • ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
This South Melbourne stalwart has impressed for more than two decades. Here, the best quality ingredients are transformed into breakfast delights with an eggy focus.
One of a rapidly growing string of nouveau suburban cafes with a minimalist decor, enhanced cafe cuisine and a grateful, gentrified local clientele. Good for a brunchtime get-together, over food with a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern leaning.
Grigons & Orr Corner Store
445 QUEENSBERRY STREET, NORTH MELBOURNE • (03) 9663 5192 • WWW.GRIGONSORR.COM.AU • UNLICENSED
OPEN DAILY 7AM–5PM • BREAKFASTS $6–$14.50, LUNCHES $8–$15.50, DESSERTS $3–$6 • NO BOO KINGS • CASH ONLY
With HP sauce on every table, this North Melbourne corner store will give baby boomers a pang of nostalgia and younger folk a taste of the ways things were – as well as a high-end Spam experience.
The Hardware Societe
120 HARDWARE STREET, MELBOURNE • (03) 9078 5992 • UNLICENSED • OPEN MON–FRI 7.30AM–3PM, SAT 8.30AM–2PM • BREAKFASTS $5.50–$15.50, LUNCHES $12–$16, DESSERTS $2.50–$8 • CASH ONLY
Melburnians have fallen hard for this small cafe in the growing. Don’t be surprised to find yourself in line for a seat, but it’s well worth the wait once you open your mouth and take in the fabulous food and excellent coffee.
Marios is perhaps more Melbourne than Melbourne itself. Breakfast is served all day, the waiters wear ties and waistcoats, and coffee is served with full-cream milk only.
Seven Seeds
106–114 BERKELEY STREET, CARLTON • (03) 9347 8664 • WWW.SEVENSEEDS.COM.AU • UNLICENSED • OPEN MON– SAT 7AM–5PM, SUN 8AM–5PM • BREAKFASTS $3.50–$11.50, LUNCHES $9–$13, DESSERTS $3.50 • ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
Spacious and stylish, Seven Seeds focuses on coffee but they also know how to sauté a mushroom and spread delicious blueberry mascarpone on fresh baked brioche.
Three Bags Full
60 NICHOLSON STREET, ABBOTSFORD • (03) 9421 2732 • WWW.THREEBAGSFULLCAFE.COM • UNLICENSED • OPEN MON–FRI 7AM–4PM, SAT & SUN 8AM–4PM • BREAKFASTS $6–$17.50, LUNCHES $9–$17, DESSERTS $4–$6 • ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
A table here is highly coveted on weekends, so arrive early or take a sickie to indulge in their celebrated coffees and gourmet brekkies, including ricotta hotcakes with poached fruit.
There’s no such thing as an early breakfast at this Mexican cantina serving cheap, filling food with a vegetarian focus. Try the huevos rancheros, a Mexican breakfast classic, or go straight for the big burrito with some XXX hot chilli sauce.
Wide Open Road
247 BARKLY STREET, BRUNSWICK • (03) 9387 6079 • WWW.WIDEOPENROAD.COM.AU • UNLICENSED • OPEN MON–SAT 7.30AM–5PM, SUN 8AM–5PM • BREAKFASTS $4.50–$13, LUNCHES $8–$12, DESSERTS $3–$6 • CASH ONLY
The latest hipster on the Brunswick block, this stylish cafe in a former budget supermarket steps up to the plate with a simple menu, quality house-roasted coffee and miles of healthy, youthful optimism.
Los Latinos
SOUTH AMERICAN/MEXICAN
128 MITCHELL STREET, MAIDSTONE
(03) 9318 5289 • MAP P.300
LICENSED & BYO, CORKAGE $2–$10
OPEN WED & THURS 5PM–9PM, FRI 5PM–10PM, SAT & SUN NOON–10PM
ENTREES $6.50–$11.50, MAINS $12.50–$19
VISA, MC
It might involve driving out into a suburban industrial wasteland in the western suburbs, but Los Latinos has the best cheapie South American food in Melbourne. Sandwiched between a plumber and an auto supply shop in the strip mall time forgot, Los Latinos is a welcoming blot of light, with the most divine comfort food that an entire continent has to offer. Featuring dishes from Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and El Salvador, Los Latinos more than makes up for its location and scruffy shopfront with stellar service, colourful decorations, bright posters and crowds of happy diners. The El Salvadorean pupusas are a speciality (served with oregano and chilli-pickled cabbage and salsa), as are the fresh tacos (served with a smoky chipotle sauce with a kick like a mule). Then there are fajitas, tamales, carne asada, quesadillas and Completo Chileno hot dogs, and a wide range of tasty beers and imported soft drinks. With this kind of feast on offer, if you don’t leave stuffed to the gills, you’re doing it wrong.
Sabroso
SPANISH
2 GAMON STREET, SEDDON
(03) 9689 0203 • MAP P.299
LICENSED
OPEN TUES–THURS 4PM–11.30PM, FRI 4PM–1AM, SAT NOON–1AM, SUN NOON–10PM SMALL DISHES $9–$20, LARGE DISHES $12–$30, DESSERTS $9–$24
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
While you could easily pass off Sabroso as just another corner pub, it’s actually one of the west’s most popular tapas bars. What it lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in cheap prices and (semi) authentic flavours. The place can get pretty rowdy on weekends, so make sure you come in early if you’re only after a feed. During the week it’s a little more relaxed, with small groups dropping in for casual dinner and drinks. The prices are definitely an attraction. You could eat here a few nights a week without needing to refinance the house and sell the kids. Never tried tapas before? No problems. The chorizo meatballs or patatas bravas will set you straight. And a plate of salty fried squid, or maybe the lamb shanks, will go well with that beer you’re nursing. Getting the picture? Starchy carbs with protein is the name of the game. Staff are always happy to recommend a glass of beer or wine to go with your meal or recommend a special from the chalkboard.
Salaam Namaste Dosa Hut
SOUTHERN INDIAN
604 BARKLY STREET, FOOTSCRAY WEST
(03) 9687 0171 • MAP P.300 UNLICENSED
OPEN DAILY 11AM–11PM
ENTREES $2.50–$5.50, MAINS $5–$15.95
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
The Dosa Hut really is a hut, with only six tables, no table service, and a hole-in-the-wall kitchen. But rare southern Indian delicacies appear from this tiny kitchen. Orders are called out fish-and-chip-shop style, above the Bollywood music that plays in the background. Dosas – crisp savoury pancakes – are served rolled with your choice of stuffing. The Hut’s famous for its masala, but the paneer filling is subtly spiced and perfectly cheesy. Served with spicy accoutrements and a brothy lentil soup, the dosas are a meal in themselves, but if you’re feeling hungrier, there are also the ‘big, bigger, better’ dosas, which, when rolled, are an arm span in length. The vadas – which look like donuts, but taste a world away – are excellent. They’re crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The biryani – a basmati rice dish flavoured with cardamom and bay leaf – comes in a giant bowl. A feast of all these delights is laughably cheap. A bright beacon in quiet West Footscray, the Dosa Hut is easily accessible by car, bike or train.
Urban Soul Wood Fire Pizza
ITALIAN
68 STEVEDORE STREET, WILLIAMSTOWN
(03) 9397 6601 • MAP P.302
LICENSED
OPEN WED–SUN 4PM–LATE
ENTREES $7–$14, MAINS $17–$22, DESSERTS $3–$8
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
If you’re in Williamstown, are hungry and have mouths to feed, you could do a lot worse than Urban Soul. The fresh, modern and inviting decor coupled with fast, friendly and attentive service makes a visit to this restaurant a relaxing and enjoyable experience. While it’s predominantly a pizza place, the menu includes salads, pastas and a separate kids’ section. There are also vegetarian and gluten-free dishes available. The pizzas are good without being great. The pizzas described in the menu have a decidedly gourmet edge to them so expectations are raised, and not quite met. They also buck the ‘less is more’ trend in pizza toppings here, making the pizzas sag with the weight of the ingredients. Still, the result is decent, tasty pizza and, if the steady traffic of takeaway orders is any indication, pizza that’s popular with the locals.
Yemeni
MIDDLE EASTERN
124 UNION ROAD, AS COT VALE
(03) 9372 0854 • MAP P.300 UNLICENSED
OPEN TUES–SUN NOON–11PM MAINS $12–$15, DESSERTS $7
CASH ONLY
Don’t be put off by the rudimentary dining room at Yemeni; there’s a surprise waiting out the back. Book a group early to request a private room where you eat sitting on the floor in the traditional way. Slip off your shoes, partake of a few puffs of the Shisha pipe, settle back into cushions to watch TV and feel right at home. The menu features a short list of simple delights. There are nine mains – three vegetarian – to choose from. Yemeni food tends towards stews and curries, fragrantly spiced but not hot. Desired heat comes via the condiments: shitni, a fiery, addictive green chilli paste soothed by khiar bil laban cucumber yoghurt. Order something that comes with giant slabs of khubz – like a hybrid of not-quite-risen puff pastry and roti bread. You’ll soon dispense with cutlery, mopping up rich broths, meltingly tender meats and savoury sauces with the khubz. Finish this feast with piping-hot pots of super sweet ‘Yemeni chai’ tea, and leave licking your tingling lips and planning a trip to Yemen.
Acqua e Vino
BAR
18A ANDERSO N STREET, YARRAVILLE
(03) 9687 9006 • MAP P.300
OPEN TUES–SAT 5PM–LATE, SUN 2.30PM–LATE
BEERS $7–$12, WINES $8–$14, COCKTAILS $16–$20
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
When a venue has won a ‘best wine bar’ award, the natural thing to do when entering is to reach for its list. At Acqua e Vino, the first order of business is to find a nook and settle into a chesterfield or antique armchair, because trawling through the lengthy leather-bound drinks book is no casual affair. Whatever your poison, your dedication will be rewarded, not just in the wine department, but also in hard spirits and cocktails – especially the classics, like martinis and daiquiris. Acqua e Vino has a touch of the ’50s about it and a truckload of faded glamour. Located in a former ballroom up a rickety flight of stairs, it does shabby chic perfectly, while warm lighting and a fireplace keep it feeling homely. The diverse clientele always dig the vibe, getting rowdier as the evening turns to night turns to very late night. It’s as easy to fall in love with Acqua e Vino as it is difficult to leave, but don’t worry, its sophisticated tapas menu will keep you going till stumps.
Tonik Bar
COCKTAIL BAR
524 MACAULEY ROAD, KENSINGTON
(03) 9376 9928 • MAP P.300
OPEN WED–MON 4PM–LATE
BEERS $6.50–$9, WINES $7–$9, COCKTAILS $16–$22, FOOD $10–$26
VISA, MC
A visit to Tonik is like a good cocktail party at your best friend’s apartment – there’s great food and music and plenty of drinks, but it’s still small enough to feel personal. The live music isn’t a howling cover band butchering the Top 40. Instead, Tonik features solo artists or understated duos. This is a venue for those who like their bars straight up, with no gimmicks. The decor here is like a slick home: modern couches, coffee tables, a fireplace, walls dotted with brightly coloured art. The vibe is hospitable, and the owners work to attract patrons with special offers, like half-price cocktails on Fridays. There’s a solid cocktail menu that goes beyond the basic list without bamboozling you with choice, and a food menu of starters and a handful of mains. The wines are mostly local, as are the beers. Tonik’s list favours microbreweries but still offers some imports and a few staples on tap. And if the cocktails, wines and microbrewed boutique beers aren’t enough to satisfy you, you can always order a pot of tea.
White Rabbit Record Bar
BAR
176 BELLAIR STREET, KENSINGTON
(03) 9376 5441 • MAP P.300
OPEN WED & SUN 11AM–9PM, THURS–SAT 11AM–11PM
BEERS $6–$7.80, WINES $7–$9, SPIRITS $7.50–$10, FOOD $5–$24
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
Curiouser and curiouser, you’ll declare when you enter this nifty, split-level store-cum-bar. Crates of records and racks of vinyl are part of the furniture. The walls are splashed a daring shade of teal. Local beers cry: drink me! Tarts, mezze plates and toasted sandwiches cry: eat me! What first appears to be a small bar opens out into a beer garden perfect for unbirthday parties. (You can order Mad Hatter and Dormouse cocktails.) The front end features ’60s diner-style booths and cane furniture. Posters promoting Otis Clay and Bo Diddley watch over the room that hosts breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the second level there’s an open fire, with eponymous white rabbits on the mantle, and comfy retro furniture. For music lovers White Rabbit boasts a variety of jazz, soul and funk favourites so there’s always something interesting being piped through the speakers. On weekends music is provided by DJs.