5 of Melbourne’s Best Street Food Restaurants

Hear the term ‘street food’ and your mind will no doubt conjure up images of tightly packed market stalls overflowing colours, the aromas of turmeric and cumin wafting amongst the fragrance of lemongrass and saltiness of fresh fish and vendors, full of exuberance, trying to offload their satay or stir fry on to you. Street food is vibrant, diverse and unpretentious. From Vietnamese to Indian, Mexican to America, a single line of street food stalls can showcase the entire globe’s cuisines on a miniature scale. Taking inspiration from these market vendors, many budding restaurateurs have seen a gap in the market: taking this delicious food from a quickly scoffed meal out of a box, to on a plate in a restaurant. Being one of the world’s most gastronomically forward-thinking cities, Melbourne is no stranger to this rise in street food restaurants. Here’s our pick of the top five you must visit.

Delhi Streets

Take a trip to Delhi Streets and you’ll immediately understand why it won The Age Good Food Melbourne’s Cheap Eats 2016. From the ‘hands on’ pani puri (Crispy cracker balls stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas, tamarind and served with spiced water) to the Samosa Chaat (North Indian fried parcels filled with potatoes & peas, drizzled with sweet & spicy chutneys on a bed of spiced chickpeas), this is Indian street food at its finest.

Saturday celebrations calls for a feast at @delhistreets 🎉🍾 #indian #chaat #samosa #alootikki #panipuri #food #indianstreetfood #indianfood #foodie #foodgasm #melbourne #melbourneeats #melbournefood #melbournefoodie #melbournelife #melbournecity #instagood #instafood #foodporn #foodgasm #foodstagram #delhi #india #desi #foodblogger #foodlover #delhidiaries #melbourneblogger #delhigram #mumbai

A post shared by Delhi Streets (@delhistreets) on Jun 16, 2017 at 7:23pm PDT

Trippy Taco

In need of your Mexican fix? Of course you are! Trippy Tacos is your place. Brought over from California, Trippy Taco doesn’t use meat in any of its products, but doesn’t distinguish itself as a vegetarian restaurant – it just serves delicious food that happens to be meat-free! Don’t miss the much loved breakfast taco, home-made corn tortillas topped with free-range scrambled eggs, cheese, salsa and avocado slices. Yum!

TACOS! 🌮🌮🌮 #trippytaco is a #vegetarian & #vegan Mexican streetfood restaurant based in #fitzroy & #stkilda. 😊✌️🌵 #vegansofmelbourne #vegetarianmelbourne #tacotacotaco #vegetariantacos #vegantacos #whatveganseat Photo thanks to Karin Locke @karinlocke

A post shared by Trippy Taco (@trippy.taco) on Apr 22, 2017 at 1:22am PDT

Fed Up Project

Started as a project to feed people with nutritious, health, no-nonsense food, the Fed Up Project is a brilliant place for brunch and cracking coffee. The food comes straight from the market making it as fresh and wholesome as possible, so you know you’re eating well! The project team up with some of the best in Melbourne, including Helping Humans, Gippsland Dairy, Cortado Coffee, Burd Farm, Berties Butchers and Boisdale Best to bring excellent dishes to South Melbourne.

Poké time! 🌺☀️💛✌🏻️Now Available for Catering!! Order yours today!! 😆

A post shared by Lifestyle Cafe South Melbourne (@fedupproject) on Jun 12, 2017 at 3:01pm PDT

Hochi Mama

Serving some of the best fuss-free Vietnamese food alongside winning cocktails, Hochi Mama is the place to be on a Friday night. Choose from a combination of mouth-watering small dishes, like the crispy pork belly bao, and larger ones, such as the lemongrass beef short ribs, for a flavour explosion in your mouth! Finish the meal off with the beautifully colourful Pandan panna cotta for an experience you’re not going to forget any time soon!

Time to wind down from your Saturday night antics.⠀ ⠀ Come see Mama and she’ll cook you up some wholesome recovery food! 🤗⠀ ⠀ We’re open tomorrow for the Queens birthday! ⠀ ⠀ For bookings and all other enquiries call Mama at 9078 2285.

A post shared by Vietnamese Fusion (@hochi_mama) on Jun 10, 2017 at 10:34pm PDT

Co Thu Quan

If you’re looking for a truly authentic Asian dining experience, look no further than Richmond’s Co Thu Quan. Always buzzing with guests, Co Thu Quan serves up dishes like rice paper rolls, spring rolls and crispy wonton – the perfect finger food. Served up against a backdrop of dark wood paneling and plant decorations, you’ll almost believe you’re in Vietnam!

The second best South East Asian food in Melbourne at Co Thu Quan.

A post shared by Soi 38 (@soi38) on Jan 12, 2016 at 6:56pm PST