Your Guide to the Best Cheap Eats in Melbourne

It’s Australia’s gourmet capital, but you don’t have to break the bank to eat well in Melbourne, even from some of the top chefs’ kitchens.

From Chinese dumplings to Lebanese pizza, the best burgers or great Aussie fusion, this city delivers food from around the globe.

These are eight of the most delicious cheap eats in Melbourne.

Address: 5 Centre Place & 7/200 Bourke St, Melbourne

The must-order on the menu for this tiny northern Chinese dumpling house are its signature mackerel and coriander dumplings. Take a seat and watch the passing parade down graffiti-daubed Centre Place in this wee slip of space.

Hot off the grill in servings of eight stomach-filling pieces; the long finger-like dumplings cannot be beaten, and are best accessorised with a local craft beer. The beef shank bao is a cheap, tasty little handful if you’re on the go.

Beloved by chefs and dumpling aficionados, the original Shandong MaMa is in Midcity Arcade, off Chinatown. 

Where to stay nearby: Just four minutes' walk from Centre Place, ibis budget Melbourne CBD is another great Melbourne bargain, with comfortable guestrooms in a convenient central location.

Address: Shop 95, Deli Hall, Queen Victoria Market, Therry St Melbourne & 4/481 Elizabeth St, Melbourne

Head to Queen Victoria Market for some hot, Turkish love wrapped in pastry. Watch as the ladies of The Borek Shop churn out freshly made borek with a practised hand; go for the classic spinach and cheese, or a robust lamb gozleme.

Surrounded by rivals selling handmade cheeses, designer chocolates and dangling sausages from neighbouring Art Deco stalls, the simple borek retains its cult following.

Open during market hours, the café is closed Mondays and Wednesdays - if the need for borek is urgent, head to its younger sister, Borek Bakehouse, located nearby.

Where to stay nearby: Both borek cafes are a three-minute walk from the equally good value ibis Melbourne - Hotel & Apartments, also in Therry St.

Address: Crown Casino, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank

You want a burger, but not just any burger. You wanna go fancy. You wouldn’t expect Rockpool on Melbourne’s Southbank to make a Melbourne cheap-eats list, but here we are.

Look past the caviar and Iberico ham, the bar menu features Victorian beef by renowned producer Blackmores, served up in one of Melbourne’s best burgers. Choose between the wagyu or the Angus cheeseburger, with bacon, gruyere cheese, onions, and pickles completing the picture.

The bar menu is served between midday and 5pm in this revered steakhouse on the Yarra River, established by one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs, Neil Perry.

Where to stay: ibis Styles Kingsgate is opposite Southern Cross Station on King St and within the city's free tram zone. The hotel has comfortable guest rooms including family rooms; if you can fit in more food, it serves a daily contintental buffet breakfast.

Address: Ground Floor, Rainbow Alley, Melbourne

This addition to Melbourne’s Malaysian food scene has an impeccable lineage; chef Junda Khoo's three-level emporium comprises the rooftop beer hall Ho Liao, the main restaurant Ho Jiak and street-level Da Bao, just a few steps from the centre of Swanston Street.

Open daily, the headliner on Da Bao's simple menu sings to the budget conscious diner - Chap Fan, also known as Economy Rice, is a classic hawker street dish. Otherwise, pick up a bowl of noodles, such as char koay teow, a super-filling chicken laksa, char hor fun, nasi lemak, Hainan chicken rice, or lamb biriyani.

Gluten free and vegan options are available upon request at what's sure to become one of the classic cheap-eats destinations in Melbourne. 

Where to stay nearby: ibis Melbourne Central is a savvy stay, with an onsite bar for a post-prandial drink, as well as express check-in and self-service check-in counters in its reception. Located alongside Hardware Lane, use ibis Melbourne Central as a base to dive into Melbourne’s laneways and arcades, home to some of Melbourne’s best cheap eats.  

Address: Wales Arcade, 227 Collins St, Melbourne

Eat delicious, vegetarian and vegan Indian food while discovering Melbourne’s hidden arcades. Right in the centre of the city, this unassuming little spot serves the city’s best bargain; robust vegan thaali meals, with three curries, rice and hot, fresh naan for a bargain price, and classic vegetarian dishes such as paneer makhani (Indian cottage cheese in a tomato gravy) too.

For a grab-and-go, its samosas are your go-to. For a sugar hit, fuel up on gulab jamun, the classic Indian milk donut doused with rosewater syrup. The family-run restaurant is open daily and does takeaway, but also has a handful of tables in the arcade, just off Swanston Street.

Where to stay nearby: ibis budget Melbourne CBD is set on Elizabeth St, close to Flinders Street Station, with bag storage available if you’re still exploring the city after check-out.

Address: 643-645 Sydney Rd, Brunswick & 295 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

For more than 30 years, this family-run bakery has churned out the best khobz (Lebanese bread) in town, which you’ll find in Middle Eastern supermarkets all over Melbourne.

Come to the heartland for fresh man'oushe (think super thin-crust pizza); the classic topping is a vegan-friendly mix of herbs and sesame seeds, or spiced, minced lamb with tomato and onion are a red hot deal.

Take a seat for the A1 brekkie of eggs, sujuk (Turkish beef sausage) labne and olives, or a falafel platter. They also have gluten-free bases and vegan cheese, open daily.

Where to stay nearby: Jump onto the fast, free wifi at ibis Melbourne - Hotel & Apartments to find the timetable for the Number 19 tram, which departs in front of the hotel straight to A1 Lebanese Bakery, for some Middle Eastern magic.  

Address: 10 Bourke St, Melbourne

Scored cheap show tickets and need a meal to match the price point? This late-night burger joint is in Melbourne’s theatre district and is open until midnight, perfect for a post-show chow down.

The diner’s daily specialist list ranges from moreish Reuben sandwiches to baked French dip rolls with shaved wagyu beef and Comté cheese, but it’s the regular menu that showcases the premium Australian meat that Butcher’s Diner is known for.

Hot off the charcoal grill, order a duo of dry, aged beef skewers or classic Greek pork skewers, and if you're still hungry, accessorise with such sides as charred broccoli and poutine, for a cheesy chip hit.

Where to stay nearby: Catch a free tram from your hotel digs at ibis budget Melbourne CBD on Lonsdale Street up to the diner, located near Parliament Station. The rooms include a small fridge where you can stash your doggy bags. 

Address: 470 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne

The city's K-town is booming with some of the best cheap eats in Melbourne, led by Seoul’s favourite export, Paik’s Noodles. Here, South Korean chef Jong-won Paik serves up such comfort food as bokkeum jjamppong noodles with pork and shrimp, or the wagyu beef bokkeumbap (fried rice).

But it's the jajang-myeon, with fat noodles and stir-fried pork in a fermented black-bean sauce that represents a real bargain. Wash it all down with soju or makgeolli (Korean rice wine).

Where to stay: ibis Styles Kingsgate is a wallet-friendly stay that’s a short walk from the heart of Melbourne’s K-town.