Cheap lunch Melbourne: How to get lunch for less than $10
AUSTRALIANS spend more than $8 billion during their lunch breaks — and a good chunk of that is on food. Save yourself some cash with these spots, from the city to the suburbs, where you can get your lunch for a $10 note.
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AH the nineties. When double denim and dial-up internet ruled — and so did a reliable lunch for less than $10. These days we’re spending $8.3 billion during our lunch breaks, and try as you might, bringing your lunch from home doesn’t always happen.
But if matching your jeans and jacket can make a comeback, so should a cheap lunch.
Melbourne has so many food offerings that we’re skipping those giant chains to dish up some of the city’s smaller, budget-friendly choices. Here’s 20 gems across the city and suburbs for your cheap lunchtime fix.
MORE: BEST DISHES UNDER $10
BAGUETTE PRICE WAR IN MELBOURNE LANEWAYS
CITY
WONDERBAO
4/19-37 A’Beckett St
It’s harder to find since the Metro tunnel works went in, but Wonderbao is worth seeking out if you’re on a budget. Down a passageway off A’Beckett St, all their open-faced Gua baos are $5.20, but the traditional, more bun-like baos are a tasty bargain. For $2.70 you can have your pick of Chinese sausage, BBQ pork or a mushroom-with-tofu number for the vegos.
SOI 38
38 McIlwraith Place
It’s in a carpark, yes, but who cares when it’s this good and this cheap. Pick your soup, pick your noodles and off you go — this one is $10 flat but will definitely keep you going through the 3pm slump, so it gets a spot on the list.
OM VEGETARIAN
28 Elizabeth St, 4/227 Collins St
This CBD vegetarian stalwart has just put up the price of its vegetarian (or vegan) all-you-can-eat thaali meal by a dollar — to a whopping $7.50, but it’s still serious bang for your buck. Two types of curry, rice and fresh naan, throw in a lassi for $2 and that’s lunch done. One on Collins, another branch on Elizabeth St.
TWIRLED PASTA, DOCKLANDS
2 Waterview Walk
Pure comfort food here. For $7.50 you can take back to your desk a toastie stuffed with pasta, cheese and napoli sauce. Or for $7, a mushroom, taleggio cheese and truffle oil combo. Their panini options change by the month, but both the vegetarian and meat option fall under the $10 mark, $7 for the vegetarian and $9 for the meat. And for $7 you can feast on three golf-ball sized house-made arancini balls in beef bolognese sauce. Happy days.
ASIAN BEER CAFE
211 La Trobe St
No you won’t be getting their parma for less than a tenner, but you can scoff down a Pad Thai, sans meat, for $9. They also do a $5 pizza and you can go gluten free for $1.50 more.
DON DON, CBD, SOUTH MELBOURNE AND CARLTON
330 Little Lonsdale, 164 Cardigan St Carlton
Is the Don good? You know it is. This inner-city Japanese staple will get you a feed for well under $10. Tofu curry with rice is the cheapest choice, but even the most expensive raw fish option comes in at $9.80. The Carlton outpost Don Tojo also serves alcohol for your Friday long lunch.
AIX CAFE, B3 CAFE
Centre Place
Baguette lovers know about Centre Place. Multiple venues offering cheap versions of the tasty sandwich keep the price well under $10 — in fact, you could possibly get two, depending on your filling of choice.
MAMAK
366 Lonsdale
Dishing up Malaysian favourite roti canai for $8, you’ll get two curry dips, sambal for spice and crispy, fluffy roti to sop it up with. Served on a metal tray just like you’d get it in Kuala Lumpur, it’s certainly a favourite. Picking an egg or onion option still keeps it under the $10 mark.
EARL CANTEEN
Various locations
Want sandwiches stuffed with interesting fillings, all under $10 and with three city locations? This is your jam. Or more likely, your New York-style corned beef with zucchini pickle and provolone cheese. There are a few salads under $10 too if you’re not a sandwich fan.
BUTCHERS DINER
10 Bourke St
All day, every day, this Bourke St spot dishes out meats, rolls and sides. Hamburger with pickles and the a classic cheese toastie are both sub-$10 bargains, or try a crispy tofu roll with Thai vermicelli slaw. And if you miss your Flinders St dimmies, scoff a couple of these for $1.90 each. Remember it’s cash only, but that’s a small price to pay for this kind of value.
THE BOREK BAKEHOUSE
481 Elizabeth St
Melburnians love the flaky pastry and tasty fillings in a Borek, and this spot delivers their classic cheese and spinach, spicy lamb or spicy potato for a ripping $3.50. Gozlemes, a filled Turkish flat bread, are also a cheap choice for less than $10, depending on your flavour choice.
BURGER PROJECT
Collins Lane
Just scraping in on $9.90 is their classic burger. Grass-fed beef, onion, pickles, tomato, lettuce and their “secret sauce”. Yum.
SUBURBS
LUCKY COQ, WINDSOR
179 Chapel St
This place has options for the $10-and-change challenge — and that’s no easy feat.
There’s the $4 pizza during set hours, including lunch time any day, classic jaffles and even salads, if you’ve made it this far and are starting to crave vegetables. To be honest, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything on the food menu for more than $10.
BURGER LOVE, SOUTH MELBOURNE, ST KILDA AND PRAHRAN
2 George St, South Melbourne; 60 Fitzroy St, St Kilda; 321 Chapel St
At the non-McDonalds burger joints, the only thing under $10 is usually your standard, plain burger. Not so at this southside favourite, where their Cheeky Cheesy is $8.90. It comes with a beef patty, two slices of cheese plus onions, pickles and tonnes of sauces. You could even add on an extra and still get change from your $10 — jalapeños, beetroot or pineapple are another buck. And the classic Burger love burger is a budget-pleasing $8.90 too.
FOR HEAVEN’S STEAKS, CLAYTON
1465 Centre Rd
OK so the steak sandwich is now just over-budget at $11 (no!) but the Italian Sausage sandwich is $10. You can get a cold meat roll or bacon and egg roll for less than a tenner though — but it’ll be hard to pass up the steak with a restaurant pun like that.
MASTER ROLL, SOUTH YARRA
169 Toorak Rd
Reliably crunchy and tasty banh mi if you work out this way. At $7.50 it’s not going to be as cheap as the Footscray offerings (try Nhu Lan if you’re out that way), but hey, this is South Yarra. And it’s good.
JENNY’S HOT BREAD, CAMBERWELL
535 Riversdale Rd
This is roll-and-a-drink territory for your $10 — chicken and salad is a popular choice and at $5 that’s a serious bargain. That’ll leave you something for a treat on the side. Dessert anyone?
KALIMERA SOUVLAKI ART, OAKLEIGH
41 Chester St
What budget food list would be complete without everyone’s favourite Greek food, souvlaki. Have your pick of juicy pork, chicken or lamb here, all for less than $10, complete with tzatziki and chips. This one will keep you going until dinner, no doubt.
MILE END BAGEL, FITZROY
14 Johnston St
Bagel lovers rejoice — this is your spot. They’ve mastered that perfect, just chewy texture you want, with a several options at $10 or less. Think cream cheese with tomato and basil oil, or avocado with a chive cream cheese.
VERY GOOD FALAFEL, BRUNSWICK
629 Sydney Rd
The name cuts to the point and yes, it’s very good. Fresh, slightly crispy falafel in a well-stuffed and sauced pita for less than $10. Very good, very cheap — need we say more?
It’s a big city — did we miss your favourite? Share it in the comments below.
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