Best things to eat and drink at the Dandenong Market

Take your tastebuds on a world tour at the suburban stalwart market— and save top dollar on these 10 tasty lunch finds costing $10 or less.

Eat your way around the world with feast of Lebanese, French, Vietnamese, Indian and Filipino treats without breaking the bank.

These are our ten faves from the weekly market haul.

King of Falafel’s falafel recipe is a closely guarded family secret.

1. King of Falafel’s falafel: $1.20 each

Arguably one of the cheaper market eats, this family owned and run business has been slinging the popular Lebanese snack since 2015. Husband and wife team Sam and Elham Jurdi’s falafel recipe has been a close-guarded family secret for more than three decades.

Market Square

The ghee masala dosa is a traditional Indian breakfast snack.

2. Cafe Marketto’s ghee masala dosa: $10

The popular southern Indian breakfast snack is served with sambar (a light lentil-based stew), coconut and tomato chutney. Two years ago Aijaz and Seema took over the business, slinging dosa, idli (savoury rice cake) and their famous Hyderabadi style biryani (mixed rice dish).

The Bazaar

Butter Mafia’s choux pastry isn’t for the faint hearted.

3. Butter Mafia’s choux pastry: $6.50

Cream filled? Tick. Gluten free? You betcha. Ex-lawyer turned pastry whiz Kenn Chia doesn’t discriminate on indulgence at his new-ish addition to the Dandy Market line-up. This is Butter Mafia’s second location, after its Northcote debut in 2016.

The Pantry

Lebanese style pizzas? Why not.

4. Why? Not Wooden Bakery’s woodfire bread and pizza: from $2.80

The market stalwart has been kicking around since 2011. Run by Kamil and Rhonda Tannous, each pizza and pita gets its turn in the hearth, slicked with Middle Eastern flavours such as zaatar, spinach and halloumi, and sumac, spinach and feta. The recipes were passed down by Rhonda’s grandmother, who was passionate about cooking the traditional Lebanese dishes.

Meat, Fish and Deli Hall

Food to Go Vietnamese and Chinese has lunch for under $10.

5. Food to Go Vietnamese & Chinese banh mi: from $7 each

Mr Trilla, or Tri as he’s affectionately know to market loyalists, vows to retire one day. Racking an impressive 24-year market innings, Tri has earned a reputation for his traditional Vietnamese rolls. Pop in for either a tofu, roast or BBQ pork crackling flavours loaded with all the trimmings.

Market Square

You can’t go wrong with Sansan Dumpling House's pan fried pork creations.

6. Sansan’s Dumpling House’s pan-fried pork dumplings: $1 each (frozen)

Xian Lan Chen (or San San) has made every dumpling from scratch at 4pm ahead of the day’s trade for the past decade. Her creations, folded with either meat or veg, are so popular you can expect up to 30 minute waits during the lunch peak. Cooked dumplings will set you back $16.80 for a dozen, eight for $11.50 and five for $7.50.

After a bargain? Stock the freezer with the $1 dumpling finds.

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Cheese and beef empanadas are a customer favourite for Eria and Maria at Cafe Valentina.

7. Cafe Valentina’s cheese empanadas: $6

Erica and Maria have been sharing the flavours of Latin American since 2022. Popular snacks include the cheese or beef empanadas ($8), swiped in a Chilean vibrant tomato, cucumber and corridander pebre sauce for an extra $1.

Meat, Fish and Deli Hall

Ali must be onto a good thing if he’s selling 10,000 loaves of Afghan bread a week.

8. Kabul Kitchen’s Afghan bread: $2 each

Ali Haidari’s chef journey hasn’t been easy. He escaped the threat of the Taliban in Kabul via Pakistan when he was 17, making the heartwrenching decision to leave his young family behind. He immigrated to Australia by boat, spending at least a year in Christmas Island detention centre. After almost a decade of turmoil, Ali opened an Afghan bakery at the Dandenong Market. It’s so popular he sells more than 10,000 loaves a week, baking daily from 5am till after 9pm.

Meat, Fish and Deli Hall

Si Kt Pinoy has more skewers than you can poke a stick at.

9. Si-Kat Pinoy Eatscetera’s BBQ pork skewers: $5 each

Catherine has taken her Pinoy business from pop-up to permanent market fixture within seven years. A customer fave are the BBQ pork skewers, costing $5 a pop.

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Cool down with an Italian — or Indian — flavoured sweet treat.

10. Fresh Point ice cream’s gelato: $6

This cool new market trader will undoubtedly be a hit this summer. Run by Hasnain and his wife, the duo shares flavours from Pakistan in chilled dessert form. Try kulfi, a denser and creamier take on ice cream spiked with fruit, florals or spices. Not your jam? Classic gelato also gets a whirl, with chocolate, pistachio and cookies and cream flavours in the mix.

Market Square