Cheap eats
A humble weatherboard in a tiny town is home to a thrilling new Thai restaurant
Settle in for a long lunch for just 14 guests at a time at this intimate, family-run eatery in the middle of northern Victoria.
- Quincy Malesovas
Back to work? 10 new Melbourne CBD spots for fast noodles, hefty banh mi and ace coffee
Impress your office pals with bright bakeries to sweeten meetings, lunchtime bargains that you can afford to keep on rotation, and cafes hidden in plain sight.
- Emma Breheny
A cult Japanese noodle shop arrives in Melbourne with summer-ready bowls
Everything you need to know about aburasoba, the “dry ramen” that ditches the soup but still packs loads of flavour into every squiggly bite of noodles.
- Emma Breheny
‘Prawns are it’: The best value buys for your Christmas seafood feast
Fishmongers reveal which seafood species are at the best quality, at the lowest price, for the Christmas Day table.
- Bianca Hrovat
This new city pasta bar lets you customise everything – and bowls are less than $20
Opening soon in a busy CBD shopping centre, this new venue designed for speedy visits could be the Subway of Italian restaurants. Some people will hate that; for others, it’ll be game-changing.
- Emma Breheny
Hong Kong noodle chain debuts in Melbourne with a soup-tasting counter and ‘hellfire’ spice
TamJai Mixian has more than 240 outlets across Asia. Now it’s bringing its bouncy rice noodles and fiery soup to Melbourne’s Chinatown.
- Tomas Telegramma
From $2.20 doughnuts to cult chicken nuggets: Where to find Melbourne’s top 20 snacks
Whether you like your snacks palm-sized and less than $2 or built for sharing, this list from The Age Good Food Guide 2025 covers plenty of ground.
- Claire Adey and Emma Breheny
It’s an all-you-can-eat adventure at Dainty Sichuan’s new hotpot and barbecue buffet
Come hungry – and prepared to wait. This colourful 220-seater, complete with kid-friendly desserts, is already pulling crowds.
- Tomas Telegramma
From cut-price margaritas to mini tasting menus: 10 of Sydney’s best-value dining deals
A three-hatted restaurant experience for less, $10 yum cha and other dining specials that give you more bang for buck this month.
- Bianca Hrovat
Queen Vic Market’s famous doughnut van sets up shop southside − plus more new market moves
Multimillion dollar renewal efforts have added stalls that sell Hong Kong-inspired desserts, regional Italian pizza and snacks made with market-fresh ingredients.
- Emma Breheny
Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/topic/cheap-eats-ldm