Bridge the gap between gourmet feasts and bargain bites with an affordable meal from one of the state's tastiest eateries. Take your pick of Victoria's budget-friendly cafes, bakeries and restaurants, where the only thing better than the price is the taste.
1. Queenscliff General Store
Start your day with a tasty bite at the historic Queenscliff General Store. Grab a coffee for less than five bucks and enjoy fruity granola or a toastie for brekkie, followed by a stroll to the beach for a day in the sun.
2. The Pickled Sisters Café and Restaurant
Head to Main Street in Rutherglen to enjoy a selection of dishes from The Pickled Sister’s menu, which changes seasonally to showcase North-East Victoria’s exceptional local produce. Owner and Chef, Stewart Gilchrist, crafts the menu around classic dishes with a modern twist, drawing on his Scottish heritage for inspiration.
3. Fu Man Lou Dumpling Bar
Fill your belly with a dumpling taster basket or a classic wonton noodle soup at Fu Man Lou Dumpling Bar, where the staff are dedicated to handcrafting authentic dumplings and dishes that will have you coming back for seconds.
4. Incy Wincy
Pop into Incy Wincy’s for all the classics – sandwiches, flakey pastries, pies, sausage rolls and homemade cakes that will kick those sugar cravings to the curb. Dine inside, outside, or grab a treat from the hole-in-the-wall takeout counter before exploring local highlights like the Emerald Lake Park.
5. Le Peche Gourmand
Get a taste of the French countryside in the heart of Victoria’s goldfields. Just 90-minutes from Melbourne, 20 minutes from the famed mineral springs of Hepburn and Daylesford or 10-minutes from Ballarat, is one of the tastiest boulangeries in Victoria – Le Peche Gourmand. Using old-fashioned methods and ingredients sourced locally, you will simply adore the melt-in-your-mouth tarts and pastries. You can dig into a savoury baguette, a buttery pastry or just skip straight to dessert.
6. Sherwood Park Orchard bakery and Café
At the gateway to the rolling hills and green fields of Gippsland, you’ll find an unassuming orchard and bakery in little-known, Bunyip. Here, you can stretch your legs and grab something to eat in the cute farmhouse café, where freshly baked goods and light meals are on offer along with a selection of seasonal produce, including fresh fruit, veggies, preserves, eggs and juices – all made fresh on-site.
7. Milking It
Step inside the charming pink interior at Milking It where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the irresistible scent of baked goods. Get a slice of the city in the country with strong brews, tasty salads, hearty burgers and spicy curries.
8. The Italian Mildura
Visit The Italian Mildura for a taste of Mildura’s Calabrian and Sicilian migrant community. The biggest drawcard is the Paninoteca, made fresh in-house and filled with delicious classic fillings, like Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs. Don’t forget to grab a homemade cannoli before you go!
9. Apollo Bay Bakery
Home of the famous scallop pie, Apollo Bay Bakery is the perfect pit stop for breakfast or lunch, with a broad selection of freshly made sandwiches, salad and roast rolls ready to go, as well as more than 25 delicious pies, pasties and sausage rolls. Plus, the cake options are to die for – with gluten free and vegan-friendly options also on offer.
10. Youki’s
Fancy a spot of authentic Japanese in the heart of Cowes? Enjoy fresh sushi and sashimi, as well as classic dons, udons, curries, gyoza and ramens and wash it down with a hot sake or Japanese beer at Youki's.
