Carlton’s got a secret weapon that most people overlook when they think about Melbourne dining: because of the University of Melbourne and RMIT campuses nearby, this suburb has always had a student population that demands good food at prices that won’t destroy you. The result is one of the best cheap eats scenes in the inner north — and it’s not all cheap pizza, either.
1. The Heart of Carlton
189 Elgin Street, Carlton
This is the one everyone’s talking about. Everything on the menu is $5. Pasta, toasties, coffee. Owner Michael built it as a community space, not a slick hospitality play. The pasta changes daily depending on what’s in season. It’s small, fills up fast, and the crowd is a beautiful mix of uni students, longtime Carlton locals, and people who found it on TikTok.
Order this: The daily pasta ($5). Get there before 1pm or miss it.
2. Rice Bar (Not Only Rice)
121 Grattan Street, Carlton
Malaysian spot near the university. The Kung Pao Chicken with Rice ($12.90) is the standout — succulent marinated chicken with peanuts and crispy Sichuan chilli peppers. Portions generous enough that you won’t need dinner. Service is lightning-fast.
Order this: Kung Pao Chicken with Rice ($12.90). The laksa is underrated.
3. Saigon Pho
106 Lygon Street, Carlton
Lygon Street’s Vietnamese anchor. Seventeen varieties of pho done properly, starting from $12 for a bowl that’ll keep you going all afternoon. The Curry Laksa ($14) is the headline — thick coconut cream with slow-building sambal heat. Ask for extra bean sprouts and Vietnamese mint — they’ll pile them on for free.
Order this: Rare beef pho ($12-$14) or the Curry Laksa ($14).
4. Animal Orchestra
163 Grattan Street, Carlton
Tiny cafe that looks more like someone’s front lounge. The toasted paninis — prosciutto with pesto and goat’s cheese, roast beef with caramelised onion — start from $10 and are made with proper bread. The daily special is usually under $8.
Order this: Prosciutto, pesto and goat’s cheese panini ($10).
5. La Cabra Tacos
Queensberry Street, Carlton
Taco Tuesday deal — $5 tacos from 5pm. The tacos are proper: slow-cooked meats, fresh salsa, real corn tortillas. Even on other days, tacos run $8-$12 and are genuinely good.
Order this: $5 tacos on Tuesday. Get there early — the deal draws a crowd.
6. Dan’s Deli
Queensberry Street, Carlton
Famous for $2.75 hashbrowns — crispy, golden, perfect walking snack. The loaded subs ($10-$14) are properly built with generous fillings. The falafel roll is the quiet MVP.
Order this: Hashbrowns ($2.75) and a loaded sub.
7. Casa Del Gelato
163 Lygon Street, Carlton
A small cup is $6 for three flavours from about 40 options — caramelised fig, jasmine, Amaretto, chilli chocolate, passionfruit. All made in-house. The locals will tell you this is the original and best, and they’re right.
Order this: Small cup, three flavours ($6). Go at 4pm to avoid the 7pm weekend queue.
8. Filou’s Patisserie
Corner Lygon and Fenwick Street, Carlton
French pastry chefs baking fresh pies daily — chicken and mushroom, lamb and rosemary, spinach. At $6.50 each, grab one and walk five minutes to Carlton Gardens. They sell out by early afternoon on weekends.
Order this: Spinach pie ($6.50).
9. D.O.C. Deli
295 Drummond Street, Carlton
The deli next door to D.O.C. Pizza. Proper Italian panini, arancini, and imported cheeses at prices that would cost twice as much at a South Melbourne deli. The prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella panini ($14) is a Carlton classic.
Order this: Prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella panini ($14). Grab a cannoli for dessert.
10. Hi Chong Qing
26 Orr Street, Carlton
Tiny noodle shop specialising in Chongqing-style dry noodles. The Signature Chongqing Noodles ($12) come in chilli oil with preserved vegetables, minced pork, and Sichuan pepper that makes your lips tingle. A GoodFood Top 20 Cheap Eats pick.
Order this: Signature Chongqing Noodles ($12).
FAQ
Where’s the cheapest meal in Carlton?
The Heart of Carlton — everything is $5. For a proper sit-down meal, Hi Chong Qing’s noodles at $12 and Saigon Pho’s laksa at $14 are the best quality-to-price ratio.
Where do uni students eat in Carlton?
Grattan Street and the northern end of Lygon Street. Rice Bar, Animal Orchestra, and Hi Chong Qing are all student-budget staples. The Heart of Carlton on Elgin Street is the newest addition to the rotation.
The Verdict
The trick with cheap eats in Carlton is to go slightly off the main strip. Lygon Street between Faraday and Swanston is tourist-priced. Walk one block east to Grattan Street or one block west to Drummond, and the prices drop while the quality often goes up. University students have been doing this for decades — it’s time everyone else caught on.
For the full Carlton food picture, see our best restaurants, best Asian food, and things to do this weekend.
Explore More of Carlton
- Carlton History
- Carlton Things To Do This Weekend
- Carlton Rent Guide
- Carlton Date Night Guide
- Carlton Carlton For Retirees
- Carlton New Openings
- Carlton Things To Do
- Carlton Cost of Living
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