Correction (10 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources on 9 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
This page answers one question: where can you sit down to a main in Malvern East without the bill getting out of hand? The honest answer is short. Two places made it through our checks, one on Waverley Road in Malvern East and one on Koornang Road in Carnegie, just over the border.
We could not confirm more than that, so we have not padded the list. Each place was matched against at least two sources, and every price below is one the venue itself prints on its menu page.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A fried-rice main under twenty | Shanghai Taste Restaurant | Thai Fried Rice 泰国炒饭 | $17.70 |
| Kimchi pancake to share | Mrs Kim’s Grill | Kimchi Pancake Crispy savoury pancake | $16 |
Shanghai Taste Restaurant — 310 Waverley Road, Malvern East VIC 3145
Short list, so start with the mains. Shanghai Taste Restaurant prints Thai Fried Rice 泰国炒饭 at $17.70 on its menu, and Vegan Fried Rice 素炒饭 at $17.70 too.
A Spring Onion Pancake 葱饼干 at $7.65 is the side to add. AGFG tags the restaurant with Child Friendly and Takeaway.
On the menu (copied from shanghaitaste.com.au/menu on 9 October 2026):
- Spring Onion Pancake 葱饼干: $7.65
- Fried Red Bean Pancake 豆沙锅饼: $9.85
- Fried Taro Pancake 香芋锅饼: $9.85
- Pumpkin Pancakes 南瓜饼: $8.75
The move: Pair the fried rice with a pancake from the menu list and share across the table.
Mrs Kim’s Grill — 136 Koornang Road, Carnegie VIC 3163
Mrs Kim’s Grill is in Carnegie, on Koornang Road, a short hop from Malvern East. Its menu prints Kimchi Pancake Crispy savoury pancake at $16. It also prints Seafood Pancake Crispy savoury pancake with seafood at $18.
For a smaller order, the menu lists Fried Kimchi Pork Dumplings at $11. Its site also says “BYO wine corkage $5 per person.”
On the menu (copied from mrskimsgrill.com.au/menu.html on 9 October 2026):
- Kimchi Pancake Crispy savoury pancake: $16
- Seafood Pancake Crispy savoury pancake with seafood: $18
- Fried Kimchi Pork Dumplings: $11
What it is: A Korean-style savoury pancake, built to be shared, so order one and add the dumplings.
Quick answers
Where can you get a sit-down main under twenty dollars in Malvern East?
Shanghai Taste Restaurant on Waverley Road prints Thai Fried Rice 泰国炒饭 at $17.70 on its menu, which is under twenty dollars. Just over the border in Carnegie, Mrs Kim’s Grill prints Kimchi Pancake Crispy savoury pancake at $16 on its menu. Those are the only two places we could confirm with printed prices.
Does Mrs Kim’s Grill allow BYO?
Mrs Kim’s Grill says on its own site: “BYO wine corkage $5 per person.” We could not find anything on beer or other drinks, so check with the restaurant before you bring anything.
Which cheap eats in Malvern East do takeaway?
AGFG tags Shanghai Taste Restaurant with Takeaway. Mrs Kim’s Grill shows an Order takeaway link on its own site. Both are worth a call first to confirm what can be taken away.
Is Mrs Kim’s Grill actually in Malvern East?
No. Mrs Kim’s Grill is on Koornang Road in Carnegie, the next suburb over, so this page treats it as in and around Malvern East. Shanghai Taste Restaurant is on Waverley Road in Malvern East itself.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 9 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, the places’ own websites and the Australian Good Food Guide. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 9 October 2026. Menus, prices and opening hours change, so check with the venue before you go. The cover photo is illustrative, from Unsplash, and does not show any place on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Shanghai Taste Restaurant: openstreetmap.org/631295249, shanghaitaste.com.au, agfg.com.au/shanghai-taste-44610, shanghaitaste.com.au/menu
- Mrs Kim’s Grill: openstreetmap.org/631561660, mrskimsgrill.com.au, mrskimsgrill.com.au/menu.html
