Correction (5 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 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
A cheap meal in the CBD does not have to be a food-court tray. This page covers five counter and casual sit-down spots in Melbourne CBD: Mexican tacos, vegetarian Indian, Indian snacks, Malaysian roti and Korean-style bowls.
Every price is copied as the venue prints it, with the dish beside it. Not every dish is cheap, and a few mains run well above a coin-and-note budget, so read the board, not just the headline.
Each place was checked against two independent sources. Hours appear only where a named listing carries them, and the OpenStreetMap ones may be out of date.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tacos and a quick snack | Street Taste | Chicken Wings | $12 |
| Vegetarian and vegan plates | Gopal‘s Vegetarian Indian Restaurant | Not So Hungry | $10 |
| Indian snacks and takeaway | Villas | Onion Bajji | $6.90 |
| Roti and Malaysian curry | Mamak | Roti telur | $12.50 |
| Korean bowls and a latte | Misut garu Latte | $7.00 |
Street Taste — 136 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Street Taste lists 136 Elizabeth Street on its site. Its menu prints Char Grilled Chicken Taco at $8.90 and Baja Fish Tacos at $8.90, the two lowest prices we copied for this place. A taco is a small tortilla folded round a filling, and Baja-style fish usually means battered fish. Its menu also prints Chicken Wings at $12. We found no hours.
On the menu (copied from streettaste.com.au/menu on 4 October 2026):
- Chicken Wings: $12
- Char Grilled Chicken Taco: $8.90
- Baja Fish Tacos: $8.90
- Bowl of Fries: $10
What it is: a taco counter whose menu prints Bowl of Fries at $10 beside the tacos, so a snack-sized order is easy to price up.
Gopal‘s Vegetarian Indian Restaurant — 139 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
The title on Gopal‘s site reads Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurant Melbourne CBD, and the address is 139 Swanston Street. Its menu prints Not So Hungry at $10 and Vegan Platter at $12.50. OpenStreetMap tags Monday to Thursday and Saturday 11:30 to 21:00 and Friday 11:30 to 21:30, which may be out of date. We copied no description of what comes on either plate.
On the menu (copied from gopals.com.au/menu on 4 October 2026):
- Not So Hungry: $10
- Vegan Platter: $12.50
- So Fresh: $10
- Samosas: $3.50
The move: a samosa is a spiced pastry parcel, and the menu prints Samosas at $3.50, so add them to a plate order.
Villas — 488 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Villas lists 488 Bourke Street on its site. Its menu prints Onion Bajji at $6.90, and bajji are onion pieces fried in a spiced chickpea-flour batter. It also prints Chicken Tikka (3pcs) at $21.90, which is more of a main than a snack. We could not settle its hours from its site, so ring before you go. The site has an Order Take Away link.
On the menu (copied from villasmelbourne.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Chicken Tikka (3pcs): $21.90
- Onion Bajji: $6.90
Cash or card: not stated on the page we checked, so ask when you order.
Mamak — 366 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Mamak lists 366 Lonsdale Street on its site. Its menu prints Roti telur at $12.50 and Roti bawang at $12.50; roti is a flaky flatbread, telur is Malay for egg and bawang for onion. The menu also prints Roti telur bawang at $13.50 and Kari ayam, a chicken curry, at $26.00. Its site lists lunch 11:30 to 2:30 Monday to Friday and 11:30 to 5:30 Saturday and Sunday, and dinner 5:30 to 10:00 Sunday to Thursday and 5:30 to 12:00 Friday and Saturday.
On the menu (copied from mamak.com.au/mamakmenu on 4 October 2026):
- Roti telur: $12.50
- Roti bawang: $12.50
- Roti telur bawang: $13.50
- Kari ayam: $26.00
The move: its site says BYO is $5 per person, with a 15% surcharge on public holidays and a 10% surcharge on Sundays, so plan the drinks first.
Pocket — 540 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Pocket lists Shop 4 at 540 Little Collins Street on its site. Its menu prints Tofu rice & Chicken breast at $14.50 and Roast Soybean & Toast Rice at $12.50, and the site also names Korean chimichurri (vegan). Its site lists Monday to Friday 11:30am to 7:30pm, with Saturday and Sunday closed, while OpenStreetMap tags Saturday 12:00 to 16:00, so check before a weekend trip.
On the menu (copied from pocketstore.com.au/menu and pocketstore.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Misut garu Latte: $7.00
- Roast Soybean & Toast Rice: $12.50
- Korean chicken broth & tofu noodle: $17.50
- Tofu rice & Chicken breast: $14.50
What it is: misut garu is a Korean roasted-grain powder, and the menu prints Misut garu Latte at $7.00.
Quick answers
What is the cheapest thing to eat in Melbourne CBD from these places?
On the prices we copied, Gopal‘s menu prints Samosas at $3.50, which is the lowest. Villas prints Onion Bajji at $6.90. Pocket prints Misut garu Latte at $7.00, a drink. Street Taste prints Char Grilled Chicken Taco at $8.90. Prices change, so confirm at the counter.
Where can I find vegetarian or vegan food in Melbourne CBD?
Gopal‘s Vegetarian Indian Restaurant has a site title reading Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurant Melbourne CBD, and its menu prints Vegan Platter at $12.50. Pocket’s site names Korean chimichurri (vegan). We did not find vegetarian or vegan options published for the other three places.
Which of these cheap eats in Melbourne CBD do takeaway?
Villas has an Order Take Away link on its site, and Mamak’s site has an Order Takeaway link. We did not find takeaway stated for Street Taste, Gopal‘s or Pocket in the pages we checked, so ask the venue.
Can I bring my own drinks to a cheap sit-down meal in Melbourne CBD?
Mamak’s site says BYO is $5 per person, with a 15% surcharge on public holidays and a 10% surcharge on Sundays. BYO is not stated in the pages we checked for Street Taste, Gopal‘s, Villas or Pocket.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap and the places’ own websites. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 4 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
- Street Taste: openstreetmap.org/598405142, streettaste.com.au/locations, streettaste.com.au/menu
- Gopal‘s Vegetarian Indian Restaurant: openstreetmap.org/5388488024, gopals.com.au, gopals.com.au/menu
- Villas: openstreetmap.org/13915818311, villasmelbourne.com.au
- Mamak: openstreetmap.org/6642220675, mamak.com.au/contact, mamak.com.au/mamakmenu, mamak.com.au/about
- Pocket: openstreetmap.org/13893068001, pocketstore.com.au, pocketstore.com.au/menu
