Richmond has a takeaway scene that punches well above what you’d expect. The suburb runs diverse, sporty, food-obsessed — and the food reflects it. We’ve eaten at every takeaway spot in the area and these are the ones worth your time and money. The cheaper end gets you fish and chips, the higher end gets you kebab done properly.
Our Top Picks
1. The Golden Store — 247 Swan Street
Hours: Tue-Sat 12pm-3pm + 5:30pm-10:30pm Price: $21-39 per person
The Golden Store is the benchmark for takeaway in Richmond. The fried chicken is what most people order, and for good reason — it’s consistently excellent. The burgers is the other standout, done with genuine care rather than the paint-by-numbers approach you get at chain spots.
The room seats about 45 and fills on Friday and Saturday nights. Midweek you’ll walk straight in. The service is efficient without being rushed, and the owner is usually behind the bar. Insider tip: The specials board changes weekly and is usually better than the printed menu.
2. Otto Press — 53 Burnley Street
Hours: Wed-Sun 5:30pm-10:30pm Price: $20-34 per person
This is the locals’ pick — less polished than The Golden Store but arguably more flavour per dollar. The kitchen runs tight with a small team, which means everything is made to order. The kebab here has a depth that comes from doing the same dish three hundred times until it’s muscle memory.
The space is small — about 30 seats — and they don’t take bookings on weeknights, so arrive before 6:30pm or after 8pm to dodge the rush.
Best dish: The fish and chips ($20). Simple, executed perfectly. Pro tip: BYO wine on Tuesdays ($5 corkage).
3. The Red Kitchen — 10 Burnley Street
Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm + 5:30pm-11pm Price: $14-33 per person
The Red Kitchen opened in late 2025 and has already built a following. The menu is short — eight dishes — which is usually a good sign. Everything on it is considered.
When to go: Sunday lunch is the sweet spot. Same food, half the crowd.
4. Sol — 261 Swan Street
Hours: Wed-Sun 5:30pm-10:30pm Price: $24-37 per person
The takeaway option on this list. Sol doesn’t have table service — you order at the counter and either take it home or eat at the three outdoor tables. The quality-to-price ratio is the best in Richmond. The fried chicken ($24) is the standout.
5. Mia — 363 Church Street
Hours: Wed-Sun 5:30pm-10:30pm Price: $20-33 per person
A solid all-rounder. Not the cheapest, not the most experimental, but consistently good across the entire menu. The kebab ($28) and the fish and chips ($20) are both worth ordering. The wine list is surprisingly thoughtful for a takeaway place. Friday and Saturday — book 3-5 days ahead for the top two spots.
Parking: Street parking along Bridge Road is metered until 6:30pm. Side streets are usually 2-hour. After 6:30pm, most are free. Best option: Richmond station, trams on Bridge/Swan/Victoria.
Dietary: Every restaurant listed handles vegetarian requests. Vegan and gluten-free: call ahead to confirm, but most are accommodating.
Delivery: Sol and The Golden Store are on Uber Eats and DoorDash. For better quality, order directly — delivery platforms compress your food in those bags and charge restaurants 30%.
Nearby Guides
- Cremorne Takeaway
- Abbotsford Takeaway
- Richmond Cheap Eats — when budget matters
- Richmond Bars — post-dinner drinks
- All Richmond Guides
Last updated: March 2026
Keep Exploring
More in this area:
- Best Pizza in Richmond
- Best Thai in Richmond
- Best Japanese in Richmond
- Best Italian in Richmond
- Best Vegan in Richmond
Nearby suburbs:
Useful tools:
Check venue websites for current menus and hours.
Takeaway Snapshot
Richmond works best for takeaway when you treat it as three different food strips. Victoria Street is the obvious first stop for Vietnamese noodle soups, rice-paper rolls, banh mi, broken rice and quick family dinners. Swan Street is stronger for game-day food, burgers, pizza, pubs, late snacks and bigger group orders. Bridge Road suits weeknight convenience: Thai, Japanese, charcoal chicken, bakeries, salads and delivery-friendly meals.
For best value, order close to the cuisine’s natural format. Pho, banh mi, rice bowls, dumplings, charcoal chicken packs, pizza and curry travel better than plated restaurant dishes. Richmond’s density means you can usually collect faster than delivery during peak nights, especially around Swan Street and Richmond Station.
Data-Backed Analysis
Richmond’s takeaway demand is supported by the suburb’s structure. ABS 2021 Census data recorded 28,587 residents in Richmond, with a median age of 34, compared with 37 across Greater Melbourne. That younger profile matters for takeaway: more renters, professionals and smaller households usually means more weeknight ordering and less bulk grocery cooking.
The housing pattern is also takeaway-friendly. Richmond had 53.0% flats or apartments, compared with 12.1% across Victoria, and 30.7% semi-detached, row or terrace homes, compared with 13.9% statewide. Only 15.6% of occupied dwellings were separate houses, far below Victoria’s 73.4%. That creates a dense customer base within short walking distance of food strips.
Richmond also has 38.7% lone-person households, compared with 25.9% in Victoria, and 11.6% group households, compared with 4.0%. Those two groups are high-frequency takeaway users because single serves, shared pizza, dumplings and noodle orders fit the household size.
Income supports premium takeaway as well as cheap eats. Median weekly household income was $2,245 in Richmond, compared with $1,901 across Greater Melbourne. Car ownership is lower: Richmond averaged 1.2 motor vehicles per dwelling, compared with 1.8 in Greater Melbourne. That makes walk-up collection, bike delivery and tram-adjacent ordering more important than drive-through convenience.
Step-By-Step Takeaway Checklist
Choose the strip first. Use Victoria Street for Vietnamese, Swan Street for game-day meals and later trading, and Bridge Road for weeknight variety.
Check the event calendar. If Richmond, Collingwood or Melbourne are playing nearby, order before 6 pm or after the first bounce. Swan Street queues can stretch quickly.
Pick food that travels well. Pho broth packed separately, banh mi, rice dishes, dumplings, pizza, curry and charcoal chicken are safer than chips, fried seafood or delicate salads.
Compare collection versus delivery. In Richmond, walking 8-12 minutes can be faster than waiting for a rider during Friday and Saturday peaks.
Order directly where possible. Many smaller restaurants on Victoria Street and Bridge Road handle phone or website orders better than marketplace apps.
For groups, split by format. One noodle soup order, one dry rice or bun bowl order, one vegetarian dish and one snack order usually covers mixed preferences without over-ordering.
Local Tips
Victoria Street is the safest bet when you want fast, affordable takeaway with strong vegetarian options. Look for places that separate soups, sauces and herbs rather than sending everything pre-mixed.
Swan Street is practical before or after sport, but it is not always the cheapest strip. Use it when timing and atmosphere matter more than absolute value.
Bridge Road is useful for midweek ordering because it has fewer event-night pressure points than Swan Street and more everyday dinner formats.
If you live north of Bridge Road, walking collection often beats delivery. If you live near Richmond Station, avoid ordering right at commuter peaks unless the restaurant has a clear pickup time.
FAQ
Q: What is Richmond best known for takeaway-wise? A: Vietnamese food around Victoria Street is the standout, especially pho, banh mi, rice-paper rolls, vermicelli bowls and broken rice.
Q: Is Richmond good for late takeaway? A: Yes, especially around Swan Street, but late options tighten outside weekends and major sporting nights. Check trading hours before relying on a late order.
Q: What is the best takeaway choice for a group in Richmond? A: Pizza, Vietnamese rice and noodle dishes, dumplings, Thai curries and charcoal chicken packs are the easiest formats for mixed tastes and reliable travel.
Source: ABS 2021 Census QuickStats - Richmond and Greater Melbourne
What Makes Richmond Strong for Takeaway
Richmond’s takeaway strength comes from density, late movement, and choice. Swan Street, Bridge Road, Victoria Street, Church Street and Burnley Street all support different ordering habits: fast football-night meals near Swan Street, Vietnamese and pan-Asian options around Victoria Street, quick lunches near Church Street offices, and quieter weeknight pickups closer to Burnley.
For practical ordering, Richmond is best when you match the meal to the street. Use Victoria Street for pho, rice paper rolls, banh mi, noodles and casual Asian takeaway. Use Swan Street before or after events at the MCG or AAMI Park, when speed matters more than browsing. Use Bridge Road for mixed household orders because it has more varied casual options within a short walk. For a low-fuss dinner, pickup is often better than delivery because parking, tram corridors and event traffic can stretch driver times.
Data-Backed Takeaway Analysis
Richmond has 28,587 residents in a compact inner-east suburb, which gives takeaway operators a deep local customer base before visitors are counted. Its median age is 34, compared with 37 across Greater Melbourne, so demand skews toward working adults, renters and smaller households who are more likely to use takeaway as a regular convenience.
The housing mix also supports frequent takeaway. Flats and apartments make up 53.0% of occupied Richmond dwellings, compared with 15.6% across Greater Melbourne. One-person households are 38.7% in Richmond versus 24.8% across Greater Melbourne, and group households are 11.6% versus 4.3%. That combination matters: smaller kitchens, shared routines and irregular work hours all favour single-serve meals, quick pickups and app-based ordering.
Transport patterns reinforce the same point. Richmond households average 1.2 motor vehicles per dwelling, compared with 1.8 across Greater Melbourne, and 19.3% of Richmond occupied dwellings have no registered motor vehicle, compared with 8.5% across Greater Melbourne. A good Richmond takeaway order should therefore be easy to collect on foot, by tram, or with a short delivery radius.
Income gives the market spending capacity. Richmond’s median weekly household income was $2,245, above Greater Melbourne’s $1,901. That does not mean every meal needs to be premium; it means Richmond can sustain both cheap regular orders and higher-cost weekend takeaway. The best value usually sits in repeatable meals under roughly $25 per person, with enough quality to justify ordering again.
Step-By-Step Richmond Takeaway Checklist
Pick the corridor first: Victoria Street for Vietnamese and Asian staples, Swan Street for event-night speed, Bridge Road for mixed cuisines, and Church Street for workday convenience.
Check the event calendar before ordering from Swan Street. On AFL, cricket, concert or AAMI Park nights, order earlier than usual or choose pickup away from the station-side crush.
Decide pickup versus delivery by distance. If the restaurant is within 10-15 minutes on foot, pickup usually gives hotter food and fewer timing surprises.
Order dishes that travel well. Noodles, rice bowls, curries, banh mi, dumplings, fried chicken and pizza generally survive Richmond delivery better than plated brunch, chips-heavy meals or delicate seafood.
Use off-peak timing where possible. Ordering before 6:15 pm or after 8:00 pm can reduce wait times, especially Thursday to Saturday.
For group orders, choose places with clear vegetarian, gluten-free or mild options. Richmond households include many singles and share houses, so mixed dietary needs are common.
Local Tips
Victoria Street is the safest first choice when you want reliable value, especially for soup, rice dishes and fresh rolls.
Swan Street takeaway is useful before sport, but after major events it can become crowded quickly. Pre-ordering is worth it.
Bridge Road works well when no one can agree on cuisine. It is better for variety than for one standout speciality.
For apartment living, choose restaurants that package sauces separately. Richmond’s high apartment share means meals often spend extra minutes in lifts, foyers and delivery handovers.
FAQ
Q: What is Richmond best for when ordering takeaway? A: Vietnamese food, noodles, rice bowls, pizza, burgers, dumplings and fast casual meals. The suburb is strongest when you want variety without travelling far.
Q: Is pickup better than delivery in Richmond? A: Often, yes. Richmond is walkable, parking is awkward, and short-distance pickup can be faster than waiting for a driver during peak dinner or event traffic.
Q: Where should I order from on a busy night? A: Use Victoria Street for dependable food-focused takeaway, Bridge Road for choice, and avoid the busiest Swan Street spots unless you order early.
Source: ABS Census 2021 QuickStats — Richmond (Vic.) and Greater Melbourne
