Correction (4 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 between 2 October 2026 and 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
Cheap is a price on a board, so this page copies the price. Six places are covered: two in Thornbury, three in Northcote and one in Preston. Every price below is copied as printed on the venue’s own menu page.
Some menus print bare numbers with no dollar sign, and we have added the sign. Not every item here is a bargain. Where a place’s mains run higher, the entry says so and points to the cheaper end of the menu.
Hours are quoted only where the venue’s own site lists them. Each entry ends with one move.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe toast and eggs | The Old Milkbar | TOAST | $10.50 |
| Plant-based dinner, the pricier pick here | Ballard’s | Layered potato lasagna w shiitake bolognese & white pepper cream | $34 |
| Cafe toast and toasties | Tinker | TOAST W/ SPREADS | $10 |
| Sri Lankan snacks and curry | Loku Sri Lankan Kitchen | Sri Lankan Roast Paan (VG) | $10 |
| Thai and Vietnamese starters and curries | Chumanchu | Prawn Crackers | $6 |
| Ramen and dumplings | The Dojo Ramen Bar | Edamame | $8 |
The Old Milkbar — 144 Dundas Street, Thornbury VIC 3071
Start with the board. TOAST is $10.50 on the menu. EGGS ON TOAST is $14, listed as eggs your way on toasted sourdough, multigrain or gluten free. FRIES are $11. The site lists Monday – Friday 7:30am to 3:30pm and Saturday – Sunday 8am to 3:30pm. The site also posted an Easter closure notice, so check around holidays.
On the menu (copied from theoldmilkbar.com.au on 3 October 2026):
- TOAST: $10.50
- EGGS ON TOAST: $14
- BREAKFAST SLIDERS: $16
- THE BIG MILKBAR BREAKFAST: $30
The move: order the EGGS ON TOAST at $14 and pick your bread.
Ballard’s — 915 High Street, Thornbury VIC 3071
This is a sit-down dinner room, and the prices say so. Its site says Yes, it’s all plant based. Mac & cheese croquettes w jalapeño Parmesan crema & sweet gherkin are $14. Shoestring fries w tomato sauce are $14. Mains sit higher, with Lions mane bourguignon w Dutch carrots, polenta, fennel crisp at $36. The menu is labelled a sample, so items and prices change. Its site says Menu available from 6 pm Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays.
On the menu (copied from carrot-jellyfish-7mgz.squarespace.com on 2 October 2026):
- Layered potato lasagna w shiitake bolognese & white pepper cream: $34
- Mac & cheese croquettes w jalapeño Parmesan crema & sweet gherkin: $14
- Burnt eggplant dip w fresh focaccia, surprise pickles & smoked tomato oil: $17
- Lions mane bourguignon w Dutch carrots, polenta, fennel crisp: $36
The move: share the Burnt eggplant dip w fresh focaccia, surprise pickles & smoked tomato oil at $17 and skip the mains.
Tinker — 235 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
A cafe board with a clear low end. TOAST W/ SPREADS is $10 under the heading BETTER ON BREAD, make your own. Ham, Cheese, Tomato Toastie is $12. HOT CAKES are $20. The site lists Hours Monday - Friday 7:00am - 4:00pm Saturday - Sunday 8:00am - 4:00pm. The prices come from the menu PDF linked on its home page.
On the menu (copied from tinkernorthcote.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- TOAST W/ SPREADS: $10
- Almond Croissant: $8.50
- Ham, Cheese, Tomato Toastie: $12
- HOT CAKES: $20
What it is: a make-your-own toast line, so you choose the spreads.
Loku Sri Lankan Kitchen — 298 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Small plates are the cheap way in. SRI LANKAN ROAST PAAN (VG) is $10. LENTIL CURRY (V/VG/GF) is $17. CHICKEN CURRY (GF) is $24, and the menu says each curry is portioned for two. BETEL LEAF TACOS (2 PCS) are $14. The prices are from the dinner menu only, and its site lists Tuesday-Saturday Dinner – 5:30pm-10:30pm.
On the menu (copied from loku.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Sri Lankan Roast Paan (VG): $10
- Lentil Curry (V/VG/GF): $17
- Chicken Curry (GF): $24
- Betel Leaf Tacos (2 pcs): $14
The move: go for the LENTIL CURRY (V/VG/GF) at $17 and split it, since the menu says it is portioned for two.
Chumanchu — 2/4 Gilbert Road, Preston VIC 3072
Chumanchu is in Preston, and its menu runs from starters to curries. PRAWN CRACKERS are $6. EDAMAME BEANS are $8. THAI FISH CAKES (5P) w/ sweet chilli are $13. MASSAMAN BEEF CURRY served w/ coconut rice is $28. Its site says DINE IN & TAKE AWAY and FULLY LICENSED & BYO WINE ONLY. Its listed hours read CLOSED ON MONDAY, 4:30PM - 10PM Tuesday to Thursday and 11:30AM - 10:30PM Friday to Sunday.
On the menu (copied from chumanchu.com on 2 October 2026):
- Prawn Crackers: $6
- Edamame Beans: $8
- Thai Fish Cakes (5P) w/ sweet chilli: $13
- Massaman Beef Curry: $28
The move: build a table of starters, like the THAI FISH CAKES (5P) w/ sweet chilli at $13, and keep the curry for when you are hungrier.
The Dojo Ramen Bar — 333 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Ramen is a noodle soup, and the Dojo prints a short ladder of them. EDAMAME is $8. Gyoza (Pork or Veg) is $13, listed as five pan-fried dumplings with vinegar, sesame and soy sauce. jfc (japanese fried chicken) is $15. shoyu (soy sauce) ramen is $22. Its homepage schedule data lists Sa 12:00-21:00 and Su 12:00-21:00.
On the menu (copied from dojoramen.com.au on 2 October 2026):
- Edamame: $8
- Gyoza (Pork or Veg): $13
- jfc (japanese fried chicken): $15
- shoyu (soy sauce) ramen: $22
The move: take the Shio (salt) ramen at $21, tied with veggie shoyu (V) at $21 as the lowest-priced ramen we copied.
Quick answers
What are the lowest printed prices on these Thornbury menus?
Among the items copied for this page, Chumanchu prints PRAWN CRACKERS at $6. The Dojo Ramen Bar prints EDAMAME at $8. The Old Milkbar prints TOAST at $10.50, and Tinker prints TOAST W/ SPREADS at $10. These are starters and breakfast items rather than full dinners.
Where can you get a cheap breakfast in Thornbury?
The Old Milkbar in Thornbury lists TOAST at $10.50 and EGGS ON TOAST at $14. Tinker in Northcote lists TOAST W/ SPREADS at $10 and Ham, Cheese, Tomato Toastie at $12. Both sites list opening hours, and their menus are linked under Sources.
Which of these places serve dinner?
Ballard’s says its menu is available from 6 pm Monday to Saturday and closed Sundays. Loku Sri Lankan Kitchen lists Tuesday-Saturday Dinner – 5:30pm-10:30pm. Chumanchu lists 4:30PM - 10PM Tuesday to Thursday. The Dojo Ramen Bar lists evening and weekend sessions in its homepage schedule data.
Is there a cheap vegan or plant-based meal nearby?
Ballard’s says Yes, it’s all plant based, and its Mac & cheese croquettes w jalapeño Parmesan crema & sweet gherkin are $14. Loku Sri Lankan Kitchen prints LENTIL CURRY (V/VG/GF) at $17. The Dojo Ramen Bar prints veggie shoyu (V) at $21.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources between 2 October 2026 and 4 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, between 2 October 2026 and 4 October 2026, the date given beside each menu. 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
- The Old Milkbar: openstreetmap.org/1731762753, theoldmilkbar.com.au/contact, theoldmilkbar.com.au
- Ballard’s: openstreetmap.org/597556271, carrot-jellyfish-7mgz.squarespace.com, carrot-jellyfish-7mgz.squarespace.com/our-menu
- Tinker: openstreetmap.org/12245773033, tinkernorthcote.com.au, tinkernorthcote.com.au/TINKER-MENU-2207.pdf
- Loku Sri Lankan Kitchen: openstreetmap.org/5123921793, loku.com.au, agfg.com.au/loku-135186, loku.com.au/Loku-Two-Sided-Dinner-Menu-July-2025.pdf
- Chumanchu: openstreetmap.org/5257515299, chumanchu.com, chumanchu.com/copy-2-of-our-menu
- The Dojo Ramen Bar: openstreetmap.org/6744765535, dojoramen.com.au, dojoramen.com.au/menu
