He came up through Melbourne's nightclub scene before fusing '90s hip hop with Vietnamese food in a neon-clad, street-art-covered laneway diner. Now behind a growing family of venues, he's made Vietnamese dining feel like a night out - tables, tunes and all.
5 venues in Melbourne
Thai Ho, founder of MAMAS Dining Group, has built a reputation on bold, high-energy takes on Vietnamese food. But it all starts in Springvale. This is where the standards are set, shaped by community, tradition and generations of pride. From crispy bánh mì to slow-simmered broths and street-side iced coffee, this is his Springvale circuit.
1/288 Springvale Rd, Springvale VIC
2/15 Balmoral Ave, Springvale VIC
17 Balmoral Ave, Springvale VIC
44 Buckingham Ave, Springvale VIC
46 Buckingham Ave, Springvale VIC
1/288 Springvale Rd, Springvale VIC
2/15 Balmoral Ave, Springvale VIC
17 Balmoral Ave, Springvale VIC
44 Buckingham Ave, Springvale VIC
46 Buckingham Ave, Springvale VIC
See what diners are saving, sharing, and talking across the city.
Chef Ben Shewry, the mind behind Melbourne institution Attica, is drawn to places that are completely “dialled in.” Talking about sandwich shops leads him to Japan, where people dedicate their lives to repeating the same craft over and over until they become exceptional at it. That’s what connects his picks here: roast shops, schnitzel counters and steak sandwich spots focused on doing one thing properly — no funny business, no endless options, just deeply satisfying food made with total conviction.
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Viewing 8 of 9 recommendations in Melbourne
See what diners are saving, sharing, and talking across the city.
Chef Ben Shewry, the mind behind Melbourne institution Attica, is drawn to places that are completely “dialled in.” Talking about sandwich shops leads him to Japan, where people dedicate their lives to repeating the same craft over and over until they become exceptional at it. That’s what connects his picks here: roast shops, schnitzel counters and steak sandwich spots focused on doing one thing properly — no funny business, no endless options, just deeply satisfying food made with total conviction.
Former aerospace engineer turned pastry phenomenon, Kate Reid has helped shape Melbourne’s obsession with precision pastries and great coffee. When the “butter queen” isn’t perfecting croissants at Lune Croissanterie, she’s visiting a tight rotation of cafés across the city. From the produce-driven kitchen at Morning Market to CBD institutions like Patricia Coffee Brewers and Good Measure. These are the Melbourne cafés she swears by.
Melbourne food writer and MasterChef Australia judge Sofia Levin tends to skip the obvious. Her South Melbourne picks lean under-the-radar. The kind of places that don’t shout, but deliver every time. Think unfussy, authentic and quietly excellent, with a mix of neighbourhood staples and spots worth knowing about before everyone else does.
Former aerospace engineer turned pastry phenomenon, Kate Reid has helped shape Melbourne’s obsession with precision pastries and great coffee. When the “butter queen” isn’t perfecting croissants at Lune Croissanterie, she’s visiting a tight rotation of cafés across the city. From the produce-driven kitchen at Morning Market to CBD institutions like Patricia Coffee Brewers and Good Measure. These are the Melbourne cafés she swears by.
Melbourne food writer and MasterChef Australia judge Sofia Levin tends to skip the obvious. Her South Melbourne picks lean under-the-radar. The kind of places that don’t shout, but deliver every time. Think unfussy, authentic and quietly excellent, with a mix of neighbourhood staples and spots worth knowing about before everyone else does.
