Vietnamese Food Lover’s Guide to Cabramatta

For a roaming feast of authentic Vietnamese cuisine, set course for Cabramatta in Sydney’s southwest. Fanning out from the Vietnamese gates to the main hive of John Street, this vibrant neighbourhood is lined with cheap and cheerful eateries and markets selling tropical fruits and fragrant herbs. Come with a hungry stomach and an empty shopping basket.

Viet Hoa Hot Bread

Kickstart your Cabramatta food tour with a freshly made Banh Mi at Viet Hoa Hot Bread. This no-frills sandwich shop is open 24 hours a day, dishing out crunchy baguettes filled with three types of pork, juicy meatballs, or shredded chicken—a steal at $4.50 a pop.

48 Hill St, Cabramatta

Pho Tau Bay

Next, stroll down Hill Street to the main hub of John Street, stopping off for a bowl of Pho at Pho Tau Bay. Often voted the best pho in Sydney, this family-run eatery serves aromatic bowls of beef and chicken Pho, topped with a mop of herbs, onion and sprouts.

Shop 12, 117 John St, Cabramatta

Dong Ba

If you have a hankering for a spicier bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup, then visit Dong Ba in the same complex. Here, the specialty is Bun Bo Hue—a heady broth from Central Vietnam flavoured with chilli, shrimp paste and lemongrass, loaded with curious cuts of pork and beef.

Shop 5, 117 John St, Cabramatta

Phu Quoc

Stop off for a quick snack of Vietnamese Spring Rolls with peppery pork or roll-your-own Rice Paper Rolls at Phu Quoc.

Shop 11, 117 John St, Cabramatta

Cabramatta Markets

By now, you’re going to need a breather, so take some time browsing the grocers that line John Street, such as Thai Hung Asian Fruit Market, and Eastland Supermarket, brimming with hard-to-find ingredients and produce.

John St, Cabramatta

Tan Viet Noodle House

You’ll want to time your visit to Tan Viet perfectly to avoid the lunch and dinner queues. Those long lines will all make sense once you’ve tasted the signature Ga Da Don—crisp-skin chicken served with your choice of egg noodles, rice noodles or tomato rice, garnished with garlic, chives and coriander.

100 John St, Cabramatta

Tuong Lai

Pop into the Belvedere Arcade for a plate of Com Tam at Tuong Lai. This dish of broken rice topped with a fried egg, pork chop and pickles will fill you up until dinner.

3 Belvedere Arcade, Cabramatta

Bau Truong

If you do have room for one more bite before you jump back on the train, try the Spring Rolls, zesty salads or Banh Xeo pancakes from Bau Truong.

42 John St, Cabramatta