Cham
Run by couple Tony Nguyen and Christa Chan-Nguyen, this cafe balances comfort with finesse. The white-washed space holds furniture and ceramics fabricated in Vietnam; staff glide around with warmth and smiles.
Banh mi chao – “bread with pan” – might be thought of as a big breakfast. House-made pork meatballs, chicken liver pâté and an egg mingle in a skillet bubbling with tangy tomato sauce; a crusty baguette attends to mopping-up duties. Iced jasmine matcha is unimpeachable, and Vietnamese coffee is made with beans from a specialty roaster in Vietnam, Every Half.
At lunch, broken rice is laced with chicken fat and topped with sliced confit duck fanned out like an accordion. Chicken pho simmers for around 13 hours, the broth so rich it’s nearly viscous. A Venn diagram of nerdiness and warmth, precision and enjoyment, Vietnam and Australia, Cham gracefully encapsulates the best of Melbourne cafe culture right now.
Good to know: Chef Tony Nguyen worked at key Melbourne restaurants Aru, Supernormal and Firebird before opening this.
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Last visited: February 2026
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