Reside or work south of the CBD and keen to try one of Melbourne's best bánh mì? You're in luck! Iconic Vietnamese food icon Luke Vu has just opened a brand-new bakery on Clarendon Street in South Melbourne. Expect the same delicious bánh mì that the OG purveyor on Puckle Street in Moonee Ponds is famous for, with a little extra love.
There's a brand new recipe at this Southside spot: housemade chicken, corn and cheese spring rolls (think crisp cylinders of salty, sweet, cheesy heaven).
Mr Vu credits his influence to a childhood spent in his family’s woodfired oven bakery in Vietnam: “My cultural heritage has always been a constant source of inspiration from the very beginning”. As a boy, he'd sell and deliver the freshly baked loaves of goodness to vendors on his bicycle, gaining a deep understanding of the local fervour for one of the world's favourite sandwiches.
Beyond the new Clarendon Street spot, Luke's is also planning to expand with additional locations on Bay Street in Port Melbourne and in the CBD. Watch this space for more details as they unfold.
There's no shortage of secrets to how the immensely popular bánh mì sangas at Luke's are made, with Vu creating all of the dough for his excellent Vietnamese bread, protein marinades, sauces and pickled veg from his very own Ghost Kitchen. Melburnians have long raved about the painstaking edge-to-edge spread of mayo and páte, the fresh quality ingredients and the generous scattering of pickled veg that the Luke's brand is beloved for.
Hungry for a taste? Head to Luke's Bánh Mì at 234 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne, open daily from 7:30am until 5pm.