The best parmas in Melbourne

For a thick and juicy cut of chicken breast coated in a golden crumb, look no further than the Birmy in Fitzroy. The saucy bird's coated in fresh napoli sauce, topped with thick slices of smokey ham and finished off with a generous lathering of melted cheese. It's so succulent that its juices permeate the bottom crumb causing it to go soggy, but you won't have that issue because it will be gone in 60 seconds. It's that good.

Tucked away on Fitzroy Street, The Standard lies off the beaten track of Brunswick Street – a location that may risk its oversight on those chilly nights when a hot pub meal is sought after fast. But not for the regulars who've tasted The Standard's epic parma before. They'll make a beeline straight for this well-kept secret to wolf down what could easily be recognised as one of Melbourne's tastiest chicken schnitties. Expect a thick free range house-crumbed chicken breast, prosicutto, napoli, tasty cheese and even a bit of feta. The latter adds a tang not usually found in other parmas, but it's nonetheless welcome. Generous side portions of salad and chips are perfect for mopping up the rich cheese and tomato juices. 

Don't be fooled by the pretty plating of Grace Darling Hotel's chicken parma. While it makes other chicken parmas look like pub slop in comparison and so you may be tempted to discount this one as hipster sacrilege, give it a taste first. Torched mozzarella cocoons this tender package of chargrilled free range chicken, house-made sugo and double-smoked ham. Best enjoyed with a frosty pint of craft beer, it comes with rustic chips and a salad. One bite is all it takes to see why this chicken parma is one of the greats. On Tuesday nights, it won't set you back more than a twenty-dollar note, and you can opt for a vegan eggplant version if your prefer. 

While this parma might not have been around quite as long as some of its competitors, it's still at its flying best. You'll taste loads of fresh basil, a perfect crust cooked to an even golden brown, and thick, full-flavoured ham. Notably, the cheesy blend coating this parma includes scamorza, an (often smoky) Southern Italian cow's milk cheese. Dip shoestring fries into the saucy blend to reach ultimate parma bliss. Perhaps best of all, on Tuesdays they've got a 'Parma and Pups' night so you can bring your furry friends! 

This pub's been pouring pints since 1875, so it makes sense that over its 150-year tenure it's learnt a thing or two. One of those: how to serve up a bloody good parma. Orrong’s version is a no-nonsense parma, the type that goes down very well with a circle of mates and a round of ice-cold pints. Topped with smoked leg Virginia ham, braised tomato sugo, and several cheeses, the parma is 300 grams of juicy, crisp heaven. Once you’re done, smoosh your chips around on the plate to mop up all the yum.

From stand-up comedy nights to live sports and even a rooftop bar, plenty of reasons abound why The Imperial Hotel is a popular CBD meeting spot. But the famous chicken parma has got to be near the top of that list. If you’re a person for whom size matters, the whopping bird here is a drawcard alone. But other factors also crown this parma supreme. There’s the thick, succulent hunk of crisp schnitzel, for one. There’s also a very generous slathering of melted cheese, which marries nicely with the lick of slightly sweet passata. All in all, it’s difficult to fault this parma and you’ll certainly feel satisfied after eating it. Finish the meal off with fries, a zesty slaw salad and a pint of your fave beer.

Head over to North Melbourne to take advantage of this meaty fix. The Leveson's renowned chicken parma isn't trying to fluff itself up, but that's part of its charm. It comes with all the fixings you know and love, including crumbed chicken breast, shaved ham, napoli sauce and cheese, plus a leafy salad and some crisp beer battered chips. What else could you want in a pub meal? Thursday is 'Parma and Pint' night, where you can get a parma and a pint of craft beer for a cool $25.

Our team have checked in on this parma quite frequently over the years. For business? Perhaps. But also for pleasure. Hand-crumbed and coated in layers of napoli sauce, mozzarella and smoked ham, this parma may be your standard pub fare but it gets the job done. In fact, many believe this is one of the few perfect parmas in Melbourne. Every Wednesday is 'Trivia & Parma' night, so you may as well bring along a friend to be your fellow judge.