Discover Melbourne’s favorite local foods while you’re a student in the city

Get a taste for student life in Melbourne through the popular dishes locals eat. Melbourne has a diverse range of local foods reflecting the city’s multicultural heritage and flourishing food scene. There’s an abundance of local markets, independent restaurants and cafés across the city. So experience the unique flavors of Melbourne while you’re studying at RMIT University.

Four ‘N Twenty Meat Pies

Known as pocket warmers, the Four ‘N Twenty meat pie is a popular snack or lunch on-the-go in Melbourne. Many Australians have an affection for this traditional Australian meat pie linked to Australian Rules football matches. A pastry shell filled with minced meat, gravy, and sometimes vegetables, it first appeared in the city in the 1940s and today Four ‘N Twenty are the biggest pie producers in the country.

The pies are typically served with a crispy pastry lid and a dollop of tomato sauce on the top. If you go to an AFL game, this is the snack you’ll find in the stadium. Or you can buy them in supermarkets, stalls, and bakeries in the city.

Dim Sims

AKA dimmies, this oversized dumpling has become a Melbourne icon. They’re like dim sum, but with their own distinct flavor and texture. Dim sims have a meat filling encased in a thick, doughy wrapper and deep-fried or steamed.

They appeared in Melbourne in 1942 when chef William Chen Wing Young opened his restaurant, Wing Lee, selling his version of the Cantonese siu mai. When his son came up with a way to mass produce the dim sims, they became a Melburnian favorite.

Today, you can buy dim sims in fish and chip shops, food markets, in Chinatown’s markets, and in supermarkets ready to pop in the microwave. Try them at South Melbourne Dim Sims at Queen Victoria Market, a short walk from the RMIT campus.

Lune Croissanterie

Founded in 2012 by former engineer Kate Reid, this famous bakery in Melbourne has incredible croissants and other French pastries. Expect queues around the block in the early morning as pastry fans wait for the croissant many critics have declared the best in the world. Perfectly engineered, these croissants have just the right amount of flake and buttery flavor, and its popularity has turned Lune Croissanterie into a local foodie favorite. The Collins Street bakery is close to campus, so if you fancy a breakfast croissant before class, be prepared to queue!

Chicken Parma

Also known as chicken parmigiana or parmi, this is a popular Australian dish on the menu in Melbourne’s pubs and restaurants. It’s a breaded fried chicken cutlet typically topped with tomato sauce, cheese, and sometimes ham or bacon. Brought over to Australia by Italian immigrants, the dish appeared in the 1950s and has become a menu staple on many casual eateries and gastropubs, served with salad or chips on the side.

Some Melbourne pubs have “parma nights,” with meal deals of chicken parma and a drink. It’s become a quintessential Australian dish reflecting the country’s love of hearty savory foods. Steps from campus is Captain Melville, which does a delicious chicken parma.