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Restaurant

Dong Ba

133 Hopkins St, Footscray VIC 3011, Australia

Recommended by 74 people

Updated

Find Dong Ba

133 Hopkins St, Footscray VIC 3011, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 3 9689 0608
HoursMonday: 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM Friday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Sunday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

Plan your visit

About Dong Ba

Footscray regulars point straight to Dong Ba when a craving for real bún bò Huế hits. Zero pretense—just an old dining room with upper bay windows dishing out massive bowls in minutes. The broth lands with a sharp crack of lemongrass and chili, weighed down by cuts of beef, sliced pork, and fresh herb platters to tear at the table. Tabletop jars of house-made lemongrass oil let you crank up the heat, right alongside self-service thermoses of tea.

  • Signature Bún Bò Huế: Deeply simmered beef broth punchy with lemongrass and chili, loaded with tender meats and fresh herbs.
  • Generous Portions: Massive bowls packed with meat cuts and thick noodles provide a filling meal at an accessible price.
  • House-Made Condiments: Tabletop jars of house-prepared lemongrass oil and chili sate let diners calibrate heat to taste.
RestaurantVietnameseRestaurant

What's On at Dong Ba

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Choose Dong Ba

Discover why Footscray locals and noodle purists swear by Dong Ba’s unapologetic Hue-style soups and generous bowls. Plan your visit today.

  • Lemongrass-Forward Regional Broth

    Dong Ba focuses on Central Vietnamese noodle craft, simmering a deeply aromatic, lemongrass-forward broth loaded with tender beef cuts and traditional ham.

    The bold hit of lemongrass in the broth does it for me, along with the generous serving of sliced beef and ham.

    Sivashankar Sathasivam

  • Traditional Hue-Style Recipe and Toppings

    The kitchen stays true to Hue culinary roots by serving Bun Bo Hue complete with traditional accompaniments like pork blood and fish cake.

    Get the bun bo hue!! comes w all the drippings - pork blood, fish cake, tender beef slices and pork slices.

    Claire Osborn-Li

  • Substantial Portions for Lasting Fuel

    Every bowl arrives laden with generous proteins, offering hearty, filling meals that keep diners satisfied throughout the day.

    A medium sized bowl keeps me full for half the day.

    Zlatko Trajcevski

  • High-Volume Value Across Every Bowl Size

    Even the smallest soup orders come packed with substantial meat portions, accompanied by thoughtful table-side thermos tea.

    Ordered a small size and it was still huge!!! Very delicious bun bo hue, they’re generous with the meat and the beef was so tender!

    Chelsea Nguyen

  • House-Made Lemongrass Oil and Sate

    Dining tables feature house-made lemongrass oil and chili sate, allowing guests to adjust richness and fragrant chili heat to taste.

    The condiments, lemon grass oil is a fantastic addition to the noodle soup.

    Yuri Little

  • Personalized Heat and Condiment Customization

    Diners can tailor their bowls with extra spice or request traditional fermented shrimp paste to achieve their desired regional intensity.

    Delicious and flavourful with extra lemongrass chilli available on the table if you need more spice.

    Lilian L

Signature bowls and sides to look out for when planning your visit.

  • Spring Rolls

    The spring rolls were very delicious and so must better than other places where they are dry and without much stuffing.

    Theresa Chiu

  • Bún Bò Huế

    Known primarily for their signature dish, Bun Bo Hue, this restaurant is a local favorite for its rich, traditional flavors and generous portions.

    Huỳnh Nguyễn Gia Hân

  • Bún Riêu

    Even though it's known for their Bun Bo Hue, I tried their Bun Rieu (A lighter noodle soup with crab) and it's very good and very authentic. You can tell they don't skimp out on the flavours.

    Michael Nguyen

  • Phở

    Pho which has a rich broth

    Michael Merckel

Other favorites

Popular appetizers, specialty beverages, and table tea to round out your visit.

  • Prawn Spring Rolls

    Prawn spring rolls best I've ever had.

    carolyn jebara

  • Durian Smoothie

    Durian smoothie is the go here, feeling like a naughty cheat day?

    Johnny Le

  • Orange Smoothie

    Goes well with a refreshing orange smoothie which cuts through the richness of the soup.

    Zlatko Trajcevski

  • Self-Service Table Tea

    liked the self service thermoses of tea on the table.

    YY S

Before you head over

Practical advice on portions, table-side condiments, and ordering etiquette to make the most of your visit to Hopkins Street.

  • Calibrate Your Bowl Size

    Even a small order is remarkably hearty and loaded with sliced beef and thick noodles; consider sizing down unless you bring a massive appetite.

  • Customize With Table Condiments

    Take advantage of the house-made lemongrass oil and chili sate stationed at every table, or request fermented shrimp paste to fine-tune your broth's heat and funk.

  • Embrace No-Frills Dining

    Expect brisk, functional service alongside self-service table tea thermoses—arrive ready to order directly and focus on the steaming broth rather than formal hospitality.

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