Viet Tongue Restaurant

Tucked past a Footscray apartment entrance, Viet Tongue Restaurant isn't a place you just stumble into. You make the pilgrimage. Building on its reputation for authentic culinary experiences, this family-run operation delivers some of the most vibrant Vietnamese plates in Melbourne. The move here? The cơm tấm—heaped with pork chop, Chinese sausage, and a fried egg—or the phở tái, boasting a broth so fiercely layered that soup purists skip the hoisin entirely. Broth devotees and banh mi chasers will quickly point out the magic in the margins: crackling-stuffed roast pork rolls on perfectly warmed baguettes, and a fragrant, chef-made seafood sa tế (chili oil) that elevates every bowl. With owner Cecilia running the floor—dispensing elite hospitality and unprompted extra sauce for your takeaway rice paper rolls—this deeply inviting joint commands serious loyalty. Bring cash for a cheeky discount.