Okay, so we’re not exactly breaking ground in saying that if you’re hankering for authentic Vietnamese in Melbourne you should probably head straight to Victoria Street. However, it is worth noting that sometimes, if you head to Richmond without much of a plan and hope to stumble upon a good, affordable and delicious place to eat, you can often be disappointed by a lot of subpar, inauthentic Vietnamese joints that crowd the scene. With that in mind, we recommend setting your coordinates for Van Mai, a member of the old school when it comes to Vietnamese eating, serving up traditional dishes (made with fresh ingredients rather than more dubious outlets) in a no-frills, laid-back setting without the glitz and glamour of louder, more recent neighbours on Victoria Street. If you’re at a loss for what to order we can recommend Van Mai’s excellent fish clay pot and tasty canh chua, but basically you can’t go wrong whatever you and your family or friends pick!