Review East Meets West - Fitzroy

Absolutely delicious! Had the vegan pho and it was a delight!!! The service was great! The venue had a nice atmosphere and the man who served us made the food aswell- and did it all with a smile and a Positive attitude. Highly recommend! Will definitely be back!

Everything we got was delicious (especially recommend the salt and pepper squid!) and the owner was very friendly and checked in to make sure everything was okay, even though he was quite busy. The food was also served quickly, impressive considering they didn’t have much staff. We will definitely be going back!

This place is excellent, serving simple, wholesome and tasty meals at a great-value price. This is our fave Vietnamese place in Fitzroy that does both vegan and non-vegan food well. The service is so friendly here, and the standout dish for us is easily the salt and pepper tofu—not just because it’s delicious (which it most certainly is!), but also because the chef waits till we arrive to cook the tofu so it’s still crispy when we get it home. 😙👌 Hot tip: eat the salt and pepper tofu with a serve of coconut rice. Taste explosion, perfect salty/sweet/sour combo. The vegan menu has plenty of options, so my wife always has heaps to choose from, and there’s plenty of stuff that we both love to share. I highly recommend you support this fantastic little local: in a year’s time, I reckon it will be one of those places that everyone raves about for its delicious and unpretentious offerings, so get in now while it’s still a local secret. No photos: too busy eating it all as soon as we got home! 😅

Terrific little place. Quality food, very friendly front of house staff, terrific place for a quick meal

The worst food I've had in Melbourne. You just can taste how the ppl there are not happy. How can you mess up such simple food is beyond me

Wonderful food, a skilled fusion of South East Asian cuisines, super affordable and miraculously produced by just this one friendly, hard working guy in a really cute restaurant down the end of Brunswick Street‘s hip-strip. Highly recommended. Give this little business some much deserved love.

Pho was absolutely delicious. And so were the dumplings. They look like the fried money bags dumplings but steamed instead. Will definitely be back to try other things on the menu.

A lovely little restaurant, with cute decor and reasonable prices. The food was delicious and the staff were very friendly. 10/10 would go again, I would recommend to anyone.

Melbourne friends : ) If you're in Fitzroy and looking for a great place to eat even better food, check this restaurant out! The service is amazing - really welcoming and friendly and prompt. The food will make your moth water and you'll definitly be coming back for more. I try and get down here at least once every week or two. The vibe of this room adds to the service and taffy food! Worth your time and money : )

Incredible food, wonderful staff. Would happily eat here over and over again

Beautiful food, lovely atmosphere and wonderful staff and hosts.

Great Vegan options and very lovely staff. I highly recommend this venue.

Went here for tea last night (23rd April 2016) and the people here were absolutely lovely! Welcomed us in with a smile and offered us a new beer they had in from Saigon. It was delicious. The meals we had were amazing and I highly recommend it for anyone out there to try. We walked a fair way down the road past lots of different restaurants and we found this right at the end. Definitely worth the walk! I will be going back next time I am visiting this area ☺

Beautiful food. I always love coconut rice and that was perfect. And the drunken chicken ribs WOW!!! I'll be back!

We dropped in for a late night meal and the food and service was sensational. Loved it.

Food was fantastic...loved the fried wontons! Char kway teow was also one of the nicest I've had. Service was excellent.

Food is always great, staff are incredibly friendly and price is spot on! love it

Whenever a restaurant tried to do cuisine from more than one country you wonder how that will go; its a good honest Asian restaurant and does save a trip to Richmond for a casual outing (but it is a little more expensive).<br/><br/>Their Vietnamese options definitely seem more authentic than the other options, and lots of vegan choices. I thought the Bun was excellent, the chicken that was served was most impressive as was the serving size. The satay was quite spicy, and I’m pretty sure the prawn dumplings weren’t made in house. <br/><br/>I’d be happy to come back for sure.

Some of the best salt and pepper squid I've ever tasted, perfect texture and flavors. Try the fried rice and ask for some of their spicy incredible chili oil.

90 ish percent vegan restaurant! One of the best restaurants for pre dinner entrees, so many vegan/vegetarian options and not only that, they are not all rolls, there are a variety of entrees and mains such as bao!

Ordered 5 meals with a few friends and every dish was like my mum’s (we are Viet too) will definitely come back again. Really authentic. You all must try

Why have I never noticed this "hidden gem" that lives very noticeably on Brunswick Street? It sure has some tasty vegan laksa (the mock chicken, not so tasty and not so vegan) and fun decor.

Easy 4 here. Great ambience, friendly service, delicious food. Ideal for a social meal and a variety of options including dishes from outside of Vietnam. Would make this a regular spot of I was in Melbourne more 😉

Tempura mushroom oyster bao! A most delicious morsel that will keep me coming back again and again.<br/>The pho is also good, but for all that is good and (p)holy... please serve pho with a laksa spoon, how else can I enjoy the delicious broth!!

By far mine and my partners favorite regular restaurant in the area. <br/>The food is spot on everytime. Great service and staff. Head on down and you won’t be disappointed. Great feed for the price. It’s bang on

Fantastic experience!<br/>Tasty food, good service, friendly owner, and inexpensive. What a gem!<br/><br/>What I had :<br/><br/>1. Rice Paper Roll 10/10<br/>Gosh! So good probably one of the best place that serve rice paper roll in Melbourne.<br/><br/>2. House Special Spring Roll 9/10<br/>So crispy and perfect for sharing, make sure eat that with the lettuce and the sauce they gave you.<br/><br/>3. Drunken Chicken 9/10<br/>Though the name is not really interesting but this is seriously good!! The chicken is crispy ans so yumm, eat them with Sriracha. Will definitely go back for this!<br/><br/>4. Vermicelli Beef with Lemongrass 10/10<br/>I am falling in love with Vietnamese vermicelli!! Especially these, so light yet so fulfilling and the taste is just right and balance.<br/><br/>The service here is very attentive and friendly. The ambience is very homey and cozy. I will definitely go back again to try more of their menu. They do have an extensive vegan menu as well.<br/>

I used to come to East Meets West a few years ago, mainly for their superb coconut rice, cooked to perfection, a little creamy, slightly sweet and very coconutty. A coconut rice enthusiasts’ dream, so I came back the other day, ordered a large coconut rice and was not let down. Also thrilled to see their extensive vegan menu, I ordered the vegetables and tofu in creamy sauce which was to die for. Also ordered a vegetable Pad Thai, which I wasn’t thrilled by - but the rice and vegetables outweighed that and I will definitely be coming back soon for more!

Great food and amazing service! Love coming here, it's now become our weekly spot for a cheap feed. Prawn dumplings, salt and pepper squid and bo la lot are our go to!

Such a nice menu with really helpful, attentive and friendly staff. Plus a wide range of food to choose from. The eggplant dish is a favourite.

Service<br/>Brilliant service. Attentive staff with great knowledge of their menu. <br/>Perfect table manners and answered all questions. <br/>Food<br/>Rice paper rolls. <br/>Neatly packed with fresh ingredients and as a special that the owner was trying an new sauce that accompanied the rolls. Very tasty. <br/>Added another element to the rolls. <br/>Baby octopus. <br/>Not the greatest. Protein was a little tuff but the salad it came with was on point. <br/>Beef pho <br/>Hands down the best pho I've had. So many flavors in the broth and fresh noodles too. <br/>So much love went into the dish and it defiantly showed. <br/>Sizzling Satay beef<br/>Great visual experience with the sauce sizzling as it was being brought out. <br/>Seasonal veggies cooked perfectly so they were crisp and a little crunchy. <br/>Rice was a little sticky but well cooked. <br/>At $60 for 2 entrees 2 mains and 2 drinks I think it's great value. <br/>The place wasn't as busy as I'd expect it to be but after finishing our meal and after a short drive down the strip of restaurants, none of the others were bustling. So it may have been a slow night for all kitchens open. <br/>The owner brought out or mains which I love seeing. <br/>4.5 out 5 <br/>Would defiantly recommend and go again. :)

I have been a regular here since this place opened and i think its the best Vietnamese / Asian food on Brunswick street for sure. There is a lot of care that goes into the cooking and the food is always fresh and yummmm. Really great vegetarian and vegan options, i love their vegetarian curry. They are so lovely too and the service is great. I highly recommend!

Really like this place. Eaten at a number of Asian restaurants on Brunswick St but this is our favourite. Value for money it's very good. Service lovely, food good. It's become our local. Love the decor and music.

WOW! This place is great! The menu is extensive, the food is awesome quality, and the staff there are always so cheerful and nice.<br/>I see this place empty sometimes and I don't know why - it's such a gem!

East meets West has lovely decor, a menu with a great selection and delicious food and great, friendly service for a very reasonable price. I will be back!

Honestly not a bad thing to say about this place. Yes, the decor is interesting (but there is at least a theme, green) and the music being played was the soundtrack to the ultimate 90s throwback, but (and this is a big but) the prices are dirt cheap, the food very tasty the guys running the place, super friendly. <br/><br/>The menu is highly extensive with a good range of options for meat eaters and vegetarians alike. I would most definitely come back again whether I'm in the area and certainly as a go to place for good Asian take away.

Seriously great food. I love the work they've done on the atmosphere inside from when it opened. I don't understand why this place is so often quiet. Amazing food, great service. Hidden gem waiting to take off. Oh and they deliver.

I came here tonight for dinner! It was well lit up from the outside and the menu on the window looked quite good.. I walked in and to my surprise, not one person was here for dinner!? I thought to myself "should I risk it.. or continue? Why not give it a go.." and I'm really glad I did!! The food was deliciously fresh and full of flavour. The Wonton Soup broth was the best that I have tasted in a long time and the seafood Char Kway Teow was generous and packed with flavour, fresh veggies and lots of seafood! The atmosphere is perfect and all staff welcome you with a warm smile. Not sure why this place is not booming.. I'll be back for sure 10/10.

I love his place. The food is fresh and tasty, and the owners are really friendly and passionate about what they do. You can see they put a lot of pride into their dishes. I had the sizzling lemongrass beef and the salt and pepper squid and they were both delicious!

Well worth a visit. Lovely, tender salt and pepper squid. We went early on a Sat night and service was unfussy and friendly. Will be going back.

Was looking for a new lunch option as I work in the area, was attracted by the other reviews due to the food's Vietnamese authenticity, freshness & relaxed vibe.  I was not disappointed, had the Egg Noodle with Wonton Soup & I think the best broth I've had, well balanced & perfectly cooked.  Fine beer selection, both Vietnamese, standard & craft options.  Will be going back & trying their Laksa as per the owner's recommendation!

This is a great local restaurant. Wonderfully tasty food and friendly staff. I've enjoyed every dish I've tried here (and there have been a few!). Highly recommended. <br/>

Food is fantastic and more original than in other vietnames restaurants. Cannot understand why it is not choker block. Cheap, fresh and delicious and staff are soooo friendly. This place is definitively on my top 10 places to eat in Melbourne .

I love this place.Great, fresh food. Awesome flavours.Ridiculous prices compared to food in the area.Looks a little quaint, but seriously, take the plunge - you will recommend this place to your friends.Seriously!

I really like this place can't understand why it's not busier. The food is fresh and cooked well, there is a great variety and it's not expensive.<br/>The staff are always polite. Check it out

The service was great, Thai green curry was a little to sweet would come back but would order something else. It was such a relaxing environment I almost fell asleep in there! It's what I needed after a long day at work!!

Lunch at East Meets West was a hidden gem! Really lovely and attentive wait staff and delicious food! Menu has a great range of Thai/Chinese/Vietnamese dishes each of which holds true to it's traditional flavours. Food is not too heavy but subtle flavours with good portion sizes and balanced dishes. We had pork dumpling, salt and pepper white bait and fried noodles for two people. Lunch at East Meets West was overall perfect!

I highly recommend this little place in Brunswick Street.   The menu has an extensive range to suit everyone.   Vegans and Vegetarians are well catered for as well.   The food is delicious, the restaurant is cosy and quiet and the people who run the place are absolutely lovely.   Go there and take your friends you will not be disappointed.

First of all there is a very wide variety on their menu. If your vegan, vegetarian or a meat eater, you will all find many menu items to choose from.<br/><br/>I enjoyed the vegan friendly 'vegetarian vermicelli with vegie spring rolls', also comes with vegan friendly 'fish-style sauce' which was aromatic and more tasty. Another good dish is the vegie rice paper roll which is really filled well with vegetables - not just rice noodles, again good recipes used.<br/><br/>The background music was sort of like blues and totally relaxing, and the lighting is shared amongst dozens of hanging lanterns- very comfortable ambience. <br/><br/>Last of all, the owner is awesome, great to chat too - and is happy to discuss the difference in his recipes. Very cool that he caters to the wide range of different diets and eating habits. Would recommend this venue and its even open past 10pm on the weekdays! late night munchies!

The owner of this restaurant Colin is one of the warmest and nicest people I've ever met! The food is delicious and they have great vegan/vegetarian options. My fav is the vermicelli with spring rolls - so nom. Definitely one of the better Vietnamese food places on Brunswick Street.

Totally enjoyed East Meets West. Great lemongrass beef, very good chicken coconut curry, really tasty char kway teow. Super friendly staff, great service, and very helpful. Definitely will go back.

Fresh, clean flavours, excellent friendly service, give them a go - they deserve it more than those restaurants that rely on their name or location but don't try hard enough in Brunswick street

It's hard to describe but the atmosphere is just relaxing. It's not crazy/hectic busy and recently found out that the restaurant is run by a family....which makes sense. The food is good serves Vietnamese and Chinese food for a good price.

Yummy food, great pricing, very lovely staff. Always met with a smile.Cheaper than some of the other places in Brunswick st (I live  here), woulldn't have thought there was room for another south east asia restaurant, but there is so it turns out. Extensive menu (good if you're a vegetarian too) and yummy-nom-nom!

This is a very nice family run business who do Asian food really well. They are exceptionally friendly and helpful. The variety and serving sizes are good. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a decent Chinese style meal that serves plenty of the old favorites.

Great food great vibe great place 9 square rating awesome cool I'd go again everyone should go we got the skewers and the satay veggies it was real good <br/>

This is one of my favourite restaurants. Great value and very cheap .<br/>I have tried every dish specially the duck which was my favourite.<br/>Keep up the good work boys.<br/>Regards<br/>Jeff....

Awesome food... I love an asian restaurant that knows how to use it sauces, this ome does.., recommend the duck, veg with tofu, prawn dumpling and pork rib. But when so many of the dishes were on the money its tough to pick out the best.

Yummmmm delicious vegetarian and meat dishes, reasonably priced for such large portions and lovely people :) the salt and pepper tofu is absolutely awesome i could eat it all day of given the chance! And the home made dipping sauces are perfection.<br/>

Lovely owner, delicious food. Chicken curry with coconut rice is a highlight. It was a bit cold but we were early and the restaurant warmed up while we were there.

Got a bargain with great meal, nice and friendly owner. Food overthere is one of the best in my opinion. Only 28$ for a big whole barramubdy fish. Will visit more often<br/>A++++

The owner was warm and friendly and the food was yummy. Huge menu too. Highly recommend

Nice people and very good food. East meets West has just opened on Brunswick St, Fitzroy. I talked to Tommy and Collin about how the place was doing. <br/><br/>I tried their salted fish fried rice, Viet chicken salad and a marinated lemongrass chicken, all for take-away.<br/>It was all very tasty and perfectly cooked. I have tried a lot of Viet cafes around Richmond and Fitzroy, and the food here was of a high standard. <br/><br/>They don't have a liquor licence yet but it's coming soon they tell me.<br/>They do make Viet dripper coffee, so that's a good thing.<br/><br/>Go there and give it a shot. It's not as funky as Rice Queen, but I hope they jazz the place up a bit.<br/>**Update 6 June 2015.<br/>I've just dropped in for a lazy lunch and a chat to the Collin the owner. It wasn't on the menu but Collin cooked me up a lovely Salt and Pepper Fish Fillets. I also has a very tasty Phở tái, their beef noodle soup.<br/><br/>I finished all this with a  Vietnamese drip style coffee. Yes they have Trung Nguyen coffee for those who want a taste of Vietnam.<br/><br/>Simon.

Great staff! Great food!. My husband and I had heard from a nearby shopkeeper that this restaurant had just opened up and had good food. We popped in to see for ourselves. The waiter and chef that came out were very warm and friendly. They mentioned that they still had a bit of work to do to finish the restaurant, but we found it spacious, clean and inviting. We were pleasantly surprised at the variety in their menu. It's predominantly Vietnamese with a bit of a twist (obviously, as the restaurant is called East Meets West!). We ordered scallop dumplings and Nha Trang dessert, and you know what? Probably the best dumplings we've ever had. And we live in Box Hill. Well made, full of flavour, filling and very reasonably priced. The dessert was also quite tasty - I think it was tapioca with coconut milk and stewed bananas. While we were waiting for our food, they offered us beautiful Jasmine tea. I've only known Jasmine tea to taste one way, but there's something quite different and aromatic about the tea they serve here. Although only a quick visit for take away, we were impressed. We'll definitely be back soon for a proper sit-in!