Melbourne Keto Cafe & Keto Restaurant List

I don’t know about you, but eating out can sometimes prove a bit of a challenge on the Keto diet.

Sure, you can just have the steak and salad with no dressing or take the bun off your burger, but sometimes a Melbourne Keto girl needs variety, ya know?

Enter the Melbourne Keto Cafe & Restaurant List.

Next time someone says “where should we go for breakfast/lunch/dinner/brunch/brinner/linner” (because it’s Melbourne and any excuse to eat will do), you can check out this handy list to find something Keto friendly.

I’ve decided to start compiling a list of Keto friendly meals at different cafes and restaurants around Melbourne, Australia.

This list is partly for people to find their keto cafe and restaurant options in Melbourne, partly for me to keep track of them so when I am feeling a bit ‘same old’ with my regular restaurants and cafes, I can refer back to it.

I’ll be adding to this each time I find a new Melbourne Keto Cafe or Restaurant meal, and upload photos where I can (ie. where I don’t feel like one of those people taking photos of my food in public).

If you have eaten at a Melbourne Keto Cafe or Restaurant  you want included in the list, email the details to [email protected]

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Herbs and Beans

Melbourne CBD – Entrance on Healeys Lane, Shop 6 / 551 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Herbsandbeans.com

I’ve been itching to try this new CBD cafe which offers keto lunch wraps, pastas, keto breakfast options on low carb bread and include carb counts for all of their meals. Opening hours are only Monday – Friday and breakfast and lunch though, so if you’re a CBD worker it’s perfect!

Lil’s Cafe

Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/cafemornington/

725 Esplanade, Mornington

Lil’s Cafe in Mornington has an amazing selection of Keto and non-keto foods available. Cheesecakes, brownies, bagels are all winners, but my favourite was the lasagna – don’t feel like you’re missing out with this generous portion!

FED Cafe (formerly Carbless Cafe)

Albert Park

Facebook Page

Recommended by reader J Webb, this new cafe looks amazing! They are on Uber Eats as well (uh oh) and have really nailed that low carb menu. I’d be interested to know just how low carb their breads and pancakes are, or if they’re more just gluten free. Either way, these Zucchini chip nachos look all sorts of amazing.

Update: I tried the zucchini chip nachos and they were AMAZING. So delicious and incredibly filling, I couldn’t finish it – and that’s saying something for me!

Betty’s Burgers 

CBD & Windsor

BettysBurgers.com.au

Betty’s Burgers is a new burger franchise with delicious, fresh ingredients. They offer the “Bare Betty”, in a lettuce wrap that is perfectly encased in crispy lettuce that lets you eat with your hands! They also have low carb Pure Blonde beers to top off your keto friendly meal.

I had the Bare Betty plus bacon and pickles, and it was YUM.

Stalactites 

CBD

Stalactites.com.au

Greek is always a winner, and Stalactites is a Melbourne institution. Pick up a mixed gyros on salad, no chips, with a saganaki appetizer. Not cheap ($38) but delicious!

Poki Time 

All the rage, essentially ‘sushi bowls’ originating in Hawaii. Most are make your own like Subway, and I choose a base of salad leaves, little bit of red onion, any of the fish pieces, avocado, cucumber and sesame seeds. For dressing I usually stick with the spicy mayo – it doesn’t taste too sweet.

Poki (or Poke) places are popping up all over Melbourne – yay! ** Update the Hawthorn store has closed unfortunately, but Poke shops are all over the place now. 

Ribs and Burgers

Hawthorn Northcote, Craigieburn and South Morang – and heaps of other states in Australia!

ribsandburgers.com

(image from Daily Telegraph, couldn’t help myself including this guy)

A constantly evolving menu, and all burgers can be ordered ‘naked’ – on a huge bed of lettuce leaves. Delicious patties and loads of different cheese and sauce options to boot.

My favourite is the Bacon & Cheese burger, Wagyu Big Cheese and the Wagyu Chimmi & Swiss.

I also really like their cabbage salad but they’ve recently added apple to it, so I am ordering this less frequently now.

Bay City Burritos

Hawthorn and St Kilda

http://www.baycityburrito.com/

Friendliest staff, deliciously fresh meals and authentic “Bay city” Mexican.

All burritos can be served as a salad bowl, and they have never batted an eyelid when I’ve asked for no beans and rice.

My favourite is the Cabo Supreme – meat, fresh guacamole, melted cheese, Pico de Gallo & lime sour cream. YUM. Plus they give a discount if you work local!

Viva Kebabs

Flinders Street, Melbourne CBD

https://www.facebook.com/vivakebabs/

No website for this one because it’s a hole in the wall, 24 hour kebab shop. But boy is it popular. We have recently moved nearby and there is constantly a line (mostly because there is no standing/sitting room inside), no matter what time of day it is.

Their meat is delicious, and unlike the neighbouring competitor, are very happy to accommodate your keto cravings. I order the HSP with NO chips, on a bed of lettuce, cucumber, cheese and a little bit of onion and tomato. Top with garlic sauce and I am a happy camper. If your carbs allow it, go the holy trinity of sauces – garlic sauce, BBQ and sweet chilli, but you will be pushing your keto luck here and it doesn’t need it in my opinion.

Word of warning – if you get the large, and eat it all, you will be full for a day. And might feel a little queezy. And go over your protein macros for the WEEK. Go the small.

** Update ** Viva Kebabs has been doing so well, they have branched out and now have a fully fledged sit down restaurant just 50 meters away, in addition to the original store! Located just next to the Waterside Hotel on Flinders Street. Enter at 3am at your own risk..

Jimmy Grants

Fitzroy, CBD, Ormond, Richmond, Eastland

https://jimmygrants.com.au/

I recently discovered Jimmy Grants, I’m no doubt pretty slow to the party here. I LOVE LOVE LOVE greek food, but always thought that I’d get more authentic food going to a non-chain restaurant.

WELL I was recently blown away by the most delicious greek souva meat I’ve ever eat. I got their Med Diet pack, which comes with your choice of meat (chicken, lamb or mixed.. go the mixed), salad (greek salad for me) and tzatziki. You can also add another salad and drink to the pack for a more substantial meal.

I have now tried the beet salad with tahini and smoked almonds and the Hellenic slaw. Both were to die for and were simple, but perfectl executed. Both would be higher in carbs than the greek salad, but worth every bit in my mind.

Perfect for when your friends want souvlaki and you don’t want to miss out!

Secret Souv

1/3 Yertchuk Avenue, Ashwood

Recommended by reader J. North

100% Gluten Free and Sugar Free Greek Food – their housemade grilled Halloumi is spectacular as is their meat platter for two (it can easily feed four). It’s small but so flavoursome. They are located at 1/3 Yertchuk Avenue, Ashwood VIC 3147 and are open from 12pm to 9pm Wednesday to Sunday Best to book on Friday and Saturday nights and they sometimes sell out of gyros meat before 8pm!

Hyde N Seek 

6 Yertchuk Avenue, Ashwood

Recommended by reader J. North

This awesome little cafe has been taken over in the last few years by a Turkish family, so many of their dishes on the menu are now Turkish inspired. The herb cream scrambled eggs, the Moroccan eggs with sucuk and feta, the smashed Sage pumpkin and poached egg without toast, breakfast burrito without the burrito wrapper and a permanent special of Turkish eggs in burnt butter sauce with dukkah and sucuk are all spectacular.

Mr Ramen San

200 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Recommended by reader J. North

Now, I know what you’re thinking… Ramen. OMG! Not LCHF! and that’s true but Royston and his team will happily make any of their Ramen bowls without the Ramen. So, I have Pork Charsu with Tonkotsu (Pork) broth, extra meat and extra egg, no Ramen, for under $20. They make everything themselves from scratch and it’s all sugar, soy and gluten free without the Ramen noodles. Not an eat every day food, but a good compromise. The broth has loads of fat in it, as does the meat.  They are located at 200 Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD in the Mid City Arcade and are open from 11am to 3pm and from 4pm to 9.30pm daily. If in doubt, ask for Royston or Lynn as some staff don’t speak great English. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.

Nandos Chicken with Crispy Bacon & Avocado Salad

Suggested by reader B. Wong

Various Locations

nandos.com.au

With more and more restaurants getting on the Keto bandwagon, it’s exciting to see a chain restaurant offering some low carb options. Try this tasty Crispy Bacon and avocado salad and pair it with some chicken strips, or grab a whole roast chook and take it home!

Squires Loft Steak House

Suggested by reader B. Wong

CBD, Docklands, Albert Park and South Yarra

squiresloft.com.au

Look at these amazing feta baked mushrooms! Pair with a steak or some seafood for Keto heaven. Steakhouses are usually pretty safe, just be careful to watch those sauces.

The Grazery

Suggested by reader L Hahn

144 Balcombe Road, Mentone

https://www.thegrazery.com/

Some amazing looking salads on this menu. As always, skip the rice and starchy veg, but check out this salmon salad with slivered almonds! Yum yum

Pho 97

Suggested by reader J. Wu

97 Kingsway, Glen Waverley

https://www.zomato.com/melbourne/pho-97-glen-waverley

Suggested by a reader, this restaurant is accommodating and will provide extra meat upon request, and an avocado smoothie without the condensed milk for an awesome keto shake!

Box Hill RSL

Suggested by reader K. Cara

26-28 Nelson Road, Box Hill

http://www.boxhillrsl.com.au/

Having a look at their menu online, this RSL seems to be looking to cater for all different diets! This one sounds particularly delicious:

CHAR GRILLED ASPARAGUS SPEARS (GF) (VGN) baby king brown mushrooms, truffle aioli, lime, coriander & capsicum salad

Miss Chu

Suggested by reader R. Downey

CBD, South Yarra & South Melbourne

misschu.com

Image courtesy of https://www.weekendnotes.com/miss-chu-restaurant-melbourne/

From R. Downey:

I was in the city last week and came across a great Vietnamese place called Miss Chu in Exhibition St that offers all their noodle dishes with Konjac noodles.  They’re a bit heavy with the fried shallots but that’s ok as you can just scrape them off.  I had a beef stirfry noodle dish and it was absolutely delicious.  They also serve Pho with these noodles.  I really can’t tell the difference between these and regular rice noodles.

Raju Omlet Centre

Suggested by reader C. Lilian

424 Burwood Road, Hawthorn

rajuomlet.com.au

From C. Lilian:

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If you have eaten at a Melbourne Keto Cafe or Restaurant  you want included in the list, email the details to [email protected].

Melbourne Keto Cafe & Keto Restaurant List