Mulgrave Hot Bread & Cafe

If you're hunting for a bakery in Mulgrave, Victoria, the banh mi is worth a visit. The roast pork roll is praised for its generous portions and proper crackling, and one local whose dad makes the trip down from Sydney says it's the one place he asks to be taken. The meatball banh mi comes up as a personal favourite too, and the crispy pork version has its fans.

Mulgrave Hot Bread & Cafe is more than a banh mi counter, though. It's a Vietnamese-style bakery that also turns out pies, sausage rolls, burgers, fresh sandwiches and long rolls, including a chicken schnitzel one with salad that one regular called great value for lunch. Rice paper rolls are on offer as well, and we hear the dipping sauce isn't the usual Vietnamese style but pairs nicely anyway. They've recently added hot meals, and the honey chicken and fried rice have been praised for crisp batter with plenty of actual chicken inside.

Value is a big part of the appeal. People talk about the prices as fair for the size of what you get, and the front-of-house team has a reputation for being friendly and quick, which suits anyone grabbing something in a rush. It's a humble, busy spot where the staff seem to know their regulars by name.

One person found the bread very soft, so a loaded roll can fall apart by the end, and one customer mentioned they would have preferred more pate, chilli and cut-up crackling. Another had a cold pie, which was refunded.

You can dine in, take away or order delivery, and there's coffee and breakfast too. Free parking, a car park and step-free entry make it easy to pop in, and they take cards and mobile payments. Hours run across the week, so check them before you head over.