Why UNSW Has Great Vietnamese Food
I'm Vietnamese-Australian, and I did my undergrad at UNSW. Kingsford's Vietnamese food scene kept me fed for four years on a student budget. It's not Cabramatta-level, but it's cheap, fast, and decent quality - exactly what students need.
The Vietnamese restaurants around UNSW cater specifically to students: large portions, low prices, quick service, open late. They understand broke students ordering one dish and filling up on free tea and rice. Many are run by Vietnamese families who've been feeding UNSW students for decades.
This guide comes from someone who ate at these places 3-4 times a week for years.
Best Vietnamese Restaurants Near UNSW
On or Near Anzac Parade
1. Pho An (Anzac Parade, Kingsford)
The verdict: Best phở near UNSW, student staple.
What to order:
- Phở bò: $11-12. Large portion, decent broth, fresh noodles
- Bún bò Huế: $12. Spicy beef noodle soup
- Broken rice dishes: $11-13. Huge portions
Student-friendly features:
- Fast service (15 minutes max)
- Big portions (often have leftovers)
- Free jasmine tea
- Takeaway for studying at library
Personal memory: I ate here every Thursday after my 6 PM lecture. Phở was $10.50 back then (2018). The owners recognized me and would start preparing my usual when they saw me walk in.
Timing tip: Avoid 12-1 PM lunch rush. Go at 11:30 AM or 2 PM for faster service.
2. Thanh Binh Restaurant (Anzac Parade)
The verdict: Solid all-rounder, especially good for rice dishes.
What to order:
- Cơm tấm (broken rice with pork): $12. Massive portion, grilled pork chop, fried egg, pickles
- Phở: $11. Good, not amazing, but reliable
- Bánh xèo (Vietnamese crepe): $13. Great value, feeds two students
Student budget hack: Order one cơm tấm, ask for extra rice (sometimes free), split with a friend. Under $7 each for filling meal.
3. Pho Viet (Anzac Parade)
The verdict: Cheap and cheerful, variable quality.
Pros:
- Cheapest near UNSW ($10-11 for phở)
- Fast service
- Late hours (til 9:30 PM most nights)
- Student-heavy clientele
Cons:
- Quality is hit-and-miss
- Broth can be MSG-heavy
- Noodles sometimes overcooked
Personal take: I ate here when I was really broke (final year, living on Austudy). It's adequate. Not great, but fills you up for $10.
Nearby Maroubra Junction (5 min drive, 15 min bus)
Pho Hung (Maroubra Road)
The verdict: Worth the trip for better quality.
What's better:
- Noticeably better broth quality
- Fresher ingredients
- Slightly bigger portions
- $12-13 but quality justifies price
When to go: When you have a car, or taking the 395 bus anyway. Too far to walk between classes.
Quick Eats: Bánh Mì and Takeaway
Best Bánh Mì Near UNSW
Kingsford Bakery (Anzac Parade)
The verdict: Cheapest bánh mì near campus.
- Price: $6-7 for bánh mì
- Quality: Decent, not amazing, but fresh enough
- Speed: 5 minutes or less
- Perfect for: Quick lunch between lectures
Student tip: Get there before 12 PM for fresher bread. After 1 PM the bread sits and gets less crispy.
Comparison to Cabramatta: Cabramatta bánh mì is better and same price, but Cabramatta is 45 minutes away. For convenience, Kingsford Bakery works.
Vietnamese Grocery with Ready-Made Food
Asian grocery stores on Anzac Parade:
- Pre-made sushi rolls: $3-4
- Vietnamese sandwiches: $5-6
- Spring rolls: $5 for pack of 6
- Instant phở: $2-3 (emergency food)
Student budget reality: Sometimes you can't afford $11 for restaurant phở. Instant phở from Asian grocery + free hot water from library = $2 meal that's vaguely Vietnamese.
What to Order as a Student on a Budget
Maximum Value Orders
1. Cơm Tấm (Broken Rice with Grilled Pork)
- Price: $11-13
- What you get: Huge portion rice, grilled pork, fried egg, pickles, sometimes spring roll
- Filling factor: Very high, often have leftovers
- Best for: After gym, long study sessions, maximum protein
Pro tip: Some places give free extra rice if you ask nicely. Double the carbs.
2. Phở (Beef Noodle Soup)
- Price: $11-12
- What you get: Large bowl, decent meat, noodles, herbs
- Filling factor: Medium-high, liquid fills you up
- Best for: Cold days, when you're sick, comfort food
Student hack: Free herbs and bean sprouts. Load up on vegetables for nutrition.
3. Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Baguette)
- Price: $6-7
- What you get: Sandwich with pork, pickles, herbs
- Filling factor: Medium, good for lunch not dinner
- Best for: Quick meal between classes, studying at library
Pro tip: Cheaper than Subway, healthier than McDonald's, faster than both.
Worst Value (Avoid When Broke)
- Spring rolls ($8-10 for 4): Expensive for what you get, not filling
- Small phở ($9): Same price as large at some places, always get large
- Drinks ($3-4): Free tea exists, why pay for soft drink?
Student Budget Strategies
Stretching Your Dollar
1. The 'One Meal a Day' Strategy
- Order large cơm tấm ($12)
- Eat half for lunch
- Save half for dinner
- $12 for two meals = $6 per meal
Personal experience: I did this constantly in final year. Vietnamese rice dishes keep okay for 4-5 hours in your bag if you're at library.
2. The 'Share Everything' Strategy
- Go with friends
- Order 2-3 dishes for 3-4 people
- Ask for extra rice (usually free)
- Everyone eats for $7-8 each
Works at: Thanh Binh, Pho An (both tolerate sharing)
3. The 'Bánh Mì + Library' Strategy
- Buy bánh mì ($6-7)
- Study at library for 6+ hours
- One meal sustains whole day
- Supplement with free tea/coffee from library
Reality check: Not nutritionally optimal, but sometimes necessary during exam period.
Weekly Budget Scenarios
If you have $50/week for food:
- 3x bánh mì: $21
- 2x phở: $24
- Instant noodles for other meals: $5
- Total: $50
If you have $100/week for food:
- 4x restaurant meals (mix of phở and rice): $48
- 3x bánh mì: $21
- Groceries for breakfast/snacks: $31
- Total: $100
Vietnamese Food for Different Study Situations
Quick Lunch Between Lectures (20 min)
Best option: Bánh mì from Kingsford Bakery
- Order + eat in under 15 minutes
- Can eat while walking back to campus
- Won't make you sleepy for afternoon lectures
Study Break Dinner (Need to Sit Down)
Best option: Phở at Pho An
- Hot meal, sit down, relax 30-45 minutes
- Brain break from studying
- Carbs + protein for energy
Post-Exam Celebration (Slightly More Budget)
Best option: Full meal at Thanh Binh
- Order multiple dishes
- Share with friends
- $15-20 per person for feast
- Celebrate surviving exams
Sick/Stressed Comfort Food
Best option: Phở gà (chicken phở)
- Vietnamese penicillin
- Light but nourishing
- Warm and comforting
- Easier on stressed stomach
Personal memory: During FINS3616 exam period, I got stress-sick. Lived on phở gà for three days. The aunty at Pho An asked if I was okay. Vietnamese restaurants become family when you're an international student or away from home.
Grocery Shopping for Vietnamese Cooking
Asian Supermarkets Near UNSW
Best for Vietnamese ingredients:
- Miracle Supermarket (Kingsford): Large selection, reasonable prices
- Various smaller Asian groceries on Anzac Parade
Budget Vietnamese Cooking in Student Accommodation
If you have access to kitchen:
Easy Vietnamese-ish meals you can make:
- Instant phở + fresh herbs: $3 per serve
- Rice + stir-fry vegetables + fish sauce: $4 per serve
- Vietnamese sausage (chả lụa) bánh mì: $10 for ingredients, makes 4-5 sandwiches
Cost comparison:
- Restaurant phở: $11
- Instant phở upgraded with real herbs: $4
- Savings over semester: $300+
Reality: Most students don't have time/energy to cook during semester. But during mid-sem break, cooking Vietnamese-ish food saves money.
Vietnamese Food Delivery Near UNSW
Which Restaurants Deliver
- Uber Eats: Most Kingsford Vietnamese restaurants
- Menulog: Slightly fewer options
- Delivery fees: $3-5 usually
Budget reality: Delivery adds $5-6 to your meal (fees + tip). Worth it if:
- You're genuinely too sick to leave
- Group order (split delivery fee)
- Library closes and you're desperate
Not worth it if: You're just lazy. Walk 10 minutes to restaurant, save $5, get exercise.
Best Delivery Strategies
- Group orders: 4 people order together, split $4 delivery = $1 each
- Order during promotions: Free delivery over $25
- Pick-up option: Order online, walk to pick up, save delivery fee
Social Aspects: Vietnamese Restaurants as Study Spaces
Which Restaurants Are Okay with Studying
Generally tolerated:
- Off-peak hours (2-5 PM)
- If you order something
- If restaurant isn't busy
- If you're not too loud
Generally not okay:
- Peak meal times
- Ordering minimum and staying 3 hours
- Taking up a 4-person table solo
Cultural note: Vietnamese restaurants near universities understand students. They were students once. Be respectful, order something, don't overstay during rush, and they'll tolerate you studying.
International Vietnamese Students vs. Vietnamese-Australian Students
Different Relationships with Food
International Vietnamese students:
- More critical of authenticity
- Compare everything to Vietnam
- Often cook more (cheaper, more authentic)
- Vietnamese restaurants are 'close enough to home'
Vietnamese-Australian students (like me):
- Kingsford Vietnamese is 'real enough'
- More accepting of Australian-Vietnamese fusion
- Less likely to cook
- Vietnamese restaurants are 'heritage' not 'home'
Both groups: Congregate at Vietnamese restaurants because we hear Vietnamese language, see Vietnamese people, feel less foreign at UNSW's international/multicultural campus.
Practical Tips for UNSW Students
Transportation
- Walk: 10-15 minutes from UNSW main campus to Anzac Parade restaurants
- Bus: Multiple routes along Anzac Parade
- Drive: Parking available but limited during peak times
Payment
- Most places accept card (no minimum usually)
- Cash sometimes gets you slightly cheaper price (though rare now)
- EFTPOS widely available
Peak Times to Avoid
- 12-1:30 PM: Lunch rush, long waits
- 6-7 PM: Dinner rush on weekdays
- Sunday lunch: Families, busiest time
Best Times
- 11 AM: Early lunch, fresh ingredients, no queue
- 2-3 PM: Between rushes, relaxed service
- 8-9 PM: Late dinner, usually quieter
Final Recommendations for UNSW Students
Best Overall
Pho An - Best quality near campus, student-friendly prices, consistent.
Best Value
Thanh Binh - Huge portions, can split dishes, best for groups.
Best Quick Meal
Kingsford Bakery bánh mì - $6-7, fast, convenient.
Best When You're Broke
Pho Viet - Cheapest phở, adequate quality, fills you up.
Best for Quality (Worth the Extra $2)
Pho Hung (Maroubra) - If you have transport, noticeably better.
Vietnamese food near UNSW kept me fed, comforted, and connected to my culture through four years of university. It's not Cabramatta-quality, but it's student-budget-friendly, conveniently located, and good enough.
For broke students, Vietnamese food is the sweet spot: cheaper than cafes, faster than cooking, more nutritious than fast food, more filling than sushi. It's why you'll see UNSW students at these restaurants every day.
The Vietnamese restaurant owners near UNSW have fed generations of students. They understand broke student life. They'll let you sit a bit longer than they should. They'll give you extra herbs. They remember your usual order.
That's worth something beyond the food.
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