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Box Hill is one of Melbourne's top neighbourhoods for Asian cuisine with Broadsheet even dubbing it as the city's second Chinatown. More than a third of the suburb's residents have Chinese ancestry which has not only resulted in a diverse neighbourhood, but one in which the flavours of the east have flowed through to the restaurants.
“Box Hill has a unique energy that brings people together through food, culture, and community,” says Joanna Yang who works at local favourite noodle house Bowltiful.
“It's one of the few places in Melbourne where you can experience such a rich variety of authentic cuisines within a small area. We love that there is a genuine appreciation for traditional cooking methods and family recipes, helping preserve culinary traditions while creating a welcoming environment for everyone.”
The options in Box Hill for a bite to eat are endless: You can follow a bowl of Sichuan noodles with Vietnamese pho, stop for Taiwanese street food or gather friends around a Korean hot pot. Some of these businesses have served the neighbourhood for decades such as Tien Dat which opened in 1983, while newer restaurants continue to appear as younger demographics move in.
If you’re searching for your next meal around Box Hill Central and Station Street, we’ve got you covered with our top picks that give you a true taste of Box Hill.
Box Hill Central is useful when everyone in the group wants something different. At Kitchen Republik, the emphasis is on Taiwanese street food, with dumplings and small dishes best shared. Grain Asian Cafe is another option for a straightforward lunch; its Hainanese chicken rice has earned particular praise. Rainbow Chicken is located in the centre's south precinct and is a one stop shop for chicken based dishes including skewers, tenderloins, and pancakes.
A short walk away on Station Street you’ll find even more options. For late night dumplings, head to DC Dumpling or Dumpling King nearby which is another long-running local. If dinner calls for a table shared over bubbling broth, Haidilao Hotpot is calling which is located in the Sky One Plaza.
Simon's Peking Duck is outside the central walking circuit, but it doesn’t seem right to talk about Box Hill’s dining scene without mentioning it.
Simon Lay, who sadly passed away in 2018, was the mastermind behind the restaurant and was a true local legend, flipping duck pancakes at the table while chatting with customers and making them feel at ease.
He had worked in hospitality since 1984 and after retiring, he missed the trade enough to open Simon’s Peking Duck.
“He was bored in his retirement,” says venue manager Johannes Satya Graha, “so he decided to open a new restaurant specialising in peking duck in 2011. He chose Box Hill as the suburb to open in because its known for its Asian population so he knew the customer base would be strong.”
While locals love it, the restaurant's appeal extends well beyond the neighbourhood. “Our clientele is from everywhere. We even have regular overseas customers who always come when they are visiting Melbourne,” says manager Johannes Satya Graha.
The menu keeps the focus on one dish served in three stages: Peking duck with pancakes, a stir-fry of the remaining duck meat with bean shoots or noodles, and duck-bone soup. Graha says one set generally feeds two or three people.
The family-run restaurant says it was the suburb's first Vietnamese eatery when it opened in 1983. Its menu spans dishes influenced by northern and southern Vietnam, including its legendary pho and other noodle staples.
For noodles, there’s no other place like Tina's Noodle Kitchen from the team behind Dainty Sichuan where you’ll find steaming spicy bowls of noodles being constantly flung out of the kitchen.
If your priority is the hand-pulled noodles themselves, Bowltiful is another one locals swear by, specialising in Lanzhou-style beef noodles. Diners can watch the chefs pull noodles fresh throughout the day with each bowl made to order.
“We follow the classic Lanzhou principles of balancing flavours, colours, and textures – from the rich broth and tender beef to the fresh herbs and chilli oil. It's a combination of time-honoured techniques, quality ingredients, and attention to detail that creates the distinctive taste our customers return for,” says Joanna Yang.
Box Hill is best known for casual meals, but a special occasion need not mean leaving the neighbourhood.
For a special dinner, make the slightly longer walk from Box Hill Central to Katori on Whitehorse Road. The Japanese restaurant centres its menu on yakiniku, with wagyu and seafood cooked over a charcoal grill at the table. There’s also sashimi, sake and cocktails for Japanese dining experience.
Lucky for Local: Box Hill residents, Box Hill Central and the Station Street restaurants are within walking distance. The building sits above SKY SQR which means food and everyday shopping is at your doorstep such as Panda Hot Pot which is a resident favourite for warming dinner and Yang Yang Asian grocery for all your shopping needs.
With Box Hill Station nearby, the wider suburb is easy to explore too. Start with the food court when time is short, return to Station Street for a weeknight meal, and save Simon's Peiking Duck and Tien Dat for when you want to immerse yourself in a bit of local history.
Explore the apartments at Local: Box Hill and enquire about current availability.
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