About the Tour

When most Melbournians think of Vietnamese food, they think of pho and bánh mì. While we love those dishes too, this tour is all about exploring the other side of Vietnamese cuisine.

Join Vietnamese food creator Vy (@vylovesfood) and Mo from @Shroomi.co for a unique culinary journey through Footscray's vibrant Vietnamese community, where you'll discover lesser-known dishes, traditional ingredients, specialty grocery products, and desserts that rarely get the spotlight.

Vietnamese cuisine is incredibly diverse, with a rich history of vegetarian and vegan cooking influenced by Buddhist traditions. This tour has been designed to showcase dishes and ingredients that many Australians have never tried before, giving participants a deeper understanding of Vietnamese food culture beyond the classics.

Our journey begins at Footscray Market, where Vy will introduce participants to some of the fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, and ingredients commonly used in Vietnamese cooking. Learn what they are, how they're used, and what makes them so important to Vietnamese cuisine.

Next, we'll visit a local Vietnamese grocery store, where we'll explore essential pantry staples and specialty products. We'll show you where to find vegan fish sauce, Vietnamese coffee grounds, vegan snacks, mock meats, sauces, condiments, and ingredients used to make traditional Vietnamese desserts at home. Whether you're a passionate home cook or simply curious, you'll gain the confidence to navigate vietnamese products to level up your cooking game.

From there, we'll head to Huong Viet Vegan, one of Melbourne's most beloved vegan Vietnamese restaurants. Here, participants will enjoy a shared feast featuring a minimum of eight different traditional Vietnamese dishes that many people have never heard of and that are rarely available at most Vietnamese eateries.

Throughout the meal, Vy will explain the origins of each dish, how it is traditionally prepared, and its significance within Vietnamese food culture.

After lunch, we'll return to Footscray Market to finish the tour with freshly made Vietnamese desserts, giving participants the chance to experience yet another side of Vietnamese cuisine.

At the conclusion of the tour, participants are welcome to leave, or they can join Mo for an optional visit to Vincent Vegetarian, an iconic destination among Melbourne vegans. Here you'll be able to browse one of the city's largest selections of mock meats and plant-based ingredients to take home and experiment with yourself.

This tour is hosted by Mo, founder of Shroomi Co. and Vietnamese food creator Vy (@vylovesfood). Mo is a volunteer with the Australia Vietnam Friendship Society (AVFS) and has organised this tour to promote cultural understanding through food while showcasing the incredible diversity of Vietnamese cuisine.

Small group experience – limited to 8 guests.

Contact the host of Vegan Vietnamese Food Tour Footscray (with Shroomi and Vylovesfood)