Footscray is a suburb that everyone has an opinion on, and it isn't typically positive opinion.I personally believe it is a suburb that is misunderstood. It's cultural diversity and aesthetic uniqueness serve my point. There's a certain beauty to Footscray but it's not one that can truly be understood till it is explored in depth.
Dining in Footscray is testament to the above notion. Upon first look the dining looks predominantly Asian. It is a Vietnamese dominated region on the surface, but upon further exploration, African, Italian and Indian dining also litter the suburb. Weekdays or weekends the story is always the same, affordable good quality food and beautiful variety both in display and catering offer a unique experience every time you dine.
There is one specific strip of restaurants that I will point out to potential diners firstly, then I will let you know Footscray's best kept dining secret and one of my absolute favourite places to dine.
Hopkins Street is the dining strip you want to go to in Footscray. Firstly it is very close to Footscray station which makes it incredibly accessible. The next point is that every time you dine in Hopkins street, something is new, whether it be that a restaurant has been renovated or even completely replaced.
Every restaurant will entice you with a different set menu, and a different atmosphere and uniqueness. However each restaurant has such a warm welcoming vibe due to the low murmuring chatter and the mix of cultures that dine there.
My personal favourite on Hopkins Street is Hao Thong. It's a BYO restaurant with reasonable corkage fees, a delicious, extensive and affordable menu and a bustling atmosphere with culturally authentic mise en scene. Most mains are around the ten dollar mark which is amazing match this with the cheap corkage fees and you truly are in for a night out.
However this still isn't my pick in the Footscray region. My personal choice is a restaurant called
Harambe. It is situated at
205 Nicholson Street, which is also very close to Footscray station. It is one of the most unique dining experiences you will have. It is an Ethiopian restaurant that offers delicious authentic cuisine. You walk into a cafe downstairs but to your right are a set of stairs that take you up to what is basically a decorated bamboo hut. Everything is bamboo, the walls, the toilets, the ceiling. It's a dimly lit dining space with very chilled out Ethopian beats playing at a low volume.
Now, I have only ever ordered one main at Harambe as I honestly believe there is no other logical choice. It is the twenty dollar all you can eat buffet. Fill your plate with one of the spongy pancakes, then add whatever other of the multicoloured, richly flavoured mains you desire. From mash to mince and salad to salsa the choice is yours and it is definitely worthwhile trying each and every dish. Again, Harambe is a BYO restaurant so some of the hotter dishes will definitely have to be washed down with some wine.
Harambe is definitely my favourite place to eat in Footscray, but I only found it through thorough exploration. You too will have your personal preferences, but you wont truly value Footscray's dining precinct until you thoroughly investigate every corner of the suburb. Along the way embrace the many people and cultures which call Footscray home, and you will truly see the real Footscray.
