N.Lee Bakery & Cafe — Restaurant in Melbourne

I visited this family-run business and found the team to be very friendly. However, since many corporate CBD workers come here, the lines and wait times can get quite long. I ended up waiting about 10 minutes for a banh mi and a pie, which isn't too bad.

Living in the area and noticing the high ratings, I decided to give it a try. I understand why it has a 5-star rating—the service is excellent, and it’s nice to support a family business. However, I found the food to be rather average. The filling of the steak pie was mushy and didn't taste very fresh.

The banh mi had a generous portion of chicken and pork. I even saw them weigh the meat before adding it to the sandwich, but the flavors were a bit bland. The crispy pork lacked the desired crunch.

On a positive note, the bread in the banh mi was excellent; it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I also noticed they toasted the banh mi buns, which added to that crunchiness (unless it was the meats or pie) .

Overall, I wasn't expecting much compared to offerings in the suburbs, but it was nice to support a...

N. Lee Bakery has been my go-to since I was 7 or 8 years old—so we’re talking well over 25 years now. It’s where my love for banh mi began, especially their pork loaf. I used to make the trip to Collingwood just to get it, and now having a store in Docklands right next door feels like a blessing.

The freshly baked bread, that rich Vietnamese butter, and their signature pate make their banh mi stand out every time. Paired with an iced Vietnamese coffee, it always reminds me of Vietnam.

Now it’s not just me—my two daughters are growing up on N. Lee too. They love the bread and all the baked goods just as much as I do. It’s become something we enjoy together, which makes it even more special.

I was glad to see the owner there as well. He and the team were welcoming, and the food tasted exactly like it does in their other stores, which is something I’ve always appreciated about N. Lee—consistent, high quality, and full of flavour.

Now it’s just a one-minute walk to grab breakfast or lunch....

New bakery and Cafe that has a selection of sandwiches, meat pies, salads and Vietnamese bites. Location is on the same level and right in front of the stadium.

Very helpful and nice service. The food was hot, very good, and fairly priced. I had a meat pie and should have taken a picture, but I ate it too fast :) It had a nice flakey crust - which was fantastic.

They had a lot of other food and fresh bread, which I'll be back to try...