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Cafe Cham, located near Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, has been named Cafe of the Year for 2027. Run by Tony Nguyen and Christa Chan-Nguyen, it features Vietnamese cuisine with a focus on quality ingredients such as house-made pork meatballs and specialty roasted coffee beans from Every Half in Vietnam. The cafe's decor includes furniture and ceramics made in Vietnam, creating an inviting atmosphere that blends precision with comfort.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-12,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Cham, a Vietnamese café near Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, Australia, has been named the Cafe of the Year for 2027. Run by Tony Nguyen and Christa Chan-Nguyen, the establishment features a white-washed space with furniture and ceramics made in Vietnam. The cafe is known for its innovative dishes such as the banh mi chao, which combines pork meatballs, chicken liver pâté, and an egg in a skillet with tangy tomato sauce served with crusty bread. Other notable offerings include broken rice topped with sliced confit duck and 13-hour simmered pho broth. Nguyen previously worked at well-known Melbourne restaurants like Aru, Supernormal, and Firebird before opening Cham.
Written for “Cham Rescue Operation” on 2026-10-12,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Run by couple Tony Nguyen and Christa Chan-Nguyen, this cafe balances comfort with finesse.
asserted
cafe → Run → finesse
The white-washed space holds furniture and ceramics fabricated in Vietnam; staff glide around with warmth and smiles.
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staff → hold → warmth
Banh mi chao – “bread with pan” – might be thought of as a big breakfast.
uncertain
chao → think → breakfast
House-made pork meatballs, chicken liver pâté and an egg mingle in a skillet bubbling with tangy tomato sauce; a crusty baguette attends to mopping-up duties.
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baguette → make → duties
Iced jasmine matcha is unimpeachable, and Vietnamese coffee is made with beans from a specialty roaster in Vietnam, Every Half.
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coffee → make → Vietnam
At lunch, broken rice is laced with chicken fat and topped with sliced confit duck fanned out like an accordion.
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rice → lace → accordion
Chicken pho simmers for around 13 hours, the broth so rich it’s nearly viscous.
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it → simmer → hours
A Venn diagram of nerdiness and warmth, precision and enjoyment, Vietnam and Australia, Cham gracefully encapsulates the best of Melbourne cafe culture right now.
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diagram → encapsulate → culture
Good to know: Chef Tony Nguyen worked at key Melbourne restaurants Aru, Supernormal and Firebird before opening this.
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently.
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reviews → know → this
A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.
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restaurant → pay → Guide
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