If you’re looking to try a ketogenic diet, it will be helpful to know a few local cafes and the best keto restaurants in Melbourne that can cater to your Keto lifestyle.
Being diagnosed with depression wasn’t really a shock to me. Early on with my depression, I found cooking an overwhelming task. Knowing that I could eat out and pick up a great keto burger or keto pizza or get a cup of Bulletproof Coffee at a keto cafe like Fed Cafe in the first few weeks would have helped me out significantly on my mental health and keto journey.
Not a fan of eating out?
Sometimes eating out might not be an option and Uber Eats can be a bit of a challenge to book. We all get busy, and the ease of eating at home or having keto food, like some keto cake or low carb bread, in the cupboard is what we need. A friend of mine recently told me about a cool service called Real Keto Box where you can get a box of Keto food products, Keto recipes and guides delivered to your door each month. I love the idea of this. It’s like a little low-carb diet support group of your very own, who can give you keto meal plan ideas and accountability. I’m looking forward to trying it out!
The best thing about Melbourne is that you have has a good selection of Keto meals and low-carb alternatives. You can head over to South Yarra, Healeys Lane, Melbourne CBD, or anywhere in the region and you’ll have great low-carb options and some great alternative protein options too.
Craving for feta cheese, fried egg, or pork belly stir-fried capsicum? These are places that I’ve tried, tested and recommend for keto options or low carb meals. So here are some great keto-friendly restaurants to help you with your keto diet. Give them a go and let me know what you think.
1. Hunky Dory
Let’s take a minute to talk about my parents. To put it in the nicest way possible, they aren’t the easiest to please when it comes to keto-friendly meals, but since taking them to my local Hunky Dory for a feed, they’ve fallen in love with the place and have gone back almost every week! The place looks visually stunning, it’s filled with warm vibes from the dark timbers but still feels like a great place for a casual feed. Their open hours are from 11 am to 9:30 pm on all days except Wednesday.
I always find the marinated chargrilled calamari to be super tasty and when you pair it with a classic greek salad with olive oil instead of dressing, you can’t go wrong. There are a bunch of other keto-friendly options on the menu like the grilled seafood and salad which includes a good variety of fish, including calamari and prawns. There are also three grilled skewer packs – choose from lamb, chicken or prawns and set it on top of a greek or garden salad. Delicious!
Address: 252 Clarendon St, South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
Phone Number: (03) 9696 4025
Website: hunkydory.com.au
2. Stalactites
After a few weeks on keto, my girlfriend decided to give it a go. One month later it was her birthday so I wanted to find a nice dine-in keto experience for both of us. The kebab place around the corner was our weekly take out, but not really the right atmosphere for the occasion! After some extensive exploring on Google Maps, I re-discovered the well known Melbourne icon Stalactites. I’d eaten some hot chips hereafter some late-night clubbing in my non-keto days but had never tried anything else on the menu. After some at-home premeditated menu inspecting we went for the ‘meat platter for two’ which has so many well-cooked delicious types of meat: marinated lamb and chicken fillet skewers; lamb and chicken giro; lamb cutlets; pork hot sausages and homemade Greek Biftekia (Greek-style burger).
This has definitely been one of my favourite dine-in experiences. The service was efficient and the waiter helped us decide on some homemade mixed dips to add more variety of flavours to the meat.
Stalactites is open 24/7 for dine-in and takeaway so if you’re looking for a midnight meat fix or trying to impress your keto SO on a date, this keto restaurant will surely satisfy.
Address: 177/183 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Phone Number: (03) 9663 3316
Website: stalactites.com.au
3. St. Burgs
A recent discovery of mine is St. Burgs. Right after creating my keto Instagram account ‘Happy With Fat’, I stumbled across a photo of their lettuce-wrapped burger. It’s been a little difficult to find burger places that do a lettuce wrap on request. Some will add lettuce underneath, which is great if you want to eat like a princess with a knife and fork, but you can’t really call that a burger. So with The Double D burger eyeing me out on my Instagram feed, I just knew it had to be my feed for dinner that night.
The location is a little strange, sitting under a tall apartment building it’s quite hidden away, but don’t let this scare you as once you’re inside the atmosphere is casual and warm. I’ve never had a ‘smashed styled beef patty’ before, so when I took the first bite it was pretty euphoric. Most lettuce wrap burgers end up being really soft and mushy due to there being no bread to absorb the sauce and juices, but these patties were so crispy and still had enough fat inside to add a tonne of flavour. It added some amazing texture to a lettuce wrap burger that I finally realised I was missing. There’s no going back to a regular patty after you’ve tried it. Sorry Maccas!
Address: 4/41-45 Edgewater Blvd, Maribyrnong
Phone Number: (03) 9317 7460
Website: st-burgs.square.site
4. Guzman y Gomez
GYG has been my favourite Mexican chain for years now. Ever since grabbing my first burrito there while studying in the city, it has never failed to disappoint. I’ve taken all of my friends here whether they wanted to or not and all of them seem to have enjoyed it. The Swanston St store is super inviting, with fast service and great vibes.
Now for the food. The burritos. The nachos. The tacos. But how can I eat all this goodness and still be true to keto you ask? Well, you can’t. Carbs are on almost every one of the menu items, so unless you’re looking for a cheat meal or don’t care much for your carb count, I’d suggest that you dig into a Mexican grilled chicken salad. Their Chicken Guerrero Marinade has authentic Mexican flavours and you can also choose from 5 other meat options on the menu – pulled pork, grilled steak, slow-cooked beef, ground beef and pan-seared barramundi.
Just remember to leave out the corn and add in a serving of their fresh smashed avo for a good fat boost. Get it spicy if you want a nod of approval from the cashier, or stick with mild and save the burn for when the lid of your chilli spice jar falls off during a light shake on your home-cooked meal!
Address: 289-299 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Phone Number: (03) 9988 1402
Website: st-burgs.square.site
5. The Daily Grind
My first adventure here was when I had just moved into my apartment not too long ago. At the time I didn’t have any cooking utensils or even a fridge and needed a good breakfast to satiate me before a long day at work. The Daily Grind is located on a small corner just off Puckle Street. For a small and cute little cafe, their menu has a good range of keto breakfast options including their delicious chorizo omelette. It’s filled with spinach, mushroom and bocconcini cheese and then topped with cherry tomatoes and spicy chorizo. I love that you’re not paying for a slice of toast that you’re not actually going to eat.
You could also go for their eggs benedict and leave out the English muffin. If you’re looking for a more standard lunch option, take a look at their ample range of salads and make any keto adjustments you like. Their garden salad with beef steak is what I’m typically ordering as the feta olive oil dressing always wins me over.
Ask for a long black or iced long black with a dash of pouring cream. A carbless cafe can usually accommodate this request. If it fails, they also have a great range of T2 teas which will make you feel right at home.
“Keto & low carb alternative are becoming the new rage in Melbourne, and it’s fantastic to see a lot of restaurants and cafes beginning to offer these options.” – R McLaughlan, Da Ricardos
Address: 8 Pratt St, Moonee Ponds
Phone Number: (04) 23 017 397
Website: the-cafe-flemington.edan.io
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How could the keto diet be accommodated in a restaurant?
Many restaurants can accommodate a keto diet by offering low-carb, high-fat options. Look for meals with grilled meats, fish or salads and ask to swap carb heavy sides like bread or pasta for vegetables or a side salad. Don’t be afraid to ask for modifications – most restaurants are happy to accommodate dietary needs.
What is the trick to keto?
The secret to keto is being high fat, moderate protein and low carb to keep your body in ketosis where it burns fat for energy. Staying within your carb limit (usually 20-50g per day) is key. Planning meals and snacks in advance will help you stick to the diet and avoid hidden carbs.
Where can I get carbs on keto?
On keto your carbs should come from low-carb, nutrient dense foods like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower and avocados. Small portions of berries, nuts and seeds can fit into your daily carb allowance. These will give you the nutrients you need without kicking you out of ketosis.
