Photo: Tony Knox
Mietta's Review
People have been walking up the stairs of the Supper Inn since 1976. The Lau Family have fed more late night diners than they can count. Laminate panelling, laminex tables, a solitary fish tank, fast impersonal service and the well cooked traditional Cantonese dishes that arrive hot and quickly to the tables, make this an ideal spot for dinner before or after a film or work. Everybody, Chinese restaurateurs, their children, rock stars, actors and the rest of us, all eating and talking. For a real taste of what's on offer here, bypass the usual Chinese-Australian offerings and order from the specials list, don't be frightened of fungus, sea cucumber or Chinese doughnuts, because they are wonderful. The Supper Inn is a Melbourne institution and with good reason. Recommended.
Other published opinions
Age Cheap Eats 2010 Score: ** "For over 30
Age Good Food Guide 2010 Score: 13/20 "For a moment in 2009
Age, Top Five after Midnight 29-08-09
Herald Sun " Clearly, they don't come for the decor - all faux-wood panelling, vertical blinds and unflattering lights. What they're after is the fast and authentic Cantonese food that's served until 230am."
Herald Sun Melbourne. Call 9663 4759, "Psst! Want to know where Melbourne's chefs go for a feed after a long, hard night at the stoves? They head down a dank alleyway, past a row of rubbish bins and up a rickety staircase to Supper Inn"
Age Cheap Eats 2009
Age Good Food Guide 2009
Age Cheap Eats 2008
Age Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 13/20
Age Cheap Eats 2007
Age Cheap Eats 2006
Age Good Food Guide 2006 score 13/20
Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide "Nobody comes to Supper Inn for the decor - even though the wood-veneered dining room with its pink vertical-blinds and tables dressed with plastic chopsticks and red paper napkins has a signature charm. Perhaps it's the fast, unfaltering service that has people queuing on the dingy staircase into the small hours, but, more likely, it's the robustly flavoured, wellcooked Cantonese food"
Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide Best Chinese "For a more authentic taste of Kowloon nightlife, Supper Inn is a no-nonsense Melbourne institution, perfect for late-night sessions of great value Cantonese eating, with hordes eating quail, flounder and the house special, congee. It's also very popular with chefs."
Age Good Food Guide 2005
Gourmet Traveller 2005 Restaurant Guide "Up a nondescript dead-end laneway, punters are queuing on the stairs at Supper Inn. As usual. There is something so delightfully unpretentious - and authentic - about this barebones Chinese restaurant, that Melburnians line up for tables, year in, year out. It's like a cheap holiday in Hong Kong. Chinese groups, middle-aged veterans and Melbourne's artschool crowd all cram the place."
Age Cheap Eats 2005
Age A3 Melbourne for night owls Tim Richards 12/1/05
Age Cheap Eats 2004
AGFG 2004, score 14/20, wide selection of vegetarian dishes, two courses for $25 or less
Age, Agenda, 4/4/04,Roslyn Grundy
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide Australia 2004, Good vegetarian options,'one of Chinatown's originals and has been serving good, home-style Cantonese food...It's build up a solid reputation as a pit stop for people seeking an inexpensive meal or a pick-me-up after a bit of clubbing.The extensive menu features all the regulars...The wine list, like the decor, is basic and unpretentious.'
Vogue Entertaining & Traveller, March April 2003
Sunday Age, Sunday Life, Eat Streets, John Lethlean, 9/2/03
Herald Sun, sunday magazine, 2003, Sally Fisher'
Or perhaps ...
Ants Bistro (03) 9639 2908, 7 Corrs La, Melbourne - There is a wonderful sense of fun that prevails throughout the dining experience at Ants Bistro. Dishes are predominantly Northern Chinese.
Bamboo House 9662 1565, , 47 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - A restrained and elegant experience is what dining at Bamboo House is all about.
Bokchoy Tang 9650 8666, , 3rd Floor, Federation Square, Swanston St cnr Flinders St, Melbourne - A hidden treasure. Great staff and service. The menu offers Chinese food with a difference. Outside terrace for warm weather.
Chine on Paramount (03) 9663 6556, Shop 9 & 10 Paramount Centre, 101 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - Opposite the lions guarding the Chinese museum this restaurant attracts a largely business clientele.
Dahu Peking Duck Restaurant (03) 9663 3868, 171 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - A first floor Northern Chinese restaurant overlooking the intersection of Russell and Little Bourke Streets.
Dragon Boat On The Yarra (03) 9629 8388, Holiday Inn, Flinders St cnr Spencer St, Melbourne - Part of the Dragon Boat group near the Casino. Cantonese cuisine.
Dragon Boat Palace (03) 9639 0888, 149 Lonsdale St, Melbourne - This Dragon Boat Palace is known for functions, a lot of weddings and also special entertainment evenings.
Dragon Boat Restaurant (03) 9662 2733, 203 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - A large city Chinese restaurant which is open for suppers till 2am. It also does a daily yum cha.
Empress of China (03) 9639 7723, Level 1, 120 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - The Empress is the grand old lady of Chinatown. It is famous for incredibly attentive service and consistently good, traditional food.
Flower Drum (03) 9662 3655, , 17 Market la, Melbourne - A magnificent production that has now to be saved for a special treat. It's so hard to get a seat at Flower Drum. So plan ahead to enjoy impeccable service, food and Cantonese style.
Hutong Dumpling Bar 9650 8128, 14-16 Market La, Melbourne
Kim Sing (03) 9654 7889, Shop 10-12, 232 Flinders St, Melbourne
Ling Nan Restaurant (03) 9663 2347, 204 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - Seafood is the speciality in this Cantonese cafe that's open until 3am. Big Chinese clientele.
Mask of China 9662 2116, , 115 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - Melbourne's only, and one of few in Australia, Chiu Chow restaurant is presided over bythe very professional Albert Chan.
Oriental Bistro (03) 9663 9080, 195 Exhibition St, Melbourne
Pepper Chilli (03) 9662 9662, 1st Floor, 85 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - Good Northern Chinese and Cantonese cuisine an a well run femine dining room. The restaurant is on the first floor.
Post Deng Cafe (03) 9663 9866, 214 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - Stripped bluestone walls is not the norm in Little Bourke St, nor are Post Deng's Sezchuan dishes.
Post-Mao Cafe (03) 9663 6003, 113 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Shark Fin House (03) 9663 1555, 131 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - A busy place for Yum Cha, queues, at the door and around the lift to get to one of the three levels of dining. The quality and variety of the yum cha selection is excellent.
Shark Fin Inn (03) 9662 2681, 50 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - A long-standing favourite of the industry for supper. Most regulars do not consult the menu but ask Vanessa what are the best dishes.
Sung's Kitchen (03) 9329 2636, 118 Franklin St, Melbourne
Supper Inn 9663 4759, 15 Celestial Ave, Melbourne - Supper Inn feed everyone - Chinese restaurateurs, their children, rock stars, actors and the rest of us until 3am. It's a Melbourne institution and with good reason.
Teahouse At Chinatown (03) 9639 2526, 11 Cohen Pl, Melbourne - Another of Lawrence Tse's excellent Tea Houses. Good Food, fine service and an excellent wine list.
The Jarrah Room 9629 5255, , NULL, 44 Spencer Street, Melbourne
Westlake (03) 9663 4265, 189 Little Bourke St, Melbourne - A convenient place to meet and eat something quick in the centre of Chinatown.