The best katsu sando in Melbourne

Katsu sandos are a Japanese speciality – and an increasingly popular dish in Melbourne. Find pillowy soft sandwiches filled with fried, crumbed cutlets at these city spots.

Ilza

Enjoy thick-cut crispy pork, cabbage salad, and homemade sauce on bread at Ilza. This Docklands cafe located just outside Marvel Stadium serves a whole variety of Japanese dishes. Open for pick-up or delivery within 30km.

Meet Sando

Grab a sandwich to go from Meet Sando on the edge of the Queen Victoria Market. There are five different options to try: chicken, prawn, pork, egg and mushroom. Get them while they’re hot and crunchy! Available for pick-up and delivery.

Fuumi Fuumi

This Japanese bakery in West Melbourne serves up a winning ebi sando with fried prawns and egg salad. Get to Fuumi Fuumi early if you want to pick up some freshly baked shokupan – their wonderfully fluffy loaf is known to sell out. They've just shut for some quick renos, but will be back open for takeaway from 22 September.

279

West Melbourne cafe 279 serves its own variation of a traditional katsu. This is actually one of the cafe’s ‘musubi’: white rice shaped into a triangle, stuffed with filling, and wrapped in nori. The katsu flavour features panko covered, deep-fried chicken, and tonkatsu sauce. Pick-up and delivery available.

Le Bajo

Hidden in a North Melbourne warehouse, Le Bajo Milkbar was started by one of the founders of Bali's Potato Head Beach Club. Go for the classic crispy katsu sando for a taste of Tokyo. Or try the trending cream sando, complete with perfectly uniform slices of fresh fruit. Open for takeaway, and you can order ahead.

Poked

The seasonal fave sando is back at Poked. Swing by any of their Melbourne stores for a takeaway katsu treat, complete with pillowy soft white bread and fresh crunchy slaw. Add on a side of hot potato gems for major comfort food vibes.

Ichigo

Eye-pleasing presentation is key to the ichigō aesthetic. It’s a detail you’ll notice when you feast on their homemade chicken katsu sando. The picture-perfect sandwich is built from fresh shokupan, nama panko crumbed chicken, aioli and tonkatsu sauce. Order online or grab takeaway.

Coppe Pan

Chicken katsu sandwiches are the number one menu item at Coppe Pan. Their recipe combines breadcrumbed, fried chicken with tonkatsu sauce, mustard, and cabbage. They even bake their own bread! Open for takeaway on the lower ground level of Melbourne Central.

Visit after lockdown

Saint Dreux

This slick store in the St. Collins Lane food court specialises in delicious katsu sandwiches. The classic pork, prawn, chicken and egg options are all here, plus a special Wagyu beef variety. For sweet tooths Saint Dreux also serves mizu yokan (red bean jelly) and house-made castella (Japanese sponge cake).