Cha Adda

12.5/20Critics' PickUpdated September 24, 2026,first published November 18, 2024Outside the Hughesdale restaurant.Chege MbuthiTucked away and hiding lots of surprises.Bengali street snacks kick things off: golden-fried pockets of mughlai paratha, a flaky flatbread stuffed with fluffy egg, soft onion and chilli. Chotpoti follows – a tangy mix of yellow peas, fresh veg, crushed hard-boiled egg and the crisp semolina shells known as fuchka.Rice plays a starring role in Bangladeshi cuisine, and it’s done in two different ways for kacchi biryani and khichuri. In kacchi biryani, saffron-stained grains blanket lamb so soft you could whisper it off the bone. Khichuri boasts turmeric-yellow rice and chicken with a slow-building spice.Dessert? Mishti doi – home-made pot-set yoghurt with rich caramel notes. Mango lassi is great, but borhani is a revelation: a salty, spicy yoghurt-based drink that’ll leave a green chilli calling card at the back of your throat. Service is warm if a little absent-minded but the food speaks for itself. Must-order: Layers of fall-apart lamb, soft potato and fragrant rice make the kacchi biryani a crowd favourite for good reason.Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.Sign upLast visited: 2025More:HughesdaleCha AddaMelbourneIndianAccepts bookingsFamily-friendlyGood for solo dinersPrix fixeTakeawayVegetarian-friendlyGood for groupsRestaurantReviewsGood Food GuideCritics’ PickFrom our partners