Serving Australia’s first coloured bánh mì baguettes
Australia’s fastest-growing Vietnamese bakery Luke’s Bánh Mì continues to expand across Melbourne, opening its sixth store on Lonsdale Street (Melbourne CBD) on Thursday 18 June 2026.
To celebrate the launch, the Lonsdale Street bakery will be serving Australia’s first coloured bánh mì baguettes and offering 50% off bánh mì on opening day. In a playful nod to the new store’s address of 19-21 Lonsdale Street, customers aged 19, 20 and 21 will receive one free bánh mì of their choosing upon showing proof of age.
Inspired by a Vietnamese baking practice of using excess fruits and vegetables to naturally colour bread, Luke’s Bánh Mì has created limited-edition red, green and yellow baguettes using beetroot, kale and imperfect carrots. The initiative not only celebrates Vietnamese bakery culture but also helps local farmers find value in produce that may otherwise go unsold because it doesn’t meet strict retail appearance standards.
Using fruit and vegetables in baking is a culinary innovation that first emerged in 2020 in Vietnam as a creative response to the COVID-19 pandemic, where Vietnamese bakers worked with local farmers to use excess dragon fruit they couldn’t export, saving them from financial ruin.
Using kale as a natural colouring ingredient creates a vibrant green baguette that incorporates the benefits of a vegetable packed with vitamins essential for supporting overall health and wellbeing, while beetroot’s rich antioxidants, fibre and folate combine with its deep red colour for a baguette that tastes as good as it is for you.
Third-generation baker and founder Luke Vu says the Lonsdale Street store marks a new era for the brand, and continues the legacy of innovation and adaptability of Vietnamese bakers before him.
“We’re proud to be working with Aussie farmers to create our colourful baguettes that not only look and taste great, but help tackle the issue of food waste,” Luke says.
“Our special launch day offering is our way of saying thanks to the Melbourne community who have supported us since we first opened, and to showcase our relentless commitment to growth and innovation. Whether it’s new product development or finding better ways to reduce waste, every store opening is an opportunity to set a new benchmark.”
The Lonsdale Street store reflects the next phase of growth for Luke’s Bánh Mì, which has evolved from a single suburban bakery into a multi-site quick service restaurant business in the space of five years. With locations in Moonee Ponds, South Melbourne, Little Bourke Street (Melbourne CBD), Port Melbourne and Preston, the new store fuels an ambitious goal of opening 30 stores by 2027.
At their most recent store opening on Bay Street, Port Melbourne in January 2026, 800 bánh mì were sold on opening day with queues stretching down the street, with the team expecting a similar outcome next week.
Post launch, customers will be able to purchase the colourful bánh mì for a limited time only at the Lonsdale Street store, with the coloured baguettes extending to the brand’s new catering range that will be rolling out in the weeks to follow.
For more information, visit lukesbanhmi.au
KEY DETAILS:
Location: 19 – 21 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Grand opening offer:
- Thursday 18 June 2026, from 10am until 4pm (or until sold out)
- 50% off first order for walk-in customers only, capped at 3 banh mi or bowls per person.
- Free banh mi for 19-21 year olds upon proof of ID, limit of 1 per person, capped at first 50.