Where to find Melbourne’s best chicken and waffles

Mother Melbourne is one of Northcote’s hidden gems. With the simple slogan “Coffee, food, love”, this hipster cafe stands as a son’s tribute to his mother and is all about the idea of community as family. The team here pour much care into what comes out of the kitchen and we are the winners as we get food that’s both delicious and beautiful.

Hailed as the purveyors of some of the city’s best fried chook waffles, the lauded SFC and waffles dish comes with seasoned fried chicken and house-made slaw served atop triangle-sliced waffles and dripping with spiced honey sauce and spicy aioli. The added spice kick brings a new layer of complexity to this dish and the waffles serve as the best bed for mopping up all that sauce. The chicken? Extremely crispy and succulent inside.

Dish Cult’s top pick: SFC & waffles ($20)

As you enter F.A.T Fried and Tasty, you’ll be hit by old-school hip hop beats and the aroma of Southern fried chicken. Plastered in retro American fast food posters, F.A.T. is fun and boisterous, but really, it’s all about the chicken.

It serves six types of chicken from a secret family recipe with American-style sides. They make real food here, right down to the house-made pickles and sauces.

You can’t go wrong with two pieces of fried chicken layered on top of a buttermilk waffle with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with Canadian maple syrup – sweet and savoury heaven.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Chicken waffles ($20)

Bowery to Williamsburg is what happens when a New York style diner meets Melbourne’s cafe scene. The cafe has an industrial feel, which makes sense given its name is inspired by New York’s Bowery subway station and all things New York City.

Jewish New York deli is well represented with sandwiches served with a pickle and pretzels while the bagel selection is huge with an array of fillings.

You’ll love the decadent and heaping Southern fried chicken served with spiced butter, chipotle dressing and pure maple syrup all on top of fluffy waffles. Hitting all the right crunchy, sweet, and savoury notes, this is Southern comfort food on a New York schedule in a very Melbourne location.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Southern fried chicken waffles ($21)

The soul food classic gets an Asian twist at the House of Lulu White. This South Yarra eatery gives serious Palm Springs vibes. The walls are painted powder pink with a blinking backlit luscious lips sign, in homage to its cheeky roots (the space used to be a brothel).

Lulu’s fried chicken and waffle comes with Japanese-style marinated chicken, pickled carrot, chilli, tamarind sauce and coriander. The result is an explosion of tangy savoury flavours topped with a runny 63 degrees egg (they should have this on all waffles), crunchy daikon to keep it fresh, and a crispy waffle. The all-day menu also features other fusions like Tom yum scrambled eggs, as well as acai bowl, french toast, smashed avo, soft shell crab crumpets and chickpea pancakes.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Lulu’s fried chicken and waffle ($23)

A reboot of an old-school retro diner, regulars pop into Archie’s for all-day dining of cheeseburgers at brekkie and hotcakes at dinner. The space is much more refined than the name or even menu of favourites would suggest, for this is a modern, clean resto that serves fab brunch and diner classics.

The fried chicken and waffles here feature chunky buttermilk Southern fried chicken tenders drizzled with Canadian maple syrup and served with whipped chipotle butter (that’s as sinfully good as it sounds) with lime on the side to cut through some of that delicious fat. It all comes on top of a crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside Belgian waffle.

We loved it so much we made it one of our Must-try dish of the week!

Dish Cult’s top pick: Fried chicken and waffle ($19.50)