Honestly, going to KFC for fried chicken when you live in Melbourne is like going to Starbucks for an oat latte—you just don’t do it. Our city is famous for its food from all around the world, but deciding where the best-fried chicken in Melbourne is a tough call, one that's met with many wet wipes.
Here is the best-fried chicken Melbourne has to offer in 2023:
DesiNental
PRAHRAN
Bringing a colourful contrast to the strip of shops on High Street in Prahran, Desinental is bringing an Indian lens to the world of fried chicken in Melbourne. Touted as their hero dish, the Indian fried chicken uses thick-cut fillets which are encased in a spicy golden crunched batter and then cooked to a tender perfection. The chicken is accompanied by the house-made slaw as well as your Indian-fusion sauce from jaggery and tamarind to spicy date and even a butter chicken number.
El Jannah
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
The Lebanese chain first opened in Sydney in the late 90s, and after years of dominating the charcoal and fried chicken scene in New South Wales, they've spread their wings and opened five locations in Melbourne. With a mixture of tenders wingers and drumsticks, the El Jannah fried chicken is all hand-coated in their signature zesty southern-style batter and fried to a transcendent crunch and textural sensation.
Bonchon
CRAIGIEBURN
Bonchon is the hottest new Korean BBQ place on the scene with crispy Korean fried chicken as their specialty. The made-to-order chicken is the hero and they've covered all bases with options from chicken wings to drumsticks and boneless wings. Bonchon’s signature double-frying method is down to a fine art and has customers hooked from the first bite.
Gami Chicken & Beer
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
No list of the best-fried chicken in Melbourne would be complete without Gami Chicken & Beer. It’s juicy, finger-licking good, and served with a range of tap and bottled beers to wash it down. And this one isn’t just for the meat eaters, they also offer soy chicken for the vegos coated in their signature spiced.
Sonny's Fried Chicken & Burgers
CARLTON
This isn’t just any ordinary fried chicken. Operating out of John Curtin Hotel, Sonny’s Fried Chicken & Burgers is serving 24-hour brined chicken, which is then pressure fried, and served with a selection of sauces made in-house. You can choose white breast meat or dark leg meat, and for your daily serving of veg, there are mashed potatoes and gravy on the side — just the kind of balance we want in 2023.
F.A.T Fried & Tasty
BRUNSWICK EAST
Honestly, the name says it all. F.A.T Fried & Tasty has some of the best fried chicken in Melbourne. Some of our faves include the fried chicken served on a buttermilk waffle with vanilla ice cream and Canadian maple syrup, the classic fried tenders, and of course, the hot wings. There are six different types of chicken to choose from and all of the sides are American style (yes there’s mac ‘n cheese).
Belles Hot Chicken
CBD, FITZROY
A cult favourite for northsiders, Belles Hot Chicken is an easy contender for the best fried chicken in Melbourne 2023. It was opened back in 2014 by two ex-fine-dining chefs who lived and worked in Nashville and knew they had to bring the signature fried chicken to Melbourne. There are four cuts of chicken and six levels of spice — perfect to create your own Hot Wings with your mates. The space feels like a cosy 70s diner with a laid-back vinyl soundtrack, and leather booths to soak in those boozy chicken-y nights.
Mr Miyagi
WINDSOR
There’s more to Mr Miyagi than influencers and very aesthetically pleasing, good food. There’s also MFC; Miyagi Fried Chicken. It comes covered in secret seasoning with a side of Japanese mayo and is so bloody good that Miyagi’s executive chef Kyle Doody, genuinely thinks he’d get death threats if he removed it from the menu. You can see why it was voted some of the best fried chicken in Melbourne for 2023.
Le Bon Ton
COLLINGWOOD
Le Bon Ton is a speakeasy-style bar bringing some of the best fried chicken from New Orleans to Collingwood. Their southern fried chicken is soaked in buttermilk, with cracked pepper, white gravy and jalapenos. If you’re feeling like something else to go with the chicken, we recommend the pit-smoked meats, which are smoked over ironbark and fruitwood for 12 hours.
Leonard’s House Of Love
SOUTH YARRA
Cool dive bars were typically found on Melbourne’s north side, that is until Leonard’s House of Love arrived. Located just off Chapel Street in South Yarra, Leonards is a 70s lounge-style log cabin. They’ve got some of Melbourne’s best fried chicken (and burgers) — we’re talking popcorn chicken in their signature seasoning, chicken tenders, a fried chicken sanga, a hot chicken burger AND a southern fried chicken burger. Honestly, what more could you want.
Butcher’s Diner
CBD
We’ve all been there — you’re on a night out and it’s that part of the night where everyone needs a good feed. But just because it’s 3 am doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy some quality food. Butcher’s Diner is a 24-hour diner in Melbourne’s CBD serving up Japanese fried chicken with daikon pickle, among other tasty options. It’s quality produce for takeaway prices, with craft tinnies and wine to wash it down.
Izakaya Den
CBD
Hidden away in Melbourne’s CBD is some of the best fried chicken you will ever have. Trust us, it’s worth the confusing google maps journey to find Izakaya Den. Their 2023 menu features kara-Age chicken wingettes served with house-made yuzu kosho mayonnaise for $4.5 each.
Juanita Peaches
BRUNSWICK
Juanita Peaches is all about fried chicken. The chicken arrives whole to the restaurant and is jointed on site, meaning you can guarantee there will be some juicy pieces. The chicken is then fried and coated with their signature sauces. It’s mouth-wateringly good and some of the best friend chicken Melbourne has ever had.
Pelicana Chicken
CBD, COBURG
Pelicana Chicken is an empire of the fried chicken world. It was established in Korea in 1982 and they now have over 3000 stores worldwide. Their Melbourne stores have 11 varieties of fried chicken on offer, including hot spicy, honey butter and white cheese (a must-try for 2023).
Now that you’ve tried the best fried chicken Melbourne has, check out the best burgers here.
Image credit: Belle's Hot Chicken
Hungry for more? We've got Melbourne's best burgers right over here.
Image credit: Sonny's Fried Chicken | Griffin Simm