Melbourne Avalon International Airport

Let's be honest: Avalon isn't exactly a foodie's paradise. As a compact, no-frills airport serving budget carriers like Jetstar, the terminal's dining scene is modest by design. You'll find a handful of café and grab-and-go options airside, with the main food outlet being a combined café and bar offering hot meals, sandwiches, pies, and barista-made coffee. It's perfectly serviceable for a pre-flight bite, and the coffee is genuinely decent — a small but welcome nod to Melbourne's legendary café culture.

If you're craving something with a local flavour, keep an eye out for classic Australian bakery staples: sausage rolls, chunky meat pies, and lamington-style sweet treats tend to appear in the grab-and-go cabinet. The menu leans toward familiar comfort food rather than anything adventurous, which suits the quick-turnaround nature of the airport. Portions are generous and prices, while airport-inflated, are more reasonable than you'd expect at a major international hub. Grab a flat white and a pie — you'll be sorted.

One savvy tip: if your schedule allows, eat before you arrive. Geelong's city centre, just 20 minutes away, offers everything from excellent Vietnamese and Greek cuisine to waterfront seafood spots along the Yarra Street Pier. The Surf Coast highway corridor also has solid roadside cafés worth stopping at. Avalon's dining does the job, but the real culinary rewards begin the moment you step outside the terminal and into one of regional Victoria's most underrated food regions.