Idoo Vietnamese Restaurant & Cafe

About Idoo Vietnamese Restaurant & Cafe

Idoo Vietnamese Restaurant & Cafe, at 251C Queen Street in Richmond, Nelson, offers a modern interpretation of classic North Vietnamese cuisine. Traditionally characterised by subtle flavours, the kitchen provides condiments to adjust the heat, and the menu is built to encourage shared-style dining, reflecting the way food is eaten in Vietnam.

The menu spans an all-day breakfast selection alongside a full dinner offering, from bao buns and dumplings through to pho, curries, stir-fried noodles and rice, and wok-tossed mains like Shaking Beef and Grandma's Lamb Green Curry. A dedicated Vegetarian and Vegan section runs the same breadth as the main menu, covering everything from tofu curries to stir-fried noodles, and dietary markers (GF, DF, V) appear throughout, alongside a No MSG policy and adjustable spice levels from mild to hot.

On the drinks side, Idoo offers Vietnamese coffee in several styles, a tea pot selection, mocktails, and zero-alcohol versions of popular beers including Heineken, Corona and Asahi. The restaurant notes that due to a hold on its current liquor licence, it is not currently serving alcohol, though it apologises for any inconvenience this causes.

Idoo Vietnamese Restaurant & Cafe: North Vietnamese Cuisine in Richmond

Idoo Vietnamese Restaurant & Cafe, on Queen Street in Richmond, Nelson, offers a modern take on classic North Vietnamese cooking. The kitchen leans into the subtle flavours traditionally associated with that region, providing condiments on the side so diners can adjust the heat to their own taste, and the menu is designed for sharing, reflecting the way food is eaten across Vietnam.

All-Day Breakfast and Beyond

Idoo's all-day menu bridges breakfast and lunch, with an Egg Benedict on sourdough alongside more traditionally Vietnamese options like Bao Bun, Dumplings, and a rich Soup of the Day made with potato, leek and fresh cream. From there, the menu moves into noodle soups, stir-fried noodles and rice, and curries, giving diners a full range of options whether they're after something light or a heartier midday meal.

Small Plates and Sharing

The small plates section is where Idoo's shared-dining philosophy really comes through, with Fresh and Crispy Spring Rolls, Chicken Skewers, Crispy Squid, and Salmon Parcels all designed to be passed around the table. A Passion Fruit & Ginger Chicken Nibble adds a distinctive sweet-and-tangy option alongside the more classic small plates.

The Wok: Idoo's Dinner Mains

For dinner, The Wok section brings together some of Idoo's most substantial dishes. Shaking Beef, Grandma's Lamb Green Curry, and Beef Cheek Red Curry all lean into slow-cooked, deeply flavoured preparations, while the Vietnamese Crispy Pancake and Braised Pork Belly offer more textural, home-style options. The Galangal Seafood Curry, built around the fish of the day and prawns, rounds out the seafood offering alongside the Imperial Prawn dish finished with XO sauce.

A Genuine Vegetarian and Vegan Menu

Rather than treating plant-based dining as an afterthought, Idoo runs a full parallel menu for vegetarian and vegan diners, covering everything from tofu-based bao buns and dumplings to Lemongrass Tofu, Eggplant Tofu, and Curry Tofu mains, plus stir-fried noodle and rice dishes built the same way as their meat counterparts. Dietary markers for gluten free, dairy free and vegan options run throughout the whole menu, alongside a No MSG policy and spice levels that can be adjusted from mild to hot on request.

Vietnamese Coffee and Drinks

Idoo's drinks list leans heavily into Vietnamese coffee culture, with options like Iced Egg Coffee, Salted Milk Coffee, and Iced Matcha Milk, all made with condensed milk and milk. A tea pot selection covers green, jasmine and black teas alongside English Breakfast and Earl Grey, and for something colder there are mocktails like the Star Passion and Lychee Lady.

A Note on Alcohol

Idoo currently notes that, due to a hold on its liquor licence, it is not serving alcohol for the time being. In its place, the drinks menu includes zero-alcohol versions of well-known beers — Heineken, Corona, Asahi, Steinlager, Speight Summit, Bavaria IPA and Peroni — so the bar side of the menu still has genuine variety despite the temporary restriction.

Visiting Idoo

Idoo Vietnamese Restaurant & Cafe is located at 251C Queen Street, Richmond, Nelson, and can be reached on 03 541 0486 for reservations or enquiries.

Signature items

• Grandma's Lamb Green Curry
• Shaking Beef
• Vietnamese Crispy Pancake
• Noodle Soup (Phở)
• Braised Pork Belly
• Galangal Seafood Curry

Menu

Salad

• Mango Salad (Gỏi Xoài) — Grilled lemongrass king prawn cutlets, chicken thigh or beef, seasonal salad, carrot, bean sprouts, sesame, herbs, mint, coriander

All Day

• Bao Bun (Bánh Bao) — Carrot, lettuce, hoisin sauce, aioli sauce; chicken or pork
• Dumplings (Há Cảo, 5 pieces) — Pork mince, prawn meat, onion, sesame
• Egg Benedict (Trứng Tràn) — Bacon, poached eggs, hollandaise on sourdough toast
• Eggs on Sourdough — Poached, scrambled or fried eggs on sourdough toast
• Sourdough Toast — With jam or peanut butter
• Soup Of The Day (Cháo) — Potato, leeks, fresh cream, butter, with bacon or chicken
• Salad (Xa Lát) — Seasonal veggie mixed salad, bean sprout, carrot, sesame, herbs, coriander; chicken, prawn or beef
• Popcorn Chicken/Pork (Gà Chiên) — Lemongrass, ginger, onion, served with fries; plain, sweet & sour or satay
• Pepper Chicken/Pork (Gà Tiêu Đen) — Onion, ginger, lemongrass, five spice, served with fries or bánh mì
• Pork Noodle (Bún Thịt Nướng) — Crispy spring rolls, mixed seasonal veggie salad, bean sprouts, coriander
• Noodle Soup (Phở) — 6-hour cooked broth, ginger, spring onion, onion, bean sprouts, coriander; chicken or beef, spicy option available
• Stir-Fried Noodle (Phở Xào) — Carrot, onion, bean sprouts, tamarind sauce; chicken/pork or prawn/beef, curry option available
• Stir-Fried Glass Noodle (Miến Xào) — Carrot, onion, bean sprouts, tamarind sauce; chicken/pork or prawn/beef
• Stir-Fried Rice (Cơm Chiên) — Carrot, broccoli, onion, spring onion; chicken/pork or prawn/beef, curry option available
• Curry (Cà Ri) — Onion, ginger, lemongrass, served with steamed rice or bánh mì; chicken, pork, beef or lamb

Tea Pot

• Green Tea (Chinese)
• Jasmine Tea (Chinese)
• Black Tea (Vietnamese)
• Cung Dinh Tra (Vietnamese)
• English Breakfast / Earl Grey

The Wok

• Phở - Noodle Soup — Tender beef rump or free-range chicken, 6-hour slow-cooked broth, bean sprouts, onion, spring onion, coriander; spicy option available
• Pork Noodles 2-Way (Bún Thịt Nướng) — Grilled lemongrass pork ribeye, crispy spring rolls, seasonal salad, herbs, mint, coriander, rice vermicelli, homemade dipping sauce
• Stir-fried Rice Noodles (Mì Xào) — Egg, carrot, tamarind sauce, onion, bean sprouts; chicken, pork or prawn
• Stir-fried Rice (Cơm Chiên) — Egg, green bean, carrot, broccoli; chicken, pork or prawn
• Vietnamese Crispy Pancake (Bánh Xèo) — Prawn, pork, onion, bean sprouts, homemade dipping sauce
• Braised Pork Belly (Thịt Kho Tàu) — Twice-cooked roasted pork belly, ginger, onion, seasonal vegetables
• Sweet and Sour Pork Belly (Heo Chua Ngọt) — Capsicum, carrot, pineapple, seasonal vegetables, ginger, garlic
• Wok-Tossed Chicken (Gà Xào Sả) — Lemongrass free-range chicken breast, seasonal vegetables, onion, garlic
• Yellow Chicken Curry (Cà Ri Gà) — Jungle coconut curry, pineapple, carrot, seasonal vegetables
• Five-spice Chicken (Gà Ngũ Vị Hương) — Grilled five-spice free-range chicken breast, green beans, ginger, mustard, sesame
• Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc) — Tender beef rump, capsicum, pineapple, carrot, seasonal vegetables
• Grandma's Lamb Green Curry (Cà Ri Bà Ngoại) — Slow-cooked lamb leg, ginger, seasonal vegetables, kaffir lime leaves
• Beef Cheek Red Curry (Cà Ri Bò) — Slow cooked beef cheek, kumara, ginger, onion
• Imperial Prawn (Tôm Hoàng Đế) — Saté king prawn cutlets, XO sauce, ginger, seasonal vegetables, herbs, mint, coriander
• Galangal Seafood Curry (Cà Ri Riềng Hải Sản) — Grilled fish of the day and prawns, seasonal vegetables, tomato, mixed coriander

Mocktails

• Star Passion — Vanilla, London dry, passion fruit, pineapple
• Lychee Lady — Lyre's white cane, cherry, grapefruit
• LG & T — Lemongrass, lemon, tonic water
• Paloma Sunrise — Grapefruit, orange, lime, soda water

Other Drinks

• Coke
• Sprite
• Bundaberg Ginger Beer
• Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitters
• Phoenix Sparkling Water (500ml)
• Juice — Orange, apple, pineapple, mixed mango, grapefruit or tomato

Small Plates

• Fresh Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn, 2 rolls) — Rice paper, rice vermicelli, carrot, cucumber, prawn & pork, fresh herbs
• Crispy Spring Rolls (Chả Giò, 2 rolls) — Pork mince, prawn meat, onion, carrot, mushroom, homemade dipping sauce
• Popcorn Chicken (Gà Chiên) — 5-spice, lemongrass, onion, kaffir lime leaves
• Passion Fruit & Ginger Chicken Nibble (5 pcs) — Deep-fried free-range chicken nibbles, hoisin sauce, lime juice, mixed coriander
• Chicken Skewers (3 skewers) — Grilled lemongrass marinade chicken thigh, homemade dipping sauce
• Crispy Squid (Mực Chiên Giòn) — Homemade saté, homemade soy sauce, mixed coriander
• Salmon Parcels (Chả Cá, 4 pcs) — Dill, spring onion, ginger, prawn
• Vietnamese Crispy Prawn (5 prawns) — Ginger, saté, onion
• Grilled Dumplings (Há Cảo) — Pork mince, prawn meat, sesame, onion, soy sauce, mixed coriander

Vietnamese Coffee

• Vietnamese Coffee — Contains condensed milk and milk
• Iced/Hot Salted Milk (Cà Phê Muối)
• Iced Egg (Cà Phê Trứng)
• Iced/Hot Milk (Cà Phê Sữa Đá)
• Iced Matcha Milk (Cà Phê Matcha Sữa)
• Iced Peanut Butter Milk (Cà Phê Sữa Đậu Phộng)
• Iced/Hot Silver Milk (Cà Phê Bạc Sỉu)

Zero Alcohol Beer

• Heineken 0.0
• Corona 0.0
• Asahi 0.0
• Steinlager 0.0
• Speight Summit 0.0
• Bavaria IPA 0.0
• Peroni 0.0

Small Plates - Vegetarian & Vegan

• Fresh Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn Chay, 2 rolls) — Rice paper, rice vermicelli, carrot, cucumber, tofu, fresh herbs
• Crispy Spring Rolls (Chả Giò Chay, 2 rolls) — Bean sprouts, carrot, onion, mushrooms
• Go Chu Chang Fried Tofu (Đậu Chiên, 6 pcs) — Soy sauce, green onion, sesame
• Lemongrass Tofu (Đậu Xào Sả) — Capsicum, pineapple, carrot, seasonal vegetables, served with steamed rice
• Curry Tofu (Đậu Cà Ri) — Broccoli, pineapple, onion, capsicum, served with steamed rice
• Eggplant Tofu (Đậu Xào Cà Tím) — Tomato, onion, spring onion, served with steamed rice
• Stir Fried Rice Noodles (Mì Xào Chay) — Broccoli, carrot, green bean, tofu, egg
• Stir Fried Rice (Cơm Chiên Chay) — Broccoli, carrot, green bean, tofu, egg

Vegetarian And Vegan (Đồ Chay)

• Bao Bun (Bánh Bao) — Fried tofu, pickled carrot, lettuce, hoisin sauce, coriander
• Dumpling (Há Cảo, 5 pieces) — Onion, corn, mushroom, sesame, home-made
• Soup Of The Day (Cháo) — Tomato, fresh cream, onion, leek, carrot, served with bánh mì
• Cream Broccoli Soup
• Cream Mushroom Soup
• Salad (Xa Lát) — Fried tofu, mixed seasonal veggies, herbs, coriander
• Lemongrass Tofu (Đậu Xào Sả) — Broccoli, pineapple, onion, capsicum, carrot, served with steamed rice
• Eggplant Tofu (Đậu Xào Cà Tím) — Tomatoes, onion, spring onion, served with steamed rice
• Curry Tofu (Đậu Cà Ri) — Bean sprouts, onion, carrot, lemongrass, ginger, served with steamed rice
• Stir-fried Rice Noodles (Phở Xào) — Bean sprouts, onion, carrot, tamarind sauce, egg
• Stir-fried Glass Rice Noodles (Miến Xào) — Bean sprouts, onion, carrot
• Stir-fried Rice (Cơm Chiên) — Broccoli, onion, carrot, egg

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does Idoo serve?

A modern interpretation of classic North Vietnamese cuisine, designed for shared-style dining.

What are the hours?

Open 9am to 2:30pm and 5pm to 10pm.

Is alcohol served?

Not currently — due to a hold on the current liquor licence, alcohol isn't being served; zero-alcohol beers and mocktails are available instead.

Do they cater to dietary requirements?

Yes, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options are marked throughout, with no MSG used and adjustable spice levels.

Do they serve breakfast?

Yes, an all-day breakfast menu including Egg Benedict and bao buns.

Is there a vegetarian or vegan menu?

Yes, a full parallel Vegetarian and Vegan menu covers mains, small plates and noodle dishes.

Where is Idoo located?

251C Queen Street, Richmond, Nelson.

Tips

• {"body":"The menu is designed for shared-style Vietnamese dining.","title":"Order to share"}
• {"body":"Mild, medium or hot available on request.","title":"Ask for your preferred spice level"}
• {"body":"Zero-alcohol beers and mocktails are available in place of alcohol for now.","title":"Note the current alcohol restriction"}
• {"body":"Staff ask to be informed before ordering.","title":"Mention any dietary requirements"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options marked throughout; No MSG; spice levels adjustable from mild to hot on request"}