Sit Lo

I always consider Sit Lo for a last minute take out dinner before it closes. Friendly staff, quick service, and always satisfies my hunger (really worth!).
It has one of the tastiest phở in Adelaide, with generous amount of tender beef and tasty soup.
The entrees are interesting, very delicious and increase appetite.
The vietnamese coffee is also great; rich and not too sweet. The bao (bun) tastes amazing. Each of the flavors has different kind of taste which makes it difficult to pick just one. 3 for $ 13 is really a good offer to that.

Quick service! The noodle bowls were delicious! The grilled chicken was better than the panko crumbed fried chicken and had more meat in the dish. The chilli had a bit of bite and could have been offset by additional mint but well worth stopping by.

Funky little hole in the wall eatery.
Enjoyed the 3 mixed steamed bun for $ 13 prepared with lovely fresh ingredients.
I also brought the salt and pepper wings BOOM what a flavour explosion.
Delicious and priced well

Finally I got to try the famous Sit Lo.
We ordered the 3 mixed baos (soft shell crab, chicken and slow cooked pork belly) — I ate the chicken bao and oh it was crispy and delicious. Next is the Soft shell crab and it’s yummy too. But I think the best is the pork belly! It’s so soft… it almost melts in your mouth! The taste just blends so well with the bun. It’s the taste of ‘siopao’ that I miss from my country.
The only con is I find the serving small. 5 aud for a small bao. However if you’ll get the 3 mixed baos then you pay 13 aud instead of 15. But I still wont mind coming back for 3 pork belly buns haha.
Next we ordered the 6 aud small beef phở (the large is 10 aud). The soup has its minty aromatic taste and smell that I love. For me small serving is enough and Im glad they have it. It’s just so hard to pay like 13 aud big bowl of noodle that I couldnt finish by myself.
We were so impressed with the 2 meals that we ordered 3 mixed cold rolls (10 aud). I chose the spicy mayo dip. However, this one is a bit of dissapointment. I think they’re tasteless. It’s mostly cold noodles and wrapping. I have to really dip it to the sauce to make it flavorful. I couldn’t really taste the difference of the 3 cold roll flavours. I have tried tastier cold rolls in the past (like the one in adelaide train station)
We wanted to try the pepper wings but we were so full already.
Overall, I had a great experience at Sit Lo. I highly recommend their baos especially the pork belly. I cant wait to try the chicken wings next time.

Happy staff = happy food = happy clients
Simple yet fantastic menu. phở is aromatic and tasty, bahn mi are warm and fresh sides are spot on.
$ 10 is all you need to turn that frown upside down

Fresh ingredients well prepared.
Friendly staff. Funky informal surroundings.
Have tried Phở noodles and noodle salads, both great. Tofu and shiitake cold roll was exceptional!

A little «hole in the wall» restaurant on a street in Adelaide that used to have the sole purpose of getting from the train station to… anywhere else.
After having this recommended by a friend I can tell you I owe them a huge thank you.
Seating maybe 25 people at capacity, this is the perfect place to grab a quick bite with a few mates. The wife and I ordered a noodle bowl, the bao sampler plate and the Sit Lo bites (mini spring rolls) and each item was more impressive than the last. Everything that was meant to be crispy, was, items were fried but not greasy, and food arrived within about 7 minutes of ordering. Super reasonably priced (under $ 20/​head including soft drink) I can tell you I will definitely be back. Whilst not important to us, there were plenty of vego options as well :)
I understand why they aren’t licensed, but this kind of food definitely lends itself to being washed down with a crisp lager. A minor minor criticism though.

I’ve heard a lot about this place but hadn’t actually got there yet, despite only working about a block away.
I had one of the specials, a BBQ pork noodle salad, which was really nicely done, flavourful and noodles were the perfect texture.
Ambiently, it’s one of Adelaide’s increasing number of «hole in the wall» type places, with an on-​trend fitout comprising reclaimed wood and white subway tiles. The name is definitely relevant as we sat on low cushioned drums — deliberately got there early to avoid the crowd which came later. Cosy while nobody else is in it, but quickly gets cramped and crowded with the lunch time rush. In fact, as we were finishing up, we had people sit at the table behind us and the woman on my side actually sat on me. I couldn’t go any further forward and she seemed happy to rest her back on mine so I had to bounce right away. I don’t like communal dining at the best of times, let alone being used as a back rest. Not really the venue’s fault — although I think I’ll get mine takeaway next time.

Sit Lo translates to small plate. And not the small plate you’re thinking.
The roll was not particularly crusty. The meat was tasty, well-​seasoned, with delightful little crunches of crackling. Coriander was light on, which didn’t bother me as I’m not the biggest fan. My «a teeny tiny bit of chilli» equated to three big slices.
Not the best banh mi I’ve eaten. And what really topped it off was the pointlessly small plate my roll came on.
A redeeming quality — I was greeted very warmly. Service is this places strong point.
By the way, that first bit. Not true. Made it up. ;)

Bao rolls:
Chicken-​cold and not much flavour
Pork belly– good
Soft shell crab– too much Mayo, crab lacking

After moving to a new job earlier this year I moved away from the fantastic Bahn Mi (
) and have been looking for a replacement on the West Side.
After conveniently forgetting my lunch I headed down to Sit Lo to give it a crack, and I’m in love.
The place is very cool and cosy, bordering on cramped in the lunch rush, but you expect it to be. The menu is clear and simple making deciding easy and that keeps the line moving. Having said that though, most people went straight up and ordered knowing exactly what they wanted.
Being a vego and having been spoiled by the quality of the vego bahn mi from the place linked above I was very keen to try their tofu and mushroom roll. It was awesome and came out so quickly!
I was also told to get the popcorn tofu. Rather than just being a side it will now form the core of all future meals there. Simple food made well is so fantastic.
My only gripe is that the popcorn tofu took longer than expected, particularly when you compare it to the time taken for the bahn mi, so clearly i am splitting hairs.
Definitely going back.

They served lovely Bao in this place! Piping hot steamed bun with a crispy chicken filling and chilli Mayo! The braised pork was so soft! It literally melts in your mouth. The sweet bean sauce goes really well with the meat too. What a great way to end this lovely trip to Adelaide!

Bahn Mi, Bao and Phở have exploded on the Adelaide food scene, but Sit Lo serve up these classic Vietnamese street foods with a difference. The passion of the owners and staff is clear. Deliciously grilled chicken stuffs their generous Bahn Mi. The pâté is perfect and the veggies always super fresh. Great for a lunch on the run, or a small group catch up over quality food.

Venue and Banh mi review only:
Many, many positive thoughts were coming into my head walking back from lunch at Sitlo today. I’m trying desperately to discern between the positivity inherent in a good mood and a genuinely good experience. My conclusion is the latter (given I had a few cheeky midweek beverages last night and amild headache this morning), and for good reason.
My experience at Sit lo was like some food Utopia. I was happy. Everyone around me seemed happy. I could just sit there, and be happy and be happy that everyone else seemed happy.
The staff were very friendly and prompt. The price for the food is reasonable, especially for what I saw come out and also enjoyed myself… The pork rolls and phở looked delicious!
I had my standard fare: 1 pork and 1 chicken banh mi. When the woman serving me said ‘oh, you’d like to eat them both here?’ I had a little chuckle to myself — She thought I was sharing them with someone else!
Roast pork: Hands down the best quality pork meat I’ve had in a banh mi that’s been made by someone else (I like to make my own occasionally). First bite to last was ultimate crunch city, with juicy meaty flavour to boot. Not a single disappointing bite. And the huge bonus was they cut my rolls in half and served them in these really kitchy cool little cardboard baskets!
Chicken: I opted for the bread crumbed fried (?) chicken. Some zesty mayo came through, but in a great proportion to the rest of the chilli/​veg/​meat. Really tasty chicken and, again, really well presented.
These were also hands down the best ‘balanced’ banh mis I’ve had as well. A perfect ratio of meat, cucumber, coriander, carrots and chilli.
The chairs along the wall are repurposed old drums — solid recycling effort.
The tables each had a bottle of hoisin and a bottle of Sriracha sauce. This in itself, to me, was worth the extra few cents on my banh mis compared to other places.
I’ll be back and bringing friends next time. Really want to try the other menu items! KaChing!

At the moment Adelaide has a mad obsession with Asian street food and Vietnamese cuisine has been on the rise in popularity of recent with all these new banh mi bars popping up all over the place and Sit Lo is one of them. As a Vietnamese-​Australian person who has grown up eating authentic, home-​cooked Vietnamese food I am naturally a harsh critic and a hard one to please when it comes to dining out at Vietnamese restaurants and cafes.
Yes I was initially skeptical about Sit Lo as I have heard from others that the phở in the cup concept was a fail and the portions are small for its asking price but I was pleasantly surprised. I was feeling for for something more crunchy rather than soupy so i got the grilled chicken banh mi. While it’s not as cheap, filling or as delicious as the ones you would get in the North side it’s actually very good for what it was. They weren’t stingy about fillings and the grilled chicken was succulent and moist, the pickled julienne carrots were crunchy and just right. The bread? Soft in the inside and crunchy on the outside. You know it’s a good banh mi roll if most of the crust ends up on your table and on yourself than actually in your mouth.
I tried my friend’s beef phở in a cup and again i was surprised. Although it is not as good as my mum’s or the restaurants in the North the fragrant, comforting smell of the phở with the traditional herbs smells almost on par with my mum’s. The broth itself was nice and sweet and had some body to it. The beef meat although not as tender as I would have liked it but was not chewy nonetheless. Though I would rather much eat my phở out of a ceramic bowl and for the price I would rather go somewhere else but the idea of it being a quick, takeaway meal is pretty good.
Will I come back? Yeah why not?! It’s actually a pretty good take on Vietnamese cuisine in the city and caters well to the busy, hungry lunch crowd. It’s not too badly priced for the portions if you ask me though.

Expect to Vietnamese gourmet street food at Sit Lo, ranging from Bahn Mi (Vietnamese crusty meat rolls) to ph all for great prices. Love the Panko crumbed chicken Bahn mi with the condensed milk iced coffee when I’m on a university break, one of my favourite new places in Adelaide.

What really drew me to Sit Lo was the mouthwatering the pictures posted by other reviews on Unilocal.They came up on my feed and I thought, «Man, I need Bao!» They are an Asian Style Taco if you did not know. In fact, the first opportunity I had to get into the city involved a quick stop at Sit Lo.
The menu at Sit Lo has a lot to offer. I see that they do not use MSG, which I love. I have reactions to MSG, so that is great to know. Very talented chefs know how to use the right ingredients to get flavour without having to use it. So well done Sit Lo.
This is not a big restaurant. More of a quick stop lunch destination. There is one long shared table in the middle and some side tables for two.
I ordered the soft shell crab bao and a serving of lotus root chips. The Bao came out of the kitchen very fast. The steamed bun was really light, sweet and fresh. The crab, mayo and cabbage was a great comfortable mix of flavours. The batter was seasoned well and the crab was cooked nice and crispy. Overall, a very satisfying lunch. I could have gobbled down four! They would be amazing paired with a lager.
The lotus root chips however arrived a little overcooked. What a shame I thought. They were super busy, so these things happen. After speaking to a very friendly and understanding waitress, they redeemed the problem and offered me a new lot. What amazing service! The new lot was cooked well, crunchy and spiced. Very nice.
Thanks for looking after me Sit Lo, I will return and bring others!

I was walking aimlessly around trying to decide what to have for lunch, then I stumbled across Sit Lo!
I ordered the grilled chicken noodle salad, my god it’s tasty! Semi chargrilled the chicken with fresh mixed lettuce leafs, noodles, chili, coriander and carrots topped with the traditional Vietnamese fish sauce!
The place is cutely decorated with different sized wheels on the walls, cute little tuktuk bicycles on the tables and warm glowing lights hanging from the ceiling. It is hidden and small if you’re not wondering around with your eyes, there’s also no street signs or anything hanging from the roof.
Service was super fast, friendly and cheap! I would go back there and order something else off the menu: D

New to Bank Street, and further evidence of Adelaide’s love affair with Vietnamese food, is casual eatery Sit Lo.
So named for the cute low stool two person tables lining the wall, Sit Lo has a funky modern interior and a large communal table running along it’s centre. Behind the tables along the side, the wall is covered in a sandy render and then adorned with black writing, that spells out «Bank St».
Proudly displayed on the wood-​lined wall, is a tempting menu of noodle bowls, bao (‘Asian tacos’), cold rolls, banh mi, and the house specialty — phở. Unusually, it is served in a large cup, perfect for take away.
Pronounced «fur» — there is a school of thought that muses that phở is indeed adapted from the French ‘pot au feu’ — or perhaps it is the other way around?
Phở is a clear meat and seafood broth soup and Vietnam’s answer to the Japanese ramen.
Comfort, flu beater or a hangover cure in a bowl, phở is usually served with a mountain of herbs, bean sprouts, lime and chili for adding in to your perfect blend.
Staff are helpful when ordering, and offer suggestions as well as extra dipping sauces to make sure you enjoy your meal to the max. While ordering is at the counter, if you are eating in, staff will bring your meal out to you.
Tofu and sauteed shitake mushroom banh mi ($ 6.50) are chock-​full with pickled carrot, daikon, cucumber and corriander. Turn up the heat with the sriracha and hoisin sauces on each table. The tofu and mushrooms are rich and flavoursome, the balance of sour, hot and herby filling good, but the bun isn’t as crispy on the outside as other examples.
Cold rolls come in three varieties, at $ 3.50 each, or three of your choice for $ 10.
Tempura soft shell crab was Mr Wino’s pick of the bunch, crispy and sweet inside the cool herby filling.
Barossa Valley pork belly cold roll was rich and tasty with the chilli mayo dip.
Tofu and shitake mushroom cold rolls come with the recommended dip-​match, offered as a little bonus because it is so good with this dish. It is a delicious sauce and with a squirt of sriracha it is a formidable cold roll. Crunch from the red cabbage, tang from the carrot, fresh herbs and rich meatiness from the mushroom .
Sit Lo is fast, casual, but the service is a cut above regular take away joints by offering real care, and some table service.

Fun and funky… that was the vibe and not just the company I was with!
I really love the décor here, in particular the absence of the usually ubiquitous bright lighting found in most Asian eateries. Large and interesting wall graphics, chunky wooden tables, table numbers nestled in rickshaws, easy to read and well designed menu on the wall and cosy lighting. I may have mentioned the lighting already… but it’s sooooooo much more relaxing not squinting into fluoros…
I really enjoyed the cold rolls. A selection of 3; soft shell crab, pork and tofu. Big selection of dipping sauces. The peanut one was delicious.
The noodle bowl looked great and was well priced. Fresh, light but substantial enough to be filling.
My first experience of lotus chips and they were delicious. A very tasty coating. It was mentioned that they could have been a little bit crisper, but I don’t have anything to compare that with. So for a first experience, I was impressed! Plus the rest of our group liked them too.
Friendly and attentive staff and quick service. One little word of warning: there is a toilet outside, up steps but quick to get to, and it’s a bit dodgy. Could be cleaner! So if you don’t really need to go, perhaps don’t go! But do go to the restaurant — well worth a visit.
Also, they don’t have a liquor licence, but it sounds like they might be getting one since they said they don’t have one ‘yet’. That would just round off the evening nicely, to sip a glass of wine whilst enjoying the surroundings. A great addition to the thriving West End!