Gate-adjacent Billy Chu sits in Melbourne T2’s departures zone
In the international T2 concourse at Melbourne Airport, Billy Chu serves pan-Asian dishes and cocktails to departing passengers only, so you need a boarding pass and cleared security to get in. It sits among the main food options near the centre of T2, handy if your flight leaves from one of the long-haul gates. Expect a casual bar-restaurant vibe with table service and a full bar, not a grab-and-go counter.
Pricing lands in typical airport territory: mains often hover in the AUD $22–$30 range, with snacks and sides coming in under $15 where available. Portions run medium, not share-plate tiny, so one main usually does the job before a 10–14 hour international leg. The drink list leans on cocktails and beer, and a basic spirit-and-mixer will usually clear the $12 mark once airport tax is baked in.
The kitchen focuses on Asian-inspired comfort food: think fried rice or noodle dishes, wok-fried items, dumpling-style starters, and bar food with soy, chilli, and ginger in the mix. Ratings sit in the mid-range at about 54 out of 100, so treat it as a sit-down option when you have time, not something to plan your whole layover around. With that score in mind, safest bets are simple stir-fries and rice bowls rather than anything too elaborate.
Billy Chu keeps hours keyed to the international bank: it typically opens in the morning before the first T2 departures and trades into the late-night windows when long-haul flights to Asia and the Middle East go out. Turn times on food can run 20–30 minutes when a couple of widebodies are boarding at once, so give yourself at least 45 minutes from sit-down to boarding gate if your flight leaves from T2.
Tip: check your departure gate on the screen at T2 first; if you pull a far 10x-series gate, leave Billy Chu at least 15 minutes before boarding to cover the walk plus a quick restroom stop en route.