Heading to Australia? We share the most popular foods in Australia you must try on your visit, including Vegemite and unusual dishes!
One of the great joys of traveling is discovering locally-produced food and national or regional dishes, so you can try some of the best food around the world. If you’re planning a trip to Australia, don’t miss the opportunity to sample the unique local cuisine and try these famous local specialties. They range from the most luxurious, to convenient snacks, and unusual bites that you’ll not find elsewhere.
Vegemite
Ok, this is the archetypical Australian comfort food. It’s a simple savoury spread, typically enjoyed on bread or toast with butter. A love-or-hate option, you have to try it at least once! If you find you love it, then try some variations – Australians team it with avocado, melted cheese, or tomatoes.
Beef Steaks
Braised, fried, or cooked on the barbie, Australian steaks are known the world over, for their flavour and tenderness. For the ultimate luxury meat-lovers experience, try a purebred Australian Wagyu beef steak – the tenderness is unrivalled and the marbling creates an unforgettable depth of flavour.
Witchetty Grubs
Next, let’s choose something to tell the folks back home. Authentic bush tucker – witchetty grubs, taste a bit like chicken and are protein-packed. Gram for gram, they contain twice as much protein as beef. Keep those nutritional benefits in mind to help you forget about the gooey texture!
Meat pies
Now for a more down-to-earth option. Wherever you go in Australia, you’ll find shops and bakeries selling savoury hot pies, filled with a variety of meat, mushrooms, and even cheese with onions. A great snack any time of day, but especially good to finish off a night in the pub.
Let’s also give mention a uniquely Australian way of serving the humble meat pie. A Floater is a meat pie served, floating like an island, in a sea of thick pea soup. It may sit on top or be submerged. Tomato sauce can be added for the perfect finishing touch.
Emu
The emu is Australia’s largest bird and Aboriginals have hunted them for millennia. Emu is extremely healthy – it’s almost fat-free and low in cholesterol. Tasting like chicken, it’s also high in protein, and rich in vitamin C. You’ll find it on restaurant menus, grilled or fried – it’s at its best when slightly rare. Surprisingly good as a pizza topping, it can also be smoked and served cold. If you’re not tempted to try the meat itself, it’s easy to find emu-flavored crisps!
Kangaroo
Now, if you want to try something more recognizable as meat, that’s also indigenous to Australia, why not try a kangaroo steak? It’s a healthy, low-fat alternative to beef. It’s also a Vegemite kind of meat. Some people love it and others –don’t. As well as being lean, it’s surprisingly tender. You’ll find it in restaurants and supermarkets everywhere. Kangaroo is prepared in lots of different ways, including sausages, steaks, and burgers, so it’s worth experimenting with. You may find you’re hooked!
Barramundi
This popular fish is found on restaurant menus all over Australia, so do give it a try. The name is Aboriginal and means ‘large-scaled silver fish’. Barramundi is a variety of sea-bass found in the Indo-Pacific and the waters around Australia. It can be prepared in several ways and is delicious with different marinades.
Sausage Sanga
It’s not that a sausage sandwich is unique to Australia, but you’ll be surprised at how much the locals rave over their own “sausage sangas”. You’ll find them everywhere – not just in restaurants and cafes, but at barbecues, birthday parties, and formal functions. Even unexpected venues such as large hardware stores serve them at the weekends to attract the crowds.
Moreton Bay Bugs and Balmain Bugs
These weird creatures may look like insects, but in fact, they’re crustaceans. They’re around the size of a crayfish, and you may wonder if they’re worth the effort, as the only place you’ll find meat on the Moreton Bay bug is in its tail. They can be cooked in the same way as lobster or crayfish – boiled, steamed, grilled, or cut in half, drizzled with oil or butter then seasoned with salt and pepper, and placed on the barbie. They’re worth trying, although their firm, white meat has a strong and distinctive flavour.
Tim Tam
A Tim Tam is comprised of two malt biscuits with a creamy light chocolate filling and a chocolate coating. Nothing unique about that, you might say.
What’s uniquely Australian is how they’re used as straws, to drink tea The practice of “Tim Tam Slamming”, is best demonstrated by a native before you attempt it yourself. There’s a real art to it! But once you have the knack, tea drinking will never be the same again!
Have a great time in Australia and enjoy eating around the country! Let us know where you are going in the comments below!