10 Australian Foods You Simply Must Try

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As one of the ten largest countries in the world, it’s no surprise that Australia is brimming with food and drink from all kinds of cuisines, so delectable that it has me salivating just thinking about it. One of my best friends spent a couple of years working and living over there and she would send me photos of her food that had me drooling over my iPhone so much, I’m surprised it didn’t end up with liquid damage. She really knew where to go to find the best foods in Australia!

If you’re visiting Australia, make the most of your time by hiring a car or using public transport to get to all the Australian landmarks you’d like to visit. To really make the most of your time, consider joining a tour so you can experience the food, attractions and culture without the hassle of organising everything yourself.

Alternatively, if you’re planning on staying in Australia for a few months, you might find it more worthwhile to buy a second-hand car through a website such as Gumtree, which you can sell on before you leave.

So, what are the best foods to eat in Australia? I asked some of my favourite travel bloggers, and here’s what they said:

1) Salami 

Melbourne, like so many Australian cities, is multicultural. That’s reflected in the diversity of cuisines served in restaurants, cafes and markets. More than a quarter of a million Melburnians have Italian heritage. Ultimately, that means you can find some of the best salami in the southern hemisphere in Victoria’s capital. The annual Melbourne Salami Festa pits the city’s sausages up against each other for the coveted accolade of champion.

Want a slice of Melbourne’s salami action? You can taste salami and sip craft ales or wine at the Ombra Salumi Bar at 76 Bourke Street. Stroll between stalls at the likes of the Slowfood Melbourne Farmers Market for artisanal produce. If you’re into food, the Queen Victoria Market will be a delight to look around: W.R.King’s stall stocks a selection of salamis. You can even learn to make it yourself during classes run by Sausages Made Simple in West Melbourne.

— Stuart Forster, Go Eat Do

2) Fish and chips 

3) Tasmanian oysters 

5) Smashed avo

Australia is home to some of the best brunches around. Australian brunch is so famous that many Australian cafes have been popping up around the world, with huge success. The media has also covered the Australian brunch phenomenon, thanks to the young Australians who love brunch so much that they have forgone a mortgage to spend their hard-earned dollars on an Australian brunch delicacy, smashed avo.

Smashed avo is the name given to a simple dish of mashed avocado on top of toasted bread. The many varieties of smashed avo range from simple avocado on toast to more elaborate recipes of avocado, sprouted seeds, feta, pomegranate seeds and many more ingredients on top of toasted sourdough bread. Pair this with the amazing coffee from Melbourne (as you can see further up in this article), and you can see why Australia is known for its outstanding brunch culture.

— Kate Parnell, Wanderlust Chronicles

Did you know that the sensational ‘Freak Shake’ originated in Australia?

‘Pattissez’, the home of the original Freak Shake, is located in the quiet suburb of Griffith, Canberra.  When this mother-daughter duo began making these sensational overloaded milk shakes in 2016, Canberra rightfully proved it was more than just a boring public service town.

So, what is a freak shake? Freak shakes are overindulgent, overloaded milkshakes typically served in mason jars. The toppings can vary, from cream and wafers to pretzels, to basically anything edible. Since its success, many innovative freak shakes have been created in various cafes, including vegan and low-calorie options.

When I visited, Pattissez served my freak shake in a plastic glass,  which was fine, but I think the mason jar would have been cooler.  So, if you’re in Canberra, make sure to drop in at the Manuka Shopping centre to taste the epic Freak Shake! If this isn’t one of the best foods in Australia, I don’t know what is!

– Rohini Nair, Why You Wander

7. Moreton Bay Bugs 

If you are a lover of seafood, especially crustaceans, then you simply must try Moreton Bay Bugs while visiting Australia. Widely regarded as one of the best foods in Australia, Moreton Bay Bugs are named after Moreton Bay, near Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland. While eating bugs isn’t unheard of in Australia – particularly where bush tucker cuisine is concerned – Moreton Bay Bugs are otherwise known as flathead lobsters. The main meat of these lobsters is found in the tail and they offer up a meaty, yet buttery flavour profile. Moreton Bay Bugs are often boiled like you would a regular lobster, but they can also be grilled, which adds a tasty charcoal flavour to the meat.

While they are a popular dish, it’s not something you will often find on menus in Queensland, so if you spot it, make sure you give it a try. Our favourite place is the Brisbane Brewing Company, where not only is it delicious, but the plating of this dish is absolutely superb and Instagram-worthy every time!

— Megsy, Food Fun Travel 

8) Damper

9) Coffee

 10) Pavlova

Pavlova is a dessert that  remember having at every party or celebration when I was a kid. My mum’s mum used to make hers with a little lemon curd inside – a little citrus surprise – but traditionally, it will be filled with cream, then decorated with all the summer fruits you can imagine.

Cherrries, strawberries an kiwis were the ‘must-haves’ but Mum used to try to get mandarin in there too sometimes. I used to go around and eat the crunchy meringue from the outside of the baked pavlova, hoping Mum wouldn’t notice – but she always did!

If you happen to be visiting Sydney, Bennelong Restaurant at Sydney Opera House serve the perfect pavlova – it has to be one of the best foods in Australia!

— Erica, I’m Being Erica

Do you like the sound of these foods? What do you think are the best foods in Australia? Let me know in the comment box below.

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