Australia's 10 most popular traditional foods
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Loading... - Elise Blanchet
- 25 May 2022
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We’ve scoured the country for the tastiest foods that we can (sort of) claim as our own. Our only warning? You might not want to read this while you’re hungry. Find out about some of the most popular Australian foods and, more importantly, the best places to try them.
1. Chicken parmigiana
This classic Aussie chicken dish – with roots in Italian-American cooking – is a staple offering at many pub menus in the country. Whether you call it a parmi/parmy or a parma (but never a parmo), there’s huge debate about where does the best parmigiana in Australia.
One contender, in terms of the holy mix of size, quality, topping and chips, is the Corner Hotel in Alexandra, Victoria. Dating back to the gold rush era, this hotel has award winning parmas that are huge, source free range chickens and have a house secret crumb. Eight options ranging from traditional to vindaloo and the double banger await those keen to explore this sensation.
2. Barbecued snags (aka sausages)
It’s no surprise that Aussies love to grill, and nothing is more important to a good barbie than a decent sausage – whether you’re at a mate’s place or at your local Bunnings for a sausage sizzle. Traditional Australian sausages are usually pork or beef, but if you’re feeling adventurous, there are other animals to sample. Wrap a slice of bread around your snag and top it off with some fried onions and your favourite sauce.
According to the Australian Meat Industry Council’s Sausage King competition, the best beef snags are found in Nowra, NSW, and the best pork bangers come from Mawson, ACT.
3. Lamingtons
Lamington is recognised as the ‘National Cake of Australia’ after the National Trust of Queensland voted this sweet treat an Australian icon. It’s named as it was after Lord Lamington, a former Governor of Queensland who apparently had quite the sweet tooth.
The lamington is a modest square-shaped sponge dipped in chocolate and coated with desiccated coconut. Other variations include two layers and a cream or jam filling – seen by many as a vital addition. They go perfectly with a nice cup of bush tea, or maybe one of Melbourne’s world-famous coffees, and are available in all good bakeries and cafes.
Although the cake is thought to have been first served in Toowoomba, the national success has seen it take off in cities across Australia. Flour and Stone bakery in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo is touted as one of the best places to sample this Australian food.
4. A burger with ‘the lot’
If tomato, lettuce, onions and a juicy meat patty just isn’t enough burger, then maybe you should try the Aussie gut-buster with ‘the lot’. Take a burger bun and stuff it with barbecued meat, salad, sauce and, for the Australian twist, add a slice of pineapple, some pickled beetroot and a fried egg. The perfect Australian food after a long day surfing or relaxing on the beach.
Every city, or even suburb, claims to have the best burgers in Australia, so finding the very best is tricky. Somewhere to start your search may be Easey’s in Collingwood, Victoria, a bar and grill that regularly wins awards in this area.
5. Pavlova
Both Australia and New Zealand lay claim to inventing this famous dessert, created in honour of the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova’s visit to Australasia in the 1920s. As a truly Australian after-dinner sweet, the pavlova’s crispy meringue crust, light fruit filling and whipped cream topping ensure it’s a family hit.
Australian food claims on this dish go back to the 1930s and Perth’s Esplanade Hotel. While that hotel no longer exists, the city still holds a strong claim on the dessert. Where the best slice is available is still contested, but add your voice to the ongoing debate by trying the options at Whisk Creamery, C Restaurant in the Sky or The Treasury Lounge Bar.
6. Meat pies
You may think that a pie’s a pie, available in any flavour with any filling. However, a traditional Australian pie should be hand-sized, filled with mincemeat and gravy, and topped with tomato sauce. A gourmet version with mashed potato and mushy peas is also popular, but any other variant surely falls under a different category.
In 2021, the winner of the Great Aussie Pie Competition for ‘plain meat pie’ was the Pinjarra Bakery in Pinjarra, WA.
7. Barramundi
Forget about fish and chips, feast on fresh Australian barramundi, a name which means ‘large-scaled river fish’ in the Aboriginal language in the Rockhampton area. Grilled, fried or seared skin-side first, it’s a much healthier alternative to battered fish, and a true Aussie meal.
Whether you catch your own or sit back and let someone else take care of the hard work, heading up to Queensland gets you some of the best fish in the country. Try somewhere like George’s Paragon Seafood Restaurant or The Barra Boys (both in Brisbane) to see how it should be cooked. Read More...
