Tiemen and I have been living in Australia for over 2 years now, on and off. When people first asked us “What are the Australian foods you must try when in Australia?”, we actually couldn’t tell them.
We always embrace the culture and make a huge effort to integrate ourselves into our new surroundings. Living in the city of Sydney however, we don’t come into contact too often with many locals. We took it upon ourselves to find some good old Australian sources, and here is what we found:
Watch the video, but do remember to scroll down to find a full list of Australian foods you must try when in Australia.
As you can see from our video, we weren’t quite able to capture everything that we needed to, before getting distracted and laughing our way off screen. This is the first time we have made a little video like this, so next time we’ll be better, we promise!
As mentioned above, Australia doesn’t typically have a signature dish.
Every Australian person that we asked replied with the same answer: A Meat Pie! or a barbecue.. yet that may sound a little stereotypical ha!
We have since spoken to more Australian people and have new items added to our list. Take a look below!
Here is a list for those of you who really want to know the Australian foods that you must try when in Australia:
- Meat Pie – You can buy these at any bakery. Most pubs also serve pie with chips, or mash and of course, gravy!
- Vegemite – Just like marmite, you either love it or your hate it. Every person that we spoke to told us to only use the smallest amount of vegemite on our toast. A very light spread. Adding to much is what typically results in people hating Vegemite, apparently 😉
- Kangaroo Meat – The Kangaroo burger is a very popular meal in most pubs and bars. If you can afford it, we highly recommend eating a kangaroo steak instead. This way you can fully explore the flavour without the distracting toppings of a burger.
- Chicken Parmigiana – Otherwise known as a Parmi. You will see this on every menu, everywhere.
- Pavlova – One of Australia’s favourite desserts is a good old pavlova. Make it at home, or eat one at a restaurant – just give it a try.
- Anzac Biscuits – Every country has a biscuit that people love, and Anzac biscuits are that biscuit! It is made with rolled oats and golden syrup which were previously eaten a substitute for bread.
- Tim Tams – The biscuits of all biscuits. The top dog. Tim tams are similar to a Penguin in the UK. A chocolate coated biscuit with a chocolate creamy middle. Make sure you buy double coated for that extra bite of perfection.
Traditional Dishes Don’t Really Exist in Australia!
So there you have it. Unlike in most countries where you have a typical dish, Australia seems to have individual items that make the cut. In the UK we have a roast dinner every Sunday, and maybe even Fish & Chip Fridays if you’re really traditional. I think that one is quite hard to keep up as we’d all be gigantic, though. If you’re on your way over to Australia, check out my posts for helpful insights:
Australian Working Holiday Visa – Getting Things Sorted
How to Find a Job in Australia
Finding Somewhere to Live in Australia
Mini Travel Guide to Sydney City – A 2 Minute Video
How to Find Legitimate Farm Work in Australia
Planning an East Coast Trip – Check Out My Tips on How to Do it!