The best Australian Eats in Sydney

Australia is a world away for many people and boasts its own unique food culture. While Sydney is home to some of the best high-end restaurants globally, you don't need to spend big to eat like an Aussie. Join Dean in our 'The best Australian eats in Sydney' video as he ventures through the harbour city to find the best eats in Sydney.

From iconic Australian baked goods to the nation's favourite ice cream and the legendary pub lunch, these are some of our favourite must-try Australian eats in Sydney.

The Aussie Breakfast: Vegemite on Toast

Wake up and head to literally any cafe for this staple Australian breakfast dish: Vegemite on Toast. Vegemite is a spread made from a yeast extract that is left over from the beer brewing process. It's best eaten on fresh toast with butter, and the trick is to spread the Vegemite in a thin layer. The iconic umami taste pairs perfectly with the toast, butter, and an Aussie coffee.

Be warned: Aussies like to trick travellers by making them eat a large spoonful of the spread and watch them suffer from its extremely strong taste.

Location: Every Cafe in Australia will serve you this staple, or you can pick up a jar at the local supermarket

Aussie Meat Pie at the Pie Tin

When you think of a meat pie, Britain might come to mind, but Australians have their own version of this indulgent treat, and it's practically the national dish. You can find pies at pubs, bakeries, and convenience stores, but we particularly love the pies at The Pie Tin. This shop offers many different varieties, but the most iconic is the classic Beef Mince Pie, best enjoyed with a generous squirt of tomato sauce.

Location: The Pie Tin
Address: 1a Brown St, Newtown, New South Wales

Australia's Ice Cream: The Golden Gaytime

To cool down your mouth after the hot pie, head to your local convenience store and pick up a Golden Gaytime, Australia's favourite ice cream. This toffee and vanilla flavour bomb combines a soft inside with a crunchy biscuit coating.

Location: Any convenience store or supermarket

The iconic Tim Tam Biscuit

Tim Tams are Australia's favourite biscuit and perfect for a quick break. They consist of two crunchy chocolate-coated wafers with a creamy chocolate filling in between. While this snack has become so popular that you can find it in most supermarkets overseas, Australians have a special way to eat it: the Tim Tam Slam. Bite off opposite corners of the biscuit, get a hot cup of tea or coffee, and use the Tim Tam as a straw to suck up the hot liquid, melting the chocolate in the process.

Location: Any convenience store or supermarket

The Ultimate Pub Lunch: Chicken Parmigiana

Join the Australians for an iconic pub lunch. You'll find Aussies flocking to their local pubs (which are called "hotels" in Australia) for a beer and a meal. One of the staples is the Chicken Parmigiana, also known as the "parmi" in Sydney. A crumbed chicken breast is fried, then smothered in tomato sauce, covered in ham, and topped with melted cheese. The entire dish is then grilled until the cheese is golden brown. It's always served with chips and best enjoyed alongside a beer.

This iconic dish can be found at almost any hotel (pub), but we particularly love the one at the Newtown Hotel.

Location: The Newtown Hotel
Address: 174 King St, Newtown, New South Wales

Taste the Local: Kangaroo Meat

Kangaroos are Australia's national animal, but their meat is also enjoyed for its taste and lean quality. It's often enjoyed as steak, skewers or a burger at a barbecue, but if you don't want to cook yourself, you can often find it in restaurants such as Bush, The Meat & Wine Co., and Kingsleys Steak House.

Location: Bush
Address: 55 George St, Redfern, New South Wales

Location: The Meat & Wine Co.
Address: Multiple Locations around Sydney

Location: Kingsleys Australian Steak House
Address: 29a King St, Sydney, New South Wales

The Sweet and Salty Combo: Macca's Fries with Soft Serve

McDonald's is called "Macca's" in Australia, and their iconic Soft Serve and Chips are a classic Australian childhood snack. While delicious on their own, they become magical when you dip the chips in the soft serve to create sweet and salty deliciousness.

Location: Any local Macca's (McDonald's)

The Best Meal after a Swim: Fish and Chips

Head to one of Sydney's beautiful beaches for a dip, because after a swim, nothing beats a great Fish and Chips. Aussie fish and chips are quite different from their counterpart in the United Kingdom. The Australian version can be made with various types of fish and typically comes with tartare sauce and lemon. The chips are thicker cut and usually dusted with chicken salt for flavouring. One of our favourites is the barramundi fish and chips at Out Of The Blue Clovelly, a true local high-quality fish and chips shop.

Location: Out Of The Blue Clovelly
Address: 2/272 Clovelly Rd, Coogee, New South Wales

A Traditional Sweet Treat: The Lamington

For another sweet pick-me-up, head to a bakery to grab a Lamington. This light and fluffy sponge cake is coated in chocolate and desiccated coconut. Tokyo Lamington in Newtown has made this iconic cake their entire business and is a great spot to try both traditional and new, experimental versions.

Location: Tokyo Lamington Newtown
Address: 277 Australia St, Newtown, New South Wales

The Best Drunken Meal: Halal Snack Pack

After a big night out, nothing satisfies more than a Halal Snack Pack. This delicious monstrosity is a combination of shaved döner kebab meat, chips (fries) with chicken salt, and a combo of chilli, garlic, and barbecue sauce. You can find this dish at any kebab shop, but our go-to spots are Metro One Kebab or Saray for their HSP.

Location: Metro One Kebab Ashfield
Address: 309 Liverpool Rd, Ashfield

Location: Saray Turkish Pizza and Kebabs Newtown
Address: 18 Enmore Rd, Newtown, New South Wales

The Drink of the Nation: Goon

Not an eat, but "Goon" is an experience that practically every drinking Australian has grown up with. Goon is boxed wine that is usually drunk during university since it's cheaper. The wine is generally neither exceptional nor terrible. If you want to experience it like an Aussie, you can partake in "Goon of Fortune," a drinking game where a bag of goon is suspended from a Hills Hoist (an Australian rotary clothesline). The contraption is spun, and if the bag ends up in front of you, it's time to drink.

Location: Bought from any Australian liquor store and enjoyed in the backyard

Watch us eat all the iconic Australian food in Sydney and more in our latest episode of Hawker Style, our original video series exploring local eats around the world.

CREDITS

Director & Writer: Vikash Autar
Cinematographer and Editor: Michael Thompson
Producer: Chelsea Li
Presenter: Dean Vowles
Production Company: ANYDOKO Studios

The best Australian eats in Sydney - get a taste of Down Under