Australian food: discover traditional cuisine

DAMPER – a traditional Australian soda bread, a staple of bush life, made from wheat flour, water, and salt, historically baked by swagmen and drovers in the coals of a campfire.

WEET-BIX – is a whole-grain wheat breakfast cereal which, though technically a commercial product first made in 1926, has evolved into a cultural staple that can now be considered a traditional Australian breakfast.

ANZAC BISCUITS – cookies made with rolled oats, flour, golden syrup, and coconut. They were famously sent to soldiers during World War I because they could survive long sea journeys.

VEGEMITE SCROLLS – a savory bread roll made with wheat flour, filled with Vegemite and cheese. A modern adaptation with roots in Australia’s baking tradition.

PIKELETS – mini dense pancakes served with butter, jam or whipped cream.

PUMPKIN SOUP – made with Queensland Blue or Butternut pumpkin, served creamy and thick, often with crusty bread. It’s a winter staple across the country.

SWEET POTATO WEDGES – a pub favorite, served with sour cream and sweet chili sauce.

GRILLED CORN – with native spice butter – particularly popular during summer barbecues, often incorporating native pepper berries or lemon myrtle.

PEA AND HAM SOUP – a hearty soup of British origin that is well-established in Australian culinary.

AVOCADO TOAST – is extremely popular in Australian café culture. Any cafe and restaurant with even a moderately respectable reputation will have it on the menu.

MANGO AND AVOCADO SALAD – a refreshing summer dish that combines mango, avocado, and greens with a citrus dressing.

LAMB ROAST – with mint sauce is almost the national dish, traditionally served on Sunday using local Australian lamb.

MEAT PIE – quintessentially Australian – a handheld pie filled with minced meat, gravy, and sometimes onions and mushrooms. It’s famously eaten at football matches and considered “fair dinkum” street food.

KANGAROO STEAK – a native meat dish that’s becoming increasingly popular, served medium-rare and often accompanied by native herbs and bush tomato chutney.

CARPETBAG STEAK – a retro Australian classic – beef steak stuffed with oysters, reflecting Australia’s love of surf and turf combinations.

AUSTRALIAN BARBIE is much more than just grilling – it’s a cultural institution. A traditional Aussie BBQ features sausages (“snags”), lamb chops, beef steaks, and seafood.

CHICKEN AND CORN SOUP – while having Chinese origins, has become a distinctly Australian-Chinese dish. It’s a thick, creamy soup made with cream-style corn, shredded chicken, and beaten eggs stirred through to create ribbons. It’s commonly found in suburban Chinese restaurants across Australia.

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA (or “Parma”) – a pub classic that’s become quintessentially Australian. It consists of a crumbed chicken schnitzel topped with tomato sauce, ham, and melted mozzarella or parmesan.

DIM SIM (different from Chinese dim sum) – a uniquely Australian adaptation of Chinese siu mai. It’s much larger than traditional siu mai and has a thicker wrapper. The filling typically contains minced meat (pork or chicken), cabbage, and seasonings. They’re either steamed or deep-fried and are a takeaway food icon.

FISH AND CHIPS – while British in origin, has become distinctively Australian featuring local fish like flake (gummy shark) or snapper, served with thick-cut chips and wrapped in paper – traditionally eaten at the beach.

MORETON BAY BUGS are a type of flathead lobster, usually grilled with garlic butter or served cold with seafood sauce, especially popular in Queensland.

PRAWN COCKTAIL – Australian classic since 1970s, featuring fresh local prawns with a “special” pink sauce (mayo, tomato sauce, and Worcestershire sauce), served in a glass with lettuce.

SYDNEY ROCK OYSTERS – served naturally with lemon or mignonette sauce (a condiment made with minced shallots, cracked pepper, and vinegar) – are a local delicacy, particularly famous along the New South Wales coast.

SALT AND PEPPER CALAMARI – an Asian-inspired dish, now a pub staple across Australia, served with aioli and lemon.

BARBECUED PRAWNS – marinated in garlic, olive oil, and native lemon myrtle, then grilled on the barbecue.

GRILLED BARRAMUNDI – perfectly represents Australian cuisine.  The name itself comes from Aboriginal language meaning “large-scaled fish,” the traditional Australian preparation involves cooking it “on the barbie” with native ingredients

TUNA MORNAY – a baked dish of tinned tuna, pasta, and cheese sauce, became a household staple in the mid-20th century.

AUSSIE BREAKFAST EGG MESS – cheesy veggie-filled egg scramble.

LAMINGTON SPONGE – an Australian cake made from squares of butter cake or sponge cake coated in an outer layer of chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut.

PAVLOVA – a crisp meringue traditionally topped with fresh passion fruit, kiwi, and other tropical fruits that grow abundantly in Australia.

TIMTAM – Australia’s most beloved chocolate biscuit brand. It consists of two malted biscuits separated by a chocolate cream filling and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate.

VANILLA SLICE – thick vanilla custard between layers of puff pastry, topped with icing.

FAIRY BREAD – a children’s party classic – white bread buttered and covered with colorful sprinkles.

GOLDEN SYRUP DUMPLINGS – a warm comfort dessert – light dumplings in a golden syrup sauce, served with cream or ice cream.

CARAMEL SLICE (Millionaire’s Shortbread) – Aussie cafe standard – a shortbread base topped with caramel and chocolate.