Australian food: 40 dishes

locals like to call their own

By Thomas Woodgate, CNN
Updated 12:18 PM EST, Mon December 18, 2017

Brendon Thorne/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images

Vegemite: The iconic Australian sandwich spread. It's made

from brewers' yeast so you know it's good.

(CNN) — What exactly is Australian food?

While locals dine on fried rice, Thai curries,

Mediterranean cuisine and the like, those
dishes don’t really belong to Australia. They’re
part of multicultural Australia but are often
claimed by other nations.

Apart from the homegrown kangaroo – and

perhaps the now-American-owned Vegemite
– there must be others. Some are cliched,
some are obvious, some may surprise. But
Australia’s culinary history can lay claim to
these 40 Australian food items (with a few
Sydney-area recommendations on where to
get them).

40. Witchetty grubs

courtesy culinary madness

This nutty-tasting grub has been an indigenous mouthful of

Australian food for centuries.

The most authentic of bush tucker, the grub is

a nutty-flavored bite that has been enjoyed by
indigenous Australians for thousands of years.
The wider Australian nation has often
struggled with eating it raw, but two facts
remain – it actually tastes good and it belongs
to the land.

39. Anzac biscuits

Associated with Anzac Day on April 25, the
biscuit is a crunchy commemoration of the
members of the Australian and New Zealand
Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought in World War
I. It’s Australian food with a back story.

The Anzac biscuit was made by wives during

the war and sent to soldiers, because the
basic ingredients (rolled oats, flour, sugar,
desiccated coconut, golden syrup, butter,
bicarbonate of soda and water) were able to
keep for a long time, even on long boat
journeys.

Get it: The Colonial Bakery, 4 Ennis Road,

Milsons Point, +61 (0)2 9955 3958

38. Emu
Emu actually has a few times the iron content
of beef. It’s virtually fat-free and is low in
cholesterol. The Australian native animal
works well when smoked and served cold or
as a pizza topping. For a modern gourmet
twist, have it in a pie made up of emu meat,
smoked emu, feta cheese, red wine, sun-dried
tomato, onion and Tasmanian black pepper –
all in a filo-pastry crust.

Get it: The Australian Heritage Hotel, 100

Cumberland St., The Rocks, +61 (0)2 9247
2229

37. Macadamia nuts

Boston Globe/Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images

The streets are lined with macadamia nuts around Byron Bay.

Native to eastern Australia, the macadamia

nut is eaten raw or included in a variety of
dishes. From breads to lamb roasts and
cakes, this is a versatile nut. Pick some ‘round
Byron Bay during spring.

36. Damper
This iconic, cheap Australian food was the
staple of road workers and bushies in days
gone by. Originally it was the simplest of
recipes. The soda bread is made from wheat
flour, water and a pinch of salt, then baked in
the coals of a campfire and paired nicely with
billy tea or a swig of rum. Today it can be a
little more fancy – milk and self-raising flour.

Get it: Baker’s Delight, Shop G02, Level 3,

The Broadway Shopping Centre, 1-21 Bay St.,
Sydney, +61 (0)2 9212 7311

35. Pea and ham soup

The perfect hearty winter meal that arguably
has British origins, pea and ham soup is a
simple oiering that has been served up in
farmhouse kitchens for decades. Add sliced
frankfurters or smoked sausage to make it
even more hearty.

34. Weet-Bix
How many do you eat? This high-fiber
breakfast biscuit made from whole-grain
wheat has been an Australian food favorite
since 1930.

It’s smaller, sweeter and more brick-like than

the Weetabix that’s found in other countries.
Usually has a few Queensland bananas or
strawberries or a spoonful of sugar mixed in.
And, of course, milk. Aussie kids are Weet-Bix
kids, says the brand’s successful advertising
jingle. Unless, of course, you’re in New
Zealand where, funnily enough, New Zealand
kids are also Weet-Bix kids.

33. Lamingtons

Arsineh Houspian

This tasty cake can be found at most school fairs and is the
pride of many a mother's kitchen.

The lamington is often referred to as the

“National Cake of Australia.” The National
Trust of Queensland even named the
lamington one of Australia’s favorite icons.
This square-shaped sponge cake is coated in
a layer of chocolate icing and desiccated
coconut. It sometimes comes in two halves
with a layer of cream or jam in the middle.
Found commonly throughout cafes as a
perfect accompaniment to tea and coiee, it’s
also often baked for fundraisers.

Get it: My Little Cupcakes, 62 Ben Boyd Road,

Neutral Bay, +61 (0)2 9909 3908

32. Salt and pepper calamari

Quick and easy to make: the squid or
calamari is covered in salt-and-pepper batter,
then deep-fried. This pub staple is often
served as a snack with a side salad and
dipped in sweet chilli sauce.

Get it: Pho 236, 236 King St., Newtown, +61

(0)2 9550 2480

31. Lamb leg roast

Sarah LeTrent/CNN

Succulent tender lamb.

Many a wandering son or daughter returns

home for Sunday lunch when mum’s cooking
a lamb roast. It’s the garlic, rosemary and
olive oil that make this piece of meat delicious
and tender. It’s then served with enough
baked potatoes to end any family feud.
Though its origins may be beyond Australian
borders, Aussies will proudly say only they
know how to put on a good one.

Get it: Victor Churchill, 132 Queen St.,

Woollahra, +61 (0)2 9328 0402

30. Fish ‘n’ chips by the beach

MJ Kim/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

A kind of schnitzel, but with fish.

If it’s wrapped in yesterday’s news, it’s an

Australian version of fish ‘n’ chips. The sun is
out, the water’s crisp and you’re hungry. What
to go for? Australia has some of the best
seafood in the world and that means you’re
almost guaranteed fresh fish, served with salt
and lemon, wrapped in yesterday’s
newspaper or white wrapping.

Get it: Doyles on the Beach, 11 Marine

Parade, Watsons Bay, +61 (0)2 9337 2007

29. John Dory fillets

Found commonly in Australian waters
including Sydney Harbour, John Dory is a
popular fish variety in local cuisine. Battered
and fried and served with chips, or pan-fried
with herbed oil on a bed of mashed potato
with salad, this is a versatile, meaty fish and
popular Australian food.

Get it: Golden Sheaf Hotel, 429 New South

Head Road, Double Bay, +61 (0) 2 9327 5877

28. Iced VoVo

When former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
mentioned Iced VoVo in his 2007 election
speech, he single-handedly cemented the
biscuit’s place in Australian folklore.

The wheat-flour biscuit with a strip of pink

fondant on either side of raspberry jam and
sprinkled with coconut is a sweet, soft and
crunchy mouthful. It’s made by biscuit
company Arnott’s, an Australian food
institution itself and now a subsidiary of U.S.-
based Campbell Soup Company.

27. Barbecued snags

Ian Waldie/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Straight from the butchers and straight onto the barbecue.

Nothing is more Australian than getting

friends or family together for a barbecue. And
at the heart of any good barbie is a selection
of good Australian snags – from the traditional
pork or beef, to those flavored with herbs and
spices from around the world.

There’s something homey about a snag in a

roll or a slice of bread covered in your favorite
sauce, perhaps with some fried onion on top
and some spuds on the side. A sausage sizzle
put on outside the local hardware store on
Sundays makes a bit of DIY that much more
appealing.

Get it: Glenmore Meats, 40-46 Wentworth

Park Road, Glebe, +61 (0)2 9660 3522

26. Balmain bugs

A species of slipper lobster that lives in the
shallow waters around Australia, the flattened
small-scale fish has no claws and only its tail
contains edible meat. But like a lobster, it’s
worth the slippery fingers and dining
dedication.

Get it: Sydney Fish Market, Bank St., Pyrmont.

+61 (0)2 9004 1100

25. Pavlova

Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Australians will tell you this belongs to the lucky country. Even
when laced with kiwi fruit.

Australia and New Zealand have shared

rivalries for years, and the pavlova’s origin is
another to add to the list. Both countries
claim to have invented the dish in honor of
Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova when she
visited Australasia in the 1920s. No evidence
conclusively substantiates either claim (unlike
Crowded House, Phar Lap and Russell
Crowe).

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But even if it was finally proven once and for

all to hail from New Zealand, Aussies would
surely still label it Australian food. Pavlova is a
popular meringue-based dessert that has a
crisp crust and a soft, light inside. It’s often
decorated with whipped cream and fresh fruit
and served at celebratory meals.

Get it: Pavlova Pantry, 351 Rocky Point Road,

Sans Souci, +61 (0)2 9529 9289

24. Prawn cocktail

A traditional seafood starter, this one is made
up of shelled prawns in mayonnaise and
tomato dressing, then served in a glass,
sometimes with a lettuce leaf. It’s famous the
world over, but Australia really embraced the
prawn cocktail as its own in the 1970s. It was
almost the beginning of fine dining, Aussie
style.

Get it: Etch, 62 Bridge St., Sydney, +61 (0)2

9247 4777

23. Tim Tam

Kristian Dowling/Getty Images

Yet another biscuit!

Arnott’s (which produces Tim Tams) say that

around 35 million packs are sold each year.
That’s 400 million biscuits at an average of 1.7
packs per Australian. The much-loved
chocolate biscuit is made up of two layers of
chocolate-malted biscuit, separated by a light
chocolate filling and coated in melted
chocolate. No wonder you can now find them
in supermarkets around the world.

22. Dagwood dog

They say the show must go on, but it just
can’t without a dagwood dog. For many,
when you say dagwood dog you think of the
Sydney Royal Easter Show, because this
frankfurter on a stick that is battered and
deep-fried is found at most carnivals. With
tomato sauce on top, of course.

21. Sausage rolls

Sausage meat wrapped in pastry and oven-
baked is the lunch of choice for many
Australians. Though many countries
appreciate the taste of a good sausage roll,
Australia leads the way in modern adaptations
of the simple scoi. Here, culinary influences
from around the world have been infused to
create unique taste experiences and a
genuine Australian food.

Get it: Bourke Street Bakery, 633 Bourke St.,

Surry Hills, +61 (0)2 9699 1011

20. SAO biscuit

Founded as a charity biscuit, it used to be
handed out by Salvation Army Orcers (thus
SAO). SAO is a light-textured square biscuit
that’s made by rolling dough into thin sheets,
then cutting it into squares. It’s often used to
make a crispy sandwich by smearing on a
layer of topping, such as Vegemite and butter.

For generations, the SAO sandwich has then

been squeezed to create “worms” that pour
out of the holes in the pastry, then eaten. It’s
kid’s food as art.

19. Cherry Ripe

Australia’s oldest chocolate bar is still one of
its best-sellers. The Cherry Ripe consists of
coconut and cherries smothered in Cadbury’s
Old Gold dark chocolate.

18. Fairy bread

Remember your childhood when nothing
could beat a bit of fairy bread? Sliced white
bread is cut into triangles, smeared with
butter or margarine and covered in hundreds-
and-thousands, which sticks to the bread for
a bright and multicolored treat. A staple at
kids parties. And easy to make, following the
oh-so simple instructions above.

17. Chicken parmigiana

An Italian name, but a bona fide Australian
pub classic, the parmigiana started as an
eggplant dish in Italy and has since evolved
into a chicken schnitzel topped with an
Italian-inspired tomato sauce and melted
cheese. A perfect marriage.

Sometimes it will also be topped with ham or

prosciutto. Usually comes with a beer on
“parma night” at the local pub. Another
wonderful union.

Get it: Pyrmont Point Hotel, 59 Harris St.,

Pyrmont, +61 (0)2 9660 1908

16. Pigs in a blanket

The perfect accompaniment to any roast
dinner. In the United States, the term often
refers to hot dogs or sausages wrapped in
dough or even a pancake. But in Australia it’s
all about wrapping meat in more meat – a
double meat sandwich without bread.

15. Chiko roll

This Australian food icon was inspired by
Chinese spring rolls. The deep-fried snack
contains beef (despite its name, there’s no
chicken), celery, cabbage, barley, carrot,
onion, green beans and spices in a battered
tube. Probably some oial, too.

Some brands of chiko roll often contain

ingredients that are simply unidentifiable. This
adds to the experience. Chiko rolls are
generally eaten on the go and served at local
fish ‘n’ chip shops or by snack vendors at
train stations.

14. Spag bol

Sure, this entry will raise some eyebrows and,
of course, spaghetti bolognese is a
quintessentially Italian dish. But when made
with delicious Aussie beef and mushrooms,
spag bol takes on an Australian feel.

Get it: Fratelli Fresh Waterloo, 7 Danks St.,