Australian cuisine is very diverse, often combining the culinary traditions of other countries. All travellers to the continent are likely to sample the local cuisine, which is served in cafes and restaurants. The cuisine in Australia is similar in many of the country’s cities, but there are some differences. Culinary tourism is becoming more and more popular, as it not only allows you to get positive emotions from a change of scenery, but also gastronomic pleasure.
Sydney
Australia’s national cuisine has a lot to offer, and Sydney is a good place to start. Here you can try crocodile and kangaroo, which are exotic dishes for Russian tourists. Australia has frozen kangaroo and crocodile steaks on sale in almost every shop. You can either cook the meat yourself or order a ready meal in one of the local restaurants.
Crocodile meat reminds some people of chicken, but with a fishy flavour. Alligator meat is quite soft and has a thick texture. The fish flavour is present, but not very strong. Alligator meat in Australia is fried, boiled, stewed, marinated, and even smoked, just as chicken is in Russia.
Kangaroo steak is either grilled or pan-fried. Beforehand, the meat is coated in a herb mixture and crushed garlic. Some people claim that it tastes similar to roe deer meat. Kangaroo steaks are a diet dish, as they are low in fat and rich in protein and linoleic acid, which is said to have antioxidant properties. Regular consumption of this meat promotes weight loss.
Barossa Valley
The city is renowned for its wineries and cheese-making. Australian wines are in demand all over the world, they’re not inexpensive but still taste just as good as the big European competition.
The wine industry is considered one of the fastest growing industries in the Australian economy.
For lunch or breakfast at a eating place, order the Wedgimite cheese rolls. Australia’s traditional pastry is similar to a sinnabon bun, but the filling is a beer-malt-based substance and can be eaten as a stand-alone dish.
Almost everyone loves anchovies with goat’s cheese, capers, and tomatoes.
Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy the goat’s milk cheesecake with blueberry sorbet.
Melbourne
You’ll find world cuisines in Melbourne, tucked away in cosy restaurants. Melbourne is often referred to as a sweet-tooth paradise, and you’ll often come here to sample the many different flavours of ice cream, which is sold all over the place. Smoothies with crushed ice are also popular.
The atmosphere is one of conviviality, and the food is tasty.
Favourite dishes include chilled almond soup with Sicilian grapes and lamb roasted on skewers over charcoal.
Travelling around Melbourne, you should also try the local doughnuts, beet burger, chicken parmesan and avocado toast.
Tasmania
Tasmania’s premier culinary masterpiece is salmon, and tourists travel to the island to enjoy fresh seafood. Here you can enjoy oysters, scallops, mussels and octopus.
And if you want something a little wilder, you can go for the shark meat.
The locals also recommend tasting the white sea bass, considered one of the country’s symbols. Some restaurants and cafes prepare it in an exotic way: the fish is placed in a sealed bag and boiled in sea water, which is sourced from 900 metres below the surface.
Mountain’s
This Australian town is known for its desserts and pastries. The world-famous Lamington dessert comprises chocolate-covered sponge cake topped with coconut.
One story has it that it was a mistake when Lord Lemington’s maid accidentally spilled her favourite cake into the melted chocolate. Later on, the treat was sprinkled with coconut shavings.
Here’s a list of Australia’s traditional dishes: mince pie, made using flaky pastry. The filling is minced meat and gravy. You can top the pie with onions, chicken, mushrooms, asparagus, crocodile meat, vegetables and even seafood if you like.
At parties, guests are often served a mini-cake – a festive version, so to speak.
Rumour has it that meat pie came to the Australian continent during the colonial era, when it was wildly popular in Europe and made from affordable ingredients with a high nutritional content.
Australians love to sprinkle it with tomato sauce, and debate whether it should be cold or at room temperature.
A popular dessert is cinnamon-flavoured citrus fruit baked in a custard.
South Western Australia
South Western Australia provides exotic foods and beautiful surroundings. One of the more unusual dishes is Duggan, the name of a sea cow favoured by the Aboriginal people. They also tend to prepare turtle eggs, combining them with seafood and a variety of salads. Crabmeat omelette is also very popular in Australia.
Locals often charcoal-grill kangaroo meat, along with potatoes, small tomatoes and mushrooms.
Australia also has an excellent coffee culture, and local markets are full of fruit (papaya, mango, bananas, citrus fruits, quandu plums and quandong peaches) and vegetables, and street food. Travellers are encouraged to try sushi, truffles, scallops and more. Australians love to barbecue and their cuisine has borrowed heavily from the British. Some of Australia’s recipes were brought to the country by settlers. A new wave of immigrants in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries enriched the local cuisine with Asian, European and Mediterranean flavours. It’s a continent worth visiting for its beauty, extraordinary scenery and to sample the local cuisine.