15 Traditional Australian Foods and Drinks To Try on Your Next Trip

Vegemite—a thick, dark-brown paste invented in 1923 using leftover brewer’s yeast—is probably the Australian product that's best known around the world. This salty, savory spread is similar to the British spread Marmite, but any Australian will tell you it has its own distinctive flavor, thank you very much.

Vegemite spread in Australia tastes best when scraped thinly on toast and accompanied by a generous serving of butter, but also pairs well with melted cheese. If you’re looking to reduce your sodium intake, there’s even a reduced salt version fortified with extra vitamins B6 and B12.

Where to try Vegemite in Australia: Vegemite is available at most food stores, but a fun way to try it is in a “Cheesymite Scroll.” Visit a local bakery for a piece of bread dough rolled in Vegemite and cheese, then sliced into rolls (or “scrolls”). They're a popular Australian snack.

Known as a parmy (or parma, depending on where you are in Australia), this dish is ubiquitous on many pub menus. A typical chicken parmigiana consists of a breaded chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese, accompanied by a generous serving of chips and vegetables or salad. Many pubs also offer variations, such as a Hawaiian parmigiana with pineapple, or a Mexican parmigiana with a hint of spice.

Where to try chicken parmigiana in Australia: Drop into your nearest pub for dinner, especially if you’re in a country town, or join a pub tour for a smorgasbord of possibilities.

Australian meat pies are savory pastries sold at bakeries, supermarkets, gas stations, and sports matches across the country, that are traditionally topped with tomato sauce. You can find pies with chicken, cheese, mushroom, or steak and pepper fillings, as well as the traditional beef and gravy. The meat pie’s unassuming cousin—the sausage roll—gets an honorable mention as a similarly tasty option that’s easier to eat on-the-go.

Where to try a meat pie in Australia: In Sydney, stop by Harry’s Cafe de Wheels or Bourke Street Bakery. In Melbourne, take a tour of the Queen Victoria Market to try a butter chicken or Chinese barbecue pork belly pie from Miss Amelie Gourmet.

For visitors to Australia, these marsupials have become a cute and cuddly tourist attraction. But with a ratio of 1.36 kangaroos per person, locals often describe them as pests. That's why kangaroo is surprisingly common on Australian menus and has a long history as a source of protein for Aboriginal people, as well as being an animal with deep cultural significance. Typically served as steak or in burgers, kangaroo is a lean, gamey red meat that’s best enjoyed medium-rare.

Where to try kangaroo in Australia: You’ll find kangaroo on most supermarket shelves, including “kanga bangas” (kangaroo sausages). At restaurants with a focus on local and seasonal produce, such as Bib and Tucker in Fremantle, kangaroo often makes an appearance.

In Cantonese, yum cha literally means “drink tea.” In Australia, the phrase generally refers to the practice of sharing multiple plates of Chinese dim sum dishes at brunch or lunchtime, as diners are visited by waitstaff pushing trolleys stacked with dumplings and other delicacies. The tradition of yum cha is thought to have arrived in Australia with the opening of the Mandarin Club restaurant in Sydney and quickly became a weekend tradition.

Where to try yum cha in Australia: Although Sydney’s Chinatown and Melbourne’s Chinatown neighborhoods are the most well known, all major Aussie cities have restaurants offering yum cha. Arrive between 11am and 2pm and make sure you’ve got a couple of friends with whom to share each steaming plate of dumplings!

Found at backyard barbecues, hardware store parking lots, school fundraisers, and election polling booths, this cheap and cheerful creation is made up of a grilled beef sausage cradled into a slice of white bread that's folded diagonally, then topped with grilled onions and a squirt of tomato or barbecue sauce. If you’re looking for something a little more substantial than a sausage sandwich, the steak sandwich is another well-liked Australian barbecue dish.

Where to try a sausage sandwich in Australia: Fundraising “sausage sizzles” are often hosted by community groups in Bunnings hardware store parking lots on Saturday mornings across the country. To DIY, grab your supplies from the supermarket and head down to the local beach to make use of a public grill.

One of the seafood specialties in Australia, barramundi is also known as barra, giant perch, or Asian sea bass. This versatile fish thrives in both fresh and salt water across northern Australia, as well as parts of Asia, and its name comes from the Gangalu language of central Queensland. With flaky white flesh and a mild, buttery flavor, barramundi can be enjoyed grilled, pan-fried, or battered.

Where to try barramundi in Australia: Local, ocean-caught barramundi is preferred by many Australians, so a seafood-focused restaurant is your best bet. Try Donna Chang in Brisbane or Pee Wee’s at the Point in Darwin.

The pavlova dessert in Australia is made up of a meringue base topped with cream and fresh passion fruit, kiwi, blueberries, and strawberries. Named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in 1926, the dessert is the star of the show at many Aussie Christmases. It is famously tricky to make, so this is one that’s best left to the experts.

Where to try a pavlova in Australia: You can find mini versions at many bakeries and cafés. For the complete experience, visit Rockpool Bar & Grill in Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth, or Hopetoun Bakeshop in Melbourne. Or, you can join a dessert tour to get a taste of even more of Australia’s best sweets.

The humble lamington is quintessentially Australian. Made from easily accessible ingredients without too much fuss, they're essentially just sponge cake cubes dipped in chocolate icing and rolled in desiccated coconut. Lamington variations abound, including using a layer of jam and cream to pep up this potentially basic confection. Enjoy with a cup of tea and a side of people-watching at one of Australia’s many bakeries.

Where to try a lamington in Australia: Lamingtons in Australia can be found in almost every supermarket and bakery. Flour and Stone in Sydney bakes a beloved panna cotta version, and the innovative Tokyo Lamington has outposts in both Sydney and Melbourne.

Any beverage can become a Tim Tam slam, though hot, dairy-based drinks such as tea and coffee work best because they melt the chocolate-coated biscuit’s creamy chocolate filling. Just bite off opposite corners of the Tim Tam, dip one end into the liquid, then suck the beverage through the biscuit like a straw. But make sure to eat it quickly before it collapses—although it’s still tasty, even then.

Where to try a Tim Tam slam in Australia: It’s easy to find Tim Tams in Australia, as they can be bought at pretty much any supermarket. Bring a packet on your next coffee run et voilà!—you have the ingredients for a Tim Tam slam.

This whimsical sandwich is exactly what it sounds like—white bread spread with butter and covered in colorful sprinkles (known as "hundreds and thousands" in Australia). Similar to the United Kingdom's sugar butty, fairy bread holds a special place in Australian hearts as the unofficial food of children's birthday parties. The combination of soft bread, salted butter, and crunchy sprinkles creates a unique texture and flavor that makes it hard to stop at just one.

Where to try fairy bread in Australia: You’re more likely to find fairy bread–inspired cocktails on the menu than the sandwich itself (at The Moon in Perth or The Den in Hobart, Tasmania, for example). If you’re making your own, don’t forget to cut diagonally across the bread to create little triangles—it’s tradition.

These golden, oat-based biscuits have origins dating back to World War I, when they were sent to Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) soldiers abroad because their ingredients didn't spoil easily during long sea voyages. Made with rolled oats, golden syrup, coconut, and no eggs, Anzac biscuits have a distinctive chewy or crunchy texture depending on baking time. Today, they're enjoyed year-round but hold special significance on Anzac Day (April 25), when Australians commemorate their military history.

Where to try Anzac biscuits in Australia: These biscuits are available at supermarkets and bakeries across the country. In Canberra, head to Lonsdale Street in Braddon for a day of café-hopping.

Australia—the home of the world’s largest café industry outside of Europe—takes its coffee very seriously, there's no denying that. The flat white is the mainstay of the thriving local coffee culture, and consists of a double shot of coffee topped with steamed milk and a thinner layer of foam than either a latte or a cappuccino. The flat white showcases the coffee's flavor while maintaining a creamy texture, so expect this caffeinated beverage to pack a punch.

Where to try a flat white in Australia: Yes, Melbourne is considered Australia's coffee capital, but you'll find excellent flat whites in independent cafés across every Australian city. To avoid commercial chains, try an Australian coffee tour to find the best local spots across the country.

One of the most unique drinks in Australia, this refreshing beverage combines lemonade, lime cordial, and a few dashes of Angostura bitters over ice. The bitters add a subtle complexity that elevates it beyond a simple soft drink, providing a less sweet alternative for designated drivers, pregnant people, and anyone wanting a sophisticated non-alcoholic option at the pub.

Where to try lemon lime bitters in Australia: Order a LLB at your nearest watering hole. If you’re looking for tradition, take a tour of The Rocks in Sydney, a neighborhood that’s home to Australia’s oldest pubs.

Australian shiraz has its roots in the Syrah grapes of France’s Rhône Valley, but has developed into something wholly its own in Australian wine regions such as Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. The varietal thrives in the country's warm climate, producing bold, full-bodied wines packed with dark fruit flavors, spice, and peppery notes. Penfold’s Grange is Australia’s most collectible wine, while cool-climate vineyards such as Clonakilla offer a lighter option.

Where to try shiraz in Australia: Any restaurant with a respectable wine list will have an Aussie shiraz (or more) to offer. Join one of Australia’s top culinary tours to learn more about the country’s food and drink culture, or join a full-day winery tour from Melbourne, Swan Valley wine tour from Perth, or Hunter Valley wine tour from Sydney for a look at different wine regions around the Land Down Under.