View source for Australian cuisine

{{short description|Culinary traditions of Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox cuisine
| image = Meat pie.jpg|
| caption = A typical Australian [[Meat pie (Australia and New Zealand)|meat pie]] with [[ketchup|tomato sauce]]
| country = [[Australia]]
| regional = [[Christmas Island cuisine|Christmas Island]], [[Norfolk Island cuisine|Norfolk Island]], [[Tasmanian cuisine|Tasmanian]], [[#Regional foods|other regional cuisines]]
| national_dishes = [[Fish and chips]], [[meat pie]], [[sausage sizzle]], [[Vegemite]]
| national_drinks = [[Beer]], [[coffee]], [[lemonade]], [[wine]]
| see_also = [[Beer in Australia]], [[bush tucker]], [[coffee in Australia]], [[list of Australian dishes]], [[list of restaurants in Australia]], [[pub food]], [[wine in Australia]]
}}
'''Australian cuisine''' is the food and cooking practices of Australia and its inhabitants. Australia has absorbed culinary contributions and adaptations from various cultures around the world, including [[British cuisine|British]], [[European cuisine|European]], [[Asian cuisine|Asian]] and [[Middle Eastern cuisine|Middle Eastern]].

[[Indigenous Australians]] have occupied Australia for some 65,000 years, during which they developed a unique [[hunter-gatherer]] diet, known as [[bush tucker]], drawn from regional Australian plants and animals. Australia became a [[History of Australia|collection of British colonies]] from 1788 to 1900, during which time culinary tastes were strongly influenced by British and Irish migrants, with agricultural products such as beef cattle, sheep and wheat becoming staples in the local diet. The [[Australian gold rushes]] introduced more varied immigrants and cuisines, mainly [[Chinese immigration to Australia|Chinese]], whilst [[Immigration to Australia|post-war immigration programs]] led to a large-scale diversification of local food, mainly due to the influence of migrants from the Mediterranean, [[East Asia]] and [[South Asia]].<ref name="cultureandrecreation.gov.au">{{cite web|url=http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/foodanddrink/index.htm |title=Australian food and drink |publisher=Cultureandrecreation.gov.au |date=23 September 2008 |access-date=17 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110322040504/http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/foodanddrink/index.htm |archive-date=22 March 2011}}</ref>

Australian cuisine in the 21st century reflects the influence of globalisation, with many fast-food restaurants and international trends becoming influential. [[organic food|Organic]] and [[biodynamic agriculture|biodynamic]] foods have also become widely available alongside a revival of interest in [[bush tucker]].<ref>[[Australian Institute of Health and Welfare]], Australia's food & nutrition 2012, 2012, p. 73</ref> Australia exports many agricultural products, including cattle, sheep, poultry, milk, vegetables, fruit, nuts, wheat, barley and canola.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vegetable industry |url=http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/surveys/vegetables#detailed-physical-characteristics |website=agriculture.gov.au |publisher=[[Department of Agriculture and Water Resources]] – Commonwealth of Australia |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref> Australia also produces [[Australian wine|wine]], [[Beer in Australia|beer]] and soft drinks.

While fast food chains are abundant, Australia's metropolitan areas have restaurants that offer both local and international foods. Restaurants which include contemporary adaptations, interpretations or fusions of exotic influences are frequently termed. Australia’s cuisine includes the popular fairy bread, party pie,sausage roll and pavlova. Typically found at children’s birthday parties, fairy bread consists of a buttered piece of bread with sprinkles on top. The party pie and sausage roll are typically found at an AFL game. Furthermore, the pavlova is a typical dessert usually made during Christmas time.  [[Modern Australian cuisine|Modern Australian]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/food/cuisineindex/RecipeByCuisineMain/383 |title=Modern Australian recipes and Modern Australian food : SBS Food |publisher=Sbs.com.au |access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref>

==History==
===Indigenous Australian bush food===
{{Main|Bush tucker}}

Indigenous Australians have lived off [[Australian flora|native flora]] and [[Australian fauna|fauna]] of the [[Australian bush]] for over 60,000 years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2017-07-20/aboriginal-shelter-pushes-human-history-back-to-65,000-years/8719314|title=Ancient Indigenous rock shelter rewrites Australia's human history|last=Weule|first=Genelle|date=20 July 2017|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=15 December 2018}}</ref> In modern times, this collection of foods and customs has become known as bush tucker.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bush Tucker |url=https://mbantua.com.au/bush-tucker/?srsltid=AfmBOor10ek2HVAAUwdsucMsJi-B1xsO-7D2k9GSqih-s3w0X-Rw6dfk |access-date=19 December 2024 |website=Mbantua Gallery}}</ref>

It is understood that up to 5,000 species of Australian flora and fauna were eaten by Indigenous Australians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2008/07/01/about-native-australian-food|title=About Native Australian food|date=1 July 2008|website=SBS|access-date=17 March 2017}}</ref> Hunting of [[kangaroo]], [[wallaby]] and [[emu]] was common,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/native-animals/native-animal-facts/kangaroos-and-wallabies|title=Kangaroo and wallaby|last=author|website=NSW Environment & Heritage|language=en|access-date=15 December 2018}}</ref> with other foods widely consumed including [[bogong moth]]s, [[witchetty grub]]s, lizards and snakes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/ag-blog/2017/02/eating-insects-2/|title=Grub's up!|date=14 February 2017|website=Australian Geographic|language=en-AU|access-date=15 December 2018}}</ref> Bush berries, fruits, and nuts were also used, including the now widely cultivated [[macadamia nut]], and wild honeys were also exploited.<ref name="cultureandrecreation.gov.au" /> Fish were caught using tools such as spears, hooks and traps; in some areas, the construction of complex weir systems allowed the development of forms of aquaculture.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://bluepapers.nl/index.php/bp/article/view/93 | doi=10.58981/bluepapers.2024.1.01 | title=Indigenous Water Engineering and Aquaculture Systems in Australia: The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape and Baiame's Ngunnhu (The Brewarrina Aboriginal Fish Traps) | date=2024 | last1=Daniell | first1=Katherine A. | last2=Moggridge | first2=Bradley | journal=Blue Papers | volume=3 | doi-access=free }}</ref>

Resource availability and dietary make-up varied from region to region and scientific theories of bush tucker plants being spread by hand have recently emerged.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-13/aboriginal-influence-behind-distribution-of-native-plants:-study/9142142|title=Aboriginal people spread native plants by hand: study|last=Miskelly|first=Greg|date=13 November 2017|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=15 December 2018}}</ref> Food preparation techniques also varied; however, a common cooking technique was for the carcass to be thrown directly on a campfire to be roasted.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/education/programs/pdfs/aboriginal-cooking-techniques-2006.pdf|title=Aboriginal Cooking Techniques|last=Wright|first=Warwick|website=www.anbg.gov.au|access-date=15 December 2018}}</ref>

Native food sources were used to supplement the colonists' diet following the arrival of the [[First Fleet]] in [[Botany Bay]] in 1788.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Eat your history, stories and recipes form Australian kitchens|last=Newling|first=Jacqui|publisher=Sydney Living Museums and NewSouth Publishing|year=2015|isbn=9781742234687|location=Sydney, Australia|pages=19–62}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Colonial Kitchen|last=O'Brien|first=Charmaine|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2016|isbn=9781442249813|location=USA|pages=Chapters 1, 2, 7}}</ref>

{{Gallery
| title = Australian bush tucker
| align = center
| File:Australian bush tucker, Alice Springs.jpg|[[Bush tucker]] fruits
| File:Witchetty grub.jpg|[[Witchetty grub]]s
| File:Santalum acuminatum fruit1.JPG|[[Santalum acuminatum|Desert quandong]]
}}

===Development of Australian cuisine===
[[File:Tea and damper.jpg|left|thumb|''Tea and damper'' – Alfred Martin Ebsworth (1883)]]
Following the [[Prehistory of Australia|pre-colonial period]], [[History of Australia (1788–1850)|European colonisers]] began arriving with the First Fleet at Sydney harbour in 1788.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://index.html/|title=1788 {{!}} Australia's migration history timeline {{!}} NSW Migration Heritage Centre|language=en-US|access-date=15 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505195009/http://index.html/|archive-date=5 May 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> The diet consisted of "bread, [[salted meat]] and tea with lashings of rum (initially from the [[West Indies]] but later made from the waste cane of the [[sugar industry]] in [[Queensland]])."<ref>R. Haden, Food Culture in the Pacific Islands, 2009, p. 46</ref> The British found familiar game in Australia including swan, goose, pigeon and fish, but the new settlers often had difficulty adjusting to the prospect of native fauna as a staple diet.<ref name="cultureandrecreation.gov.au"/>  Meat constituted a large proportion of the Australian diet during the colonial era and into the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/steak-and-eggs/#more-15093|title = Steak and eggs glorified in poem - Australian food history timeline|date = 16 September 1920}}</ref>

After initial difficulties, [[Agriculture in Australia|Australian agriculture]] became a major global producer and supplied fresh produce for the local market. Stock grazing (mostly sheep and cattle) is prevalent throughout the continent. Queensland and [[New South Wales]] became Australia's main beef cattle producers, while dairy cattle farming is found in the southern states, predominantly in Victoria. Wheat and other grain crops are spread fairly evenly throughout the mainland states. [[Sugar cane]] is also a major crop in Queensland and New South Wales. Fruit and vegetables are grown throughout Australia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/farms/ |title=Australian farms and farming communities – australia.gov.au |publisher=Cultureandrecreation.gov.au |date=10 May 2011 |access-date=17 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408181402/http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/farms/ |archive-date=8 April 2011 }}</ref> and wheat is a main component of the Australian diet.<ref name="bulletin">{{cite journal |title=In 30 years, how might climate change affect what Australians eat and drink |journal=Bulletin of the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society |date=2016 |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=22–27 }}</ref> Today there are over 85,681 farm businesses in Australia, 99 percent of which are locally owned and operated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html|title=Farm Facts {{!}} National Farmers' Federation|last=Internet|first=Chirp|website=www.nff.org.au|language=en-GB|access-date=15 December 2018}}</ref>

Barbecued meat is almost synonymous with Australian cuisine, though it is estimated that more than 10% of Australians are now vegetarian.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Tapsell|first1=L.|date=2007|title=Meat in the context of the whole diet: A social and cuisine perspective|journal=Nutrition & Dietetics|volume=64|pages=S108–S110|doi=10.1111/j.1747-0080.2007.00195.x|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Winsor |first1=B. |title=More than 10% of Australians are now vegetarian |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/life/health/article/2016/08/17/more-10-australians-are-now-vegetarian |website=sbs.com.au |publisher=SBS |access-date=6 December 2018 |archive-date=9 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509145657/https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/life/health/article/2016/08/17/more-10-australians-are-now-vegetarian |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Modern Australian cuisine===
[[File:Tetsuyas-Ocean-Trout.jpg|thumb|right|300px|An iconic Modern Australian dish: confit of Tasmanian ocean trout at [[Tetsuya's]], [[Sydney]]]]

After [[World War II]], subsequent waves of [[multicultural]] immigration, with a majority drawn from Asia and the Mediterranean region, and the strong, sophisticated food cultures these ethnic communities have brought with them influenced the development of Australian cuisine.  This blending of "European techniques and Asian flavours" came to be known as Modern Australian cuisine.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/what-is-modern-australian-cuisine/z3msho85k | title=What is modern Australian cuisine? }}</ref>

Arguably the first Modern Australian restaurant was Sydney's [[Bayswater Brasserie]] (est. 1982), which offered Mediterranean dishes with Asian and Middle Eastern influences and "showed Sydney [...] that food can be adventurous without being expensive".<ref name="smh"/>  The term itself was first used in print in the 1993 edition of the [[Sydney Morning Herald]] ''Good Food Guide'',<ref name="smh">{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/06/25/1023864572930.html |title=Twenty defining moments that shaped Sydney's way of eating |website=Smh.com.au |date=2002-06-26 |accessdate=2017-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2008/07/01/about-modern-australian-food |title=About Modern Australian food|website=Sbs.com.au |date= July 2008|accessdate=2017-11-30}}</ref> which placed 34 restaurants under this heading, and was quickly adopted to describe the burgeoning food scene in Sydney in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hughes |first=Holly |url=http://www.frommers.com/trip-ideas/food-and-drink/7-places-to-eat-sydneys-mod-oz-cuisine |title=7 Places to Eat: Sydney's Mod Oz Cuisine |website=Frommers.com |date= |accessdate=2017-11-30}}</ref>  Leading exponents of the style include [[Tetsuya Wakuda]], [[Neil Perry]] and [[Peter Gilmore (chef)|Peter Gilmore]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/01/1070127334401.html |title=Simply Sydney |website=Theage.com.au |date=2003-12-02 |accessdate=2017-11-30}}</ref>

As of 2014, the term is considered somewhat dated, with many restaurants preferring to call their style "contemporary Australian cuisine" instead.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/the-new-bentley-restaurant-is-a-stunning-journey-of-modern-australian-tastes-and-flavours-writes-elizabeth-meryment/news-story/07698804b9279e2b894aa0516aa0e829|title=Bentley a shining star of new Mod Oz|website=Dailytelegraph.com.au|accessdate=30 November 2017}}</ref>

{{clear right}}

==Fruit and vegetables==
===Fruit===
[[File:Granny smith and cross section.jpg|thumb|A [[Granny Smith]] apple]]

There are many species of Australian native fruits, such as [[Santalum acuminatum|quandong]] (native peach), [[wattleseed]], [[muntries]]/munthari berry, [[Podocarpus elatus|Illawarra plums]], [[riberry]], native raspberries, and [[Syzygium smithii|lilli pillies]], as well as a range of native citrus species including the desert lime and finger lime.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cse.csiro.au/research/nativefoods/nativefoods_website.pdf |title=Australian Native Foods |access-date=20 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125164754/http://www.cse.csiro.au/research/nativefoods/nativefoods_website.pdf |archive-date=25 January 2011 }}</ref> These usually fall under the category of bush tucker, which is used in some restaurants and in commercial preserves and pickles but not generally well known among Australians due to its low availability.{{Citation needed|date=October 2019}}

Australia also has large fruit-growing regions in most states for tropical fruits in the north, and stone fruits and temperate fruits in the south which has a mediterranean or temperate climate. The [[Granny Smith]] variety of apples originated in Sydney in 1868.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/ryde/msherwood.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070811001112/http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/ryde/msherwood.htm |archive-date=11 August 2007 |title=Granny Smith and her Apples |date=15 February 2007 |access-date=11 August 2007 }}</ref> Another well-known Western Australian apple variety is the [[Cripps Pink]], known locally and internationally as "Pink Lady" apples, which was first cultivated in 1973.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cripps|first1=J. E. L.|last2=Richards|first2=L. A.|last3=Mairata|first3=A. M.|date=1993-10-01|title='Pink Lady' Apple|url=https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/hortsci/28/10/article-p1057.xml|journal=HortScience|language=en-US|volume=28|issue=10|pages=1057|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.28.10.1057|issn=0018-5345|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Fruits cultivated and consumed in Australia include apples, banana, kiwifruit, oranges and other citrus, mangoes (seasonally), mandarin, stonefruit, avocado, watermelons, rockmelons, lychees, pears, nectarines, plums, apricots, grapes, melons, papaya (also called pawpaw), pineapple, passionfruit and berries (strawberries, raspberries, etc.).<ref>{{cite web |title=Horticulture fact sheet |url=http://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/hort-policy/horticulture_fact_sheet |website=agriculture.gov.au |publisher=Department of Agriculture and Water Resources – Commonwealth of Australia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622143608/https://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/hort-policy/horticulture_fact_sheet|archive-date=22 June 2017|access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref>

===Vegetables===
In the temperate regions of Australia vegetables are traditionally eaten seasonally, especially in regional areas, although in urban areas there is large-scale importation of fresh produce sourced from around the world by supermarkets and wholesalers for grocery stores, to meet demands for year-round availability. Spring vegetables include artichoke, asparagus, bean shoots, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, leek, lettuce, mushrooms, peas, rhubarb, and spinach; summer vegetables include [[capsicum]], cucumber, [[eggplant]], squash, tomato, and [[zucchini]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/45926/Vegetable_growing_in_the_Central_West_-_Primefact_56-final.pdf|title=Vegetable growing in the Central West|website=Dpi.nsw.gov.au|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Melissa |author-link=Melissa Clark |date=15 July 2022 |title=Make the Most of Too Much Summer Squash With the Zucchini Slice |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/15/dining/zucchini-slice-recipe-australia-new-zealand.html |access-date=25 August 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Meat and poultry==
{{Redirect|Smallgoods|similar meats in a global context|Lunch meat}}
[[File:Chicken parmigiana.jpg|thumb|[[Chicken parmigiana]], colloquially known as a chicken "parmi" or "parma", is a popular [[pub food]]]]
Chicken is the most commonly consumed of all meats or poultry by weight, with approximately 47 kilograms of chicken consumed by the average Australian per year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Facts & Figures - ACMF |url=https://www.chicken.org.au/facts-and-figures/ |website=The Australian Chicken Meat Federation |access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Sheep eating grass edit02.jpg|thumb|right|Sheep grazing in rural Australia. Early British settlers introduced [[Western culture|Western]] stock and crops]]

{{As of|2018|19}} Australians ate around 25 kilograms of [[beef]] per person with beef having a 35% share of fresh meat sales by value, the highest of any fresh meat in 2018–19.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fast Facts 2019 — Australia's beef industry The off-farm meat value (domestic expenditure plus export value) of the Australian beef industry was approximately $19.6 billion in 2018-19 – up 10% on the 2017-18 period (MLA estimate). |url=https://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/prices--markets/documents/trends--analysis/fast-facts--maps/mla-beef-fast-facts-2019.pdf |website=[[Meat & Livestock Australia]] |access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref>

Lamb is very popular in Australia, with roasting cuts (legs and shoulders), [[Meat chop|chops]], and [[Shank (meat)|shanks]] being the most common cuts. Lamb will often form part of either a [[Sunday roast]] or a barbecue. It is also commonly found as an ingredient in [[Gyro (food)|gyros]] ("yiros") and [[doner kebab]]s, brought by Greek and Turkish  immigrants in the 1960s and 1970s. Australia consumes more lamb and mutton than any other country listed by the [[OECD]]-[[FAO]] (with [[Kazakhstan]] in second place). In 2017, Australians consumed an average of {{Convert|8.5|kg|lb}} per person. By way of comparison, New Zealanders average {{convert|3.2|kg|lb}} and Americans just {{convert|0.4|kg|lb}}.<ref>[https://data.oecd.org/agroutput/meat-consumption.htm Meat consumption], OECD Data. Retrieved 6 December 2016.</ref>

Lunch at an [[Australian pub]] is called a ''[[counter lunch]]'', while the term ''counter meal'' is used for either lunch or dinner.<ref>{{cite web|title=1857 First reference to the counter lunch|url=https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/first-counter-lunch/|access-date=28 June 2020|website=Australian food history timeline|date=September 1850 }}</ref> Common dishes served at counter lunches and counter meals are steak and chips, [[chicken parmigiana]] and chips, a mixed grill (an assortment of grilled meats), and roast lamb or beef with roast vegetables.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Callan Boys|date=10 November 2014|title=Ten classic Australian pub foods|url=https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/ten-classic-australian-pub-foods-20141119-11jkqa|access-date=28 June 2020|website=The Good Food Guide}}</ref>

[[Lunch meat]]s are known as '''smallgoods''' in Australia and New Zealand, referring to products such as [[ham]], [[bacon]], [[sausages]] or [[salami]].<ref>The [[Shorter Oxford English Dictionary]] (Fifth edition; 2002) Volume 2, p. 2884.</ref>

=== Game===
[[Kangaroo meat]] is available as [[Game (hunting)|game]] in Australia, although it is not among the most commonly eaten meats. In colonial-era recipes, kangaroo was treated much like [[ox tail]], and braised until tender forming a rich gravy. It is available today in various cuts and sausages.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Woodgate|first1=Thomas|title=Australian food: 40 dishes locals like to call their own|url=http://travel.cnn.com/sydney/eat/40-foods-australians-call-their-own-651613|website=CNN Travel|access-date=27 July 2015|date=3 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au/products/cuts.htm |title=KIAA – Kangaroo Meat Cuts |publisher=Kangaroo-industry.asn.au |access-date=17 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023156/http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au/products/cuts.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 }}</ref> Kangaroo is, however, a common commercial [[dog food]] in Australia.

Other less commonly eaten forms of game are [[emu]] and [[Crocodile meat|crocodile]].

{{Gallery
| title = Game meats of Australia
| align = center
|Kangaroo steak at a restaurant in Sydney, Australia.jpg
|Kangaroo steak
| Krokodilmenu fg1.jpg|A crocodile dish}}

==Fish and seafood==
{{Main|Seafood in Australia}}

Seafood consumption is increasing, but it is less common in the Australian diet than poultry and beef.<ref name="bulletin"/>
Australian cuisine features Australian seafood such as [[southern bluefin tuna]], [[King George whiting]], [[Moreton Bay bugs]], mud crab, [[Glaucosoma hebraicum|jewfish]], dhufish ([[Western Australia]]) and [[Freshwater yabby|yabby]]. Australia is one of the largest producers of abalone and [[rock lobster]].

[[File:Fish and Chips Ocean Foods Drummoyne.jpg|thumb|Typical serving of [[fish and chips]]]]

[[Fish and chips]] is a take-away food that originated in the United Kingdom and remains popular in Australia.<ref name="everwon3">{{cite web|url=http://www.open2.net/everwondered_food/history/history_timeline3.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041118084945/http://www.open2.net/everwondered_food/history/history_timeline3.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 November 2004|title=BBC – Ever Wondered Food – History|date=18 November 2004}}</ref> It generally consists of [[Deep frying|battered deep-fried]] [[fish]] with [[french fries#Fish and chips|deep-fried chipped]] (slab-cut) potatoes. Rather than cod which is more common in the UK, the most popular fish at Australian fish and chips shops, at least in southern Australian states, is [[Flake (fish)|flake]], a fillet of [[gummy shark]] (''Mustelus antarcticus'').<ref>{{cite web |title=Which Fish for Fish and Chips |url=https://www.fishandchipsawards.com.au/information/which-fish-for-fish-and-chips |website=The Australian Fish and Chips Awards |publisher=[[Fisheries Research and Development Corporation]] |access-date=28 June 2020 |archive-date=14 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814043929/https://www.fishandchipsawards.com.au/information/which-fish-for-fish-and-chips |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Flathead (fish)|Flathead]] is also a popular sport and table fish found in all parts of Australia. [[Barramundi]] is a fish found in northern Australian river systems. [[Thenus|Bay lobsters]], better known in Australia as [[Moreton Bay]] bugs, are common in seafood restaurants, or may be served with steak as "surf and turf".{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}

The most common species of the aquaculture industry are salmon, tuna, oysters, and prawns. Other food species include [[abalone]], freshwater finfish (such as [[barramundi]], [[Murray cod]], [[bidyanus bidyanus|silver perch]]), brackish water or marine finfish (such as barramundi, [[Australasian snapper|snapper]], [[yellowtail kingfish]], [[mulloway]], [[groupers]]), [[mussels]], [[mud crab]]s and [[sea cucumber]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.agriculture.gov.au/fisheries/aquaculture/aquaculture-industry-in-australia |title=Aquaculture industry in Australia |website=agriculture.gov.au |publisher=Department of Agriculture and Water Resources – Commonwealth of Australia |date=2018 |access-date=17 September 2018}}</ref>

While inland river and lake systems are relatively sparse, they nevertheless provide freshwater game fish and crustacea suitable for dining. Fishing and aquaculture constitute Australia's fifth most valuable agricultural industry after wool, beef, wheat and dairy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daff.gov.au/fisheries |title=Fisheries Home |publisher=DAFF |date=13 September 2011 |access-date=17 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925025706/http://www.daff.gov.au/fisheries |archive-date=25 September 2011 }}</ref> Approximately 600 varieties of marine and freshwater seafood species are caught and sold in Australia for both local and overseas consumption. [[Common carp|European carp]], common in the [[Murray River]] as an [[invasive species]], is not considered edible by most Australians despite being common in cuisines across Europe.

{{Gallery
| title = Fish and other seafood dishes in Australia
| align = center
|File:Barramundi at Boardwalk Bistro on Hastings, Noosa Heads.jpg|Barramundi
|File:Tetsuyas-Ocean-Trout.jpg|Confit of Tasmanian ocean trout
}}

==Dairy==
{{See also|Agriculture in Australia#Dairy}}
Ever since the first British settlement of 1788, Australia has had a dairy industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=The History Of The Australian Dairy Industry & Its People |url=https://www.dairy.com.au/our-industry-and-people/our-history |publisher=[[Dairy Australia]] |access-date=1 July 2020}}</ref> Today, the Australian dairy industry produces a wide variety of milk, cream, butter, cheese and yoghurt products.

Australians are high consumers of dairy products, consuming on average some {{convert|102.4|L}} of milk per person a year, {{convert|12.9|kg}} of cheese, {{convert|3.8|kg}} of butter (a small reduction from previous year, largely for dietary purposes) and {{convert|7.1|kg}} of yoghurt products.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Statistics-and-markets/Production-and-sales/Consumption-Summary.aspx|title=Dairy Australia – Consumption statistics|website=Dairyaustralia.com.au| publisher=[[Dairy Australia]] | access-date=23 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203021321/http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Statistics-and-markets/Production-and-sales/Consumption-Summary.aspx|archive-date=3 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Beverages==

===Tea===
For most of Australia's history following the arrival of British settlers, [[black tea]] was the most commonly consumed hot beverage; however, in the 1980s, [[coffee]] overtook tea in popularity.<ref>{{cite book |last= Blainey|first= Geoffrey|author-link= Geoffrey Blainey|date= 2020|title= The Story of Australia's People: The Rise and Rise of a New Australia|url= |location= Melbourne|publisher= Viking|page= 372|isbn= 9781761041945}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Dan Bolton |title=Choice Reviews Reveal Australian Tea Trends |url=https://worldteanews.com/market-trends-data-and-insights/choice-reviews-reveal-australian-tea-trends |website=World Tea News |access-date=25 June 2020 |date=12 November 2019 |archive-date=26 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626202741/https://worldteanews.com/market-trends-data-and-insights/choice-reviews-reveal-australian-tea-trends |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the 19th century, billy tea was a staple drink for those out in [[The bush#Australia|the Australian bush]], such as those working on the land or travelling overland. Boiling water for tea in a [[Billycan|billy]] over a camp fire and adding a gum leaf for flavouring remains an iconic traditional Australian method for preparing tea.<ref name="cultureandrecreation.gov.au"/> Famously, it was prepared by the ill-fated [[swagman]] in the Australian folksong "[[Waltzing Matilda]]".

Tea and biscuits or freshly home-baked [[scone]]s are common for [[afternoon tea]] between friends and family.

===Coffee===
{{Main|Coffee in Australia}}
[[File:Pellegrini's at night.jpg|thumb|[[Pellegrini's Espresso Bar]] in central Melbourne opened in 1954]]

Today's Australia has a distinct [[coffee culture]]. The coffee industry has grown from independent cafes since the early 20th century.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} The [[flat white]]  became popular in Australia some time after 1985, and its invention is claimed by a [[Sydney]]sider (although this claim is disputed by a New Zealand-based barista).<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/australian-coffee-cafe-take-over |title=How Australian Coffee Took Over—And Why New Zealand Coffee Could Be Next |magazine=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]] |date=1 January 2018 |access-date=10 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/11895654/Who-invented-the-flat-white-Row-breaks-out-between-Australian-and-New-Zealand-cafe-owners.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/11895654/Who-invented-the-flat-white-Row-breaks-out-between-Australian-and-New-Zealand-cafe-owners.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Who invented the flat white? Row breaks out between Australian and New Zealand cafe owners|last=Pearlman|first=Jonathan|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=28 September 2015|access-date=15 December 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The iconic Greek cafés of Sydney and Melbourne were the first to introduce locally roasted coffees in 1910.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} US military personnel stationed in Australia during the Second World War helped to spread the habit of coffee drinking, initially in the form of [[instant coffee]].<ref>{{cite book |last= Blainey|first= Geoffrey|author-link= Geoffrey Blainey|date= 2020|title= The Story of Australia's People: The Rise and Rise of a New Australia|url= |location= Melbourne|publisher= Viking|page= 371|isbn= 9781761041945}}</ref>

In 1952, the first [[espresso]] machines began to appear in Australia and a plethora of fine Italian coffee houses were emerging in Melbourne and Sydney. [[Pellegrini's Espresso Bar]] and Legend Café often lay claim to being Melbourne's first 'real' espresso bars, opening their doors in 1954 and 1956 respectively. This decade also saw the establishment of one of Australia's most iconic coffee brands, [[Vittoria Coffee|Vittoria]], which remains the country's largest coffee maker and distributor. The brand has existed in Australia since 1958, well before it moved to the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vittoriacoffee.com/|title=Vittoria Coffee|website=Vittoriacoffee.com|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Flat white.jpg|thumb|The ubiquitous Australian coffee drink, the [[flat white]].]]

To this day, international coffee chains such as [[Starbucks]] have very little market share in Australia, with Australia's long established independent cafés existing along with homegrown franchises such as [[The Coffee Club]], [[Michel's Patisserie]], [[Dôme (coffeehouse)|Dôme]] in WA, and [[Zarraffas Coffee]] in Queensland. One reason for this is that unlike with the United States and Asia, Australia for many decades had already had an established culture of independent cafés before coffee chains tried to enter the market.<ref>{{cite web|author=James Braund |url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/australia/travel-tips-and-articles/69143 |title=Caffeination: Australia's (obsessive) coffee culture – travel tips and articles |publisher=[[Lonely Planet]] |access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref>

===Other hot beverages===
The chocolate and malt powder [[Milo (drink)|Milo]], which was developed by [[Thomas Mayne (inventor)|Thomas Mayne]] in Sydney in 1934 in response to the [[Great Depression in Australia|Great Depression]], is mixed with cold or hot milk to produce a popular beverage. In recent years, Milo has been exported and is also commonly consumed in Southeast Asia even becoming a major ingredient in some desserts produced in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Katy |date=11 May 2018 |title=Add Milo to everything this year: Your favourite malty drink is sky-rocketing to hero status |url=https://www.food24.com/News-and-Guides/News-and-Trends/world-food-trends-milo-is-set-to-take-over-the-world-20180511 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216031336/https://www.food24.com/News-and-Guides/News-and-Trends/world-food-trends-milo-is-set-to-take-over-the-world-20180511 |archive-date=16 December 2018 |access-date=15 December 2018 |website=Food24 |language=en}}</ref>

{{Gallery
| title = Hot beverages in Australia
| align = center
| Billycan-campfire.jpg|A traditional [[billycan]] on a campfire, used to heat water, typically for brewing tea
| Flat White Coffee.png|A [[flat white]] featuring [[latte art]]
| Coffee angel art .jpg|A [[Latte|caffè latte]] featuring [[latte art]]
| Australian milo.jpg|A cup of hot [[Milo (drink)|Milo]]
}}

===Alcohol===
{{See also|Alcohol in Australia|Beer in Australia|Australian whisky|Australian wine}}

[[Beer in Australia]] has been popular since colonial times. [[James Squire]] is considered to have founded Australia's first commercial brewery in 1798 and the [[Cascade Brewery]] in [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], has been operating since the early 19th century. Since the 1970s, Australian beers have become increasingly popular globally – with [[Foster's Lager]] being an iconic export brand. However, Fosters is not a large seller on the local market, with alternatives such as [[Victoria Bitter]] and [[Carlton Draught]] outselling the popular export. Craft beer is popular, as well as distinctive products from smaller breweries such as [[Coopers Brewery|Coopers]] and [[Little Creatures Brewery|Little Creatures]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2011/s3300391.htm |title=Changing beer habits to blame for profit decline|work=ABC News |date=23 September 2011 |access-date=9 December 2011}}</ref>

The [[Australian wine]] industry is the fifth largest exporter of wine around the world, with 760 million litres a year to a large international export market and contributes $5.5 billion per annum to the nation's economy. Australians consume over 530&nbsp;million litres annually with a per capita consumption of about 30 litres – 50% white table wine, 35% red table wine.<ref>{{cite web|title=4307.0.55.001 – Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2010–11|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4307.0.55.001main+features52010-11|work=abs.gov.au|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|access-date=20 May 2012|date=3 May 2012}}</ref> Wine is produced in every state, with more than 60 designated wine regions totalling approximately 160,000 hectares. Australia's wine regions are mainly in the southern, cooler parts of the country, in [[New South Wales]], [[South Australia]], [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]] and [[Western Australia]]. Amongst the most famous wine districts are the [[Barossa Valley]], [[Hunter Valley]], [[Margaret River, Western Australia|Margaret River]] and [[Yarra Valley]], and among the best known wine producers are [[Lindeman's]], [[Penfolds]], [[Rosemount (wine)|Rosemount Estate]], [[Wynns Coonawarra Estate]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/wine/ |title=Australia's wine industry|website=Cultureandrecreation.gov.au |date=14 December 2007 |access-date=17 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217023344/http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/wine/ |archive-date=17 February 2011}}</ref> In Australia's tropical regions, wine is produced from exotic fruits such as mango, passion fruit and lychees.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wineries & Vineyards - Cairns Australia |url=https://www.cairns-australia.com/cairns-wineries.html |website=www.cairns-australia.com |access-date=16 February 2020}}</ref>

In modern times, South Australia has also become known for its growing number of premium spirits producers, with the South Australian Spirits industry quickly emerging as a world leader with producers being recognised globally such as Seppeltsfield Road Distillers, Never Never Distilling, Adelaide Hills Distilling and many more.<ref>{{cite news |title=World Gin Awards 2020: South Australian results |url=https://citymag.indaily.com.au/habits/plate-and-cup/world-gin-awards-2020-south-australian-results/ |work=CityMag |date=1 March 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Visit South Australia - feel stimulated, relaxed, and inspired |url=https://southaustralia.com/travel-blog/the-great-south-australian-gin-guide |website=[[South Australian Tourism Commission]]|language=en |date=23 September 2020}}</ref>

[[Rum]] served as a currency during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Australia when metallic currency was in short supply.<ref>L. Allen, The Encyclopedia of Money, 2009, p. 268</ref>

{{Gallery
| title = Beer, wine and spirits in Australia
| align = center
|Cairns Australia Beer Run.jpg|Six [[Stubby bottle|stubbies]] of different Australian beers.
|PenfoldsGrange.jpg|[[Penfolds Grange]], 1999, a premium Australian red wine
}}

== Take-away and convenience foods  ==
[[File:Milk Bar, Miller Street.jpg|thumb|A traditional [[milk bar]] in the Melbourne suburb of North Fitzroy]]
[[File:Finley Fish Shop.JPG|thumb|A fish and chip shop, [[Finley, New South Wales]]]]

The traditional places to buy [[Take-out|take-away food]] in Australia has long been at a local [[milk bar]], [[fish and chip]] shop, or [[bakery]], though these have met with stiff competition from fast food chains and convenience stores in recent decades.

Iconic Australian take-away food (i.e. [[fast food]]) includes [[Meat pie (Australia and New Zealand)|meat pie]]s, [[sausage roll]]s, [[Pasty|pasties]], [[Chiko Roll]]s, and [[dim sim]]s. Meat pies, sausage rolls, and pasties are often found at milk bars, bakeries, and petrol stations, often kept hot in a [[pie warmer]] or needing to be [[Microwave oven|microwave]]d; meat pies are also a staple at [[Australian Football League|Australian Rules football]] matches.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.australian-information-stories.com/meat-pie.html | title=Australian Meat Pie }}</ref> Chiko Rolls, dim sims and other foods needing to be [[Deep frying|deep-fried]] are to be found at fish and chip shops, which have the necessary [[deep fryer]]s in which to cook them.

Bread rolls, with a variety of fillings, are a common alternative to sandwiches, with '''double-cut rolls''' (effectively two sandwiches) a South Australian specialty.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article96209496 |title="Is There No Control?" |newspaper=[[The Recorder (Port Pirie)]] |issue=13,254 |location=South Australia |date=31 January 1949 |access-date=17 September 2023 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Australian hamburgers and [[steak sandwich]]es are mainly to be found at [[fish and chip]] shops. Australian hamburgers consist of a grilled beef patty, served with shredded lettuce and sliced tomato in a (usually toasted) round bread roll or bun, along with [[Tomato sauce#Australia|tomato sauce]] (less commonly, [[barbecue sauce]]). Common options to add include bacon, cheese, fried onions, fried egg, a slice of [[beetroot]], and a slice of pineapple. A [[Pickled cucumber|slice of gherkin]] is rarely included; these are a feature of burgers from American chains, not Australian.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://burgershereandthere.com/2011/03/02/australian-burger-recipe/ |title=Australian burger recipe |publisher=burgers here and there |date=2 March 2011 |access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref> Steak sandwiches come with the same options, but instead of a beef patty, they consist of a thin steak and are served in two slices of toast, not buns.

Pizza has also become a popular take-away food item in Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australia Pizza (Prepared Meals) Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics, 2021-2026 |url=https://www.globaldata.com/store/report/australia-pizza-market-analysis/ |website=www.globaldata.com}}</ref>

Commonly found at community and fundraising events are [[sausage sizzle]] stalls – a stall with a barbecue hot plate on which sausages are cooked. At a sausage sizzle the sausage is served in a slice of white bread, with or without tomato sauce and with the option of adding fried onions, and eaten as a snack or as a light lunch. A sausage sizzle at a [[Polling place|polling station]] on any Australian state or Federal election day has humorously become known as a [[Democracy sausage]].<ref>{{Cite web|author=Hilary Whiteman|title=In Australia, sausages are a symbol of election day. Here's why|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/17/australia/australia-sausage-sizzle-election-intl/index.html|access-date=2021-09-08|website=CNN|date=17 May 2019 }}</ref> Similar stalls are held in the car parks of most [[Bunnings]] hardware stores on weekends, by volunteers fund-raising for service clubs, charities, societies or sporting groups. The company supplies the infrastructure and enforces standards, including prices.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bunnings.com.au/about-us/in-our-community |title=In Our Community |publisher=Bunnings |access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref>

The [[halal snack pack]] ("HSP", also known in South Australia as an AB<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.broadsheet.com.au/national/food-and-drink/article/halal-snack-pack-no-adelaides-version-called-ab | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110120313/https://www.broadsheet.com.au/national/food-and-drink/article/halal-snack-pack-no-adelaides-version-called-ab | archive-date=10 November 2021 | title=Halal Snack Pack? No, Adelaide's Version is Called an "AB" }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaides-best-ab/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531224157/https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaides-best-ab/ | archive-date=31 May 2024 | title=Where is Adelaide's Best AB }}</ref>) originated in Australia as a fusion of [[Middle Eastern cuisine|Middle Eastern]] and [[European cuisine|European]] flavours, common at kebab shops around Australia. It consists of [[doner kebab]] meat served over hot chips and covered in sauces (such as chilli, garlic, or barbecue sauce).<ref name="MTV 2016">{{cite web|date=March 14, 2016|title=Your Local Kebab Shop Is Now Trending, Introducing Your New Facebook Group Obsession|url=http://www.mtv.com.au/travel/news/introducing-your-new-facbook-group-obsession-the-halal-snack-pack-appreciation-society|access-date=April 30, 2016|website=MTV}}</ref>

{{gallery
| align = center
| title = Australian take-away foods
| Four'N Twenty Pie at the AFL.jpg|Meat pie at a football match
| Sausage roll.jpg| A sausage roll served in-house at a bakery
| Australian pasties.jpg|An assortment of pasties
| Chiko roll in bag handheld.jpg|[[Chiko Roll]] in a bag
| Fast food dim sum and soy sauce.jpg|A deep-fried “South Melbourne” [[dim sim]]
| Sausage Sizzle - Snowy Valley Resort AUD3.50.jpg|Sausages with onions in bread from a [[sausage sizzle]]
| Hspchips (cropped).jpg
|[[Halal snack pack]]}}

== Baked goods and desserts ==
[[Damper (food)|Damper]] is a traditional Australian bread prepared by [[Swagman|swagmen]], [[Drover (Australian)|drover]]s and other travellers. It is a wheat-flour-based bread, traditionally baked in the coals of a campfire. [[Toast (food)|Toast]] is commonly eaten at breakfast. An iconic commercial spread is [[Vegemite]], a salty, [[B vitamins|B vitamin]]-rich savoury spread made from [[brewers yeast]] eaten on buttered toast, commonly at breakfast, or in sandwiches.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vegemite turns 90: what's your favourite iconic Australian brand? |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-25/vegemite-turns-90-whats-your-favourite-iconic-australian-brand/5046112 |access-date=10 December 2018 |agency=ABC News |publisher=ABC |date=25 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aussie-info.com/identity/food/pavlova.php |title=Pavlova page |publisher=Aussie-info.com |access-date=17 September 2011 |archive-date=10 February 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020210071800/http://www.aussie-info.com/identity/food/pavlova.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> A common children's treat dating back to the 1920s is [[fairy bread]],<ref name=anu2>[http://slll.cass.anu.edu.au/centres/andc/meanings-origins/f "Meanings and origins of Australian words and idioms"], [[Australian National University]]. Retrieved 12 August 2016.</ref> appearing around the same time as the [[Boston bun]].

A classic Australian biscuit is the [[ANZAC biscuit]], which are often homemade and so-called as they were sent by families and friends to Australian soldiers fighting in Europe and the [[Dardanelles]] in the [[First World War]]. A popular commercial brand of biscuit are [[Arnott's Biscuits|Arnott's]] [[Tim Tam]]s.

A classic Australian cake is the [[lamington]], made from two squares of butter cake or sponge cake coated in an outer layer of chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut.The food is sweet. Another popular cake and dessert dish is the [[Pavlova (food)|pavlova]], a [[meringue]]-based dessert; however, the origins of this are contested as New Zealand also lays claim to its invention.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.noted.co.nz/archive/listener-nz-2008/pavlova-palaver/ |title=Pavlova palaver |last=Goldsmith |first=Susette |date=12 July 2008 |website=Noted |publisher=New Zealand Listener (Bauer Media Group) |access-date=12 February 2019 |archive-date=6 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906181728/https://www.noted.co.nz/archive/listener-nz-2008/pavlova-palaver/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/hands-off-our-pavlova-kiwis-warned-ng-ya-189152 |title=Hands off our pavlova, Kiwis warned |last=Sas |first=Nick |date=4 December 2010 |website=The West Australian |publisher=Seven West Media |access-date=11 February 2019}}</ref> The [[Neenish tart]] is one more Australian baked good, with a pastry base, dried icing in two colours on top, and a filling of cream/jam.

The mango pancake, a stable of Yum Cha restaurants in Sydney and elsewhere in Australia, is believed to have originated in Sydney in the late 1980s and early 1990s.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bartholomeusz |first1=Rachel |title=Did Australia invent the mango pancake? |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2016/05/26/did-australia-invent-mango-pancake |publisher=SBS Food}}</ref>

{{gallery
| align = center
| title = Australian baked foods and desserts
|File:Rosemary beer damper.jpg|[[Damper (food)|Damper]] (bread) is usually cooked over hot coals
| ANZAC biscuits.JPG|[[ANZAC biscuit]]s, made with coconut
| NZ Lamington.jpg|A cream-filled lamington
| Christmas pavlova.jpg|A [[pavlova (cake)|pavlova]] garnished with pomegranates and cream
| Vegemiteontoast_large.jpg|[[Vegemite]] on toast
| Vanille Slice Australia.jpg|[[Vanilla slice]]
| Fairy Bread.jpg|[[Fairy bread]]
}}

==Regional foods==
As well as national icons there are many regional iconic foods.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/sa-weekend/from-haighs-chocolates-to-coopers-beer-and-king-george-whiting-whats-your-favourite-sa-food-icon/news-story/2ab5876745e9d31e13f72b278cdc467f|title=Favourite SA Food Icon|website=Adelaide Today}}</ref>

===New South Wales===
''[[Saccostrea glomerata]]'', known in Australia as the Sydney rock oyster,<ref name="dpird (nsw) sro">{{cite web |title=Sydney Rock Oyster |url=https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/fish-species/species-list/sydney-rock-oyster |website=[[Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (New South Wales)]] |access-date=14 November 2025 |language=en |date=2024}}</ref> or, more recently, as just the rock oyster,<ref name="afr 2018-12-19">{{cite news |last1=Wilden |first1=Necia |title=Which Australian oyster is best: Rock or Pacific? |url=https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/food-and-wine/which-australian-oyster-is-best-rock-or-pacific-20181211-h18z43 |access-date=14 November 2025 |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |date=19 December 2018 |language=en}}</ref> is a culinary delicacy in Sydney.<ref name="n.com.au 2024-03-14">{{cite news |last1=Achenza |first1=Madeleine |title=Sydney Rock Oyster farms forced to close prompting fears the luxury dish could be under threat |url=https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/eat/sydney-rock-oyster-farms-forced-to-close-prompting-fears-the-luxury-dish-could-be-under-threat/news-story/2a0b6edcd22e27f88744b7ffba4ee9fc |access-date=14 November 2025 |work=[[news.com.au]] |date=14 March 2024}}</ref> Rock oysters are also popular in other NSW locations such as [[Merimbula]];<ref name="abc 2024-12-19">{{cite news |last1=Reardon |first1=Adriarne |title=Pearler of a Christmas ahead for these oyster farmers |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-19/oysters-farmers-christmas-season-sales-nsw-south-coast/104706274 |access-date=14 November 2025 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=19 December 2024 |language=en-AU}}</ref> in 2025, [[Destination NSW]] reported that oyster trails, tours and tastings were supporting a rising demand for agritourism in that State.<ref name="at 2025-07-30">{{cite web |last1=Grossetti |first1=Carla |title=Oyster experiences are trending; here are Australia’s best |url=https://www.australiantraveller.com/australia/best-oyster-experiences-australia/ |website=Australian Traveller |access-date=14 November 2025 |language=en-au |date=30 July 2025}}</ref> [[Endemism|Endemic]] to Australia and [[New Zealand]],<ref name="Thompson-2017">{{cite journal |doi=10.3354/meps12109 |title=Lack of genetic introgression between wild and selectively bred Sydney rock oysters ''Saccostrea glomerata'' |journal=Marine Ecology Progress Series |volume=570 |issue= |pages=127–139 |year=2017 |last1=Thompson|first1=Jessica A. |last2=Stow|first2=Adam J. |last3=Raftos|first3=David A. |bibcode=2017MEPS..570..127T }}</ref><ref name="OHare-2021">{{cite journal |doi=10.1007/s10592-021-01343-4 |title=Genetic structure and effective population size of Sydney rock oysters in eastern Australia |journal=Conservation Genetics |volume=22 |issue= 3|pages=427–442 |year=2021 |last1=O'Hare|first1=Jessica A. |last2=Momigliano|first2=Paolo |last3=Raftos|first3=David A. |last4=Stow|first4=Adam J. |bibcode=2021ConG...22..427O }}</ref> rock oysters inhabit sheltered estuaries and bays between [[Hervey Bay (Queensland)|Hervey Bay]], Queensland, and [[Wingan Inlet]], Victoria (amongst other places in Australia),<ref name="dpird (nsw) sro"/><ref name="Thompson-2017"/><ref name="OHare-2021"/> and are also commercially grown, predominantly on NSW's {{cvt|2000|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} coastline.<ref name="afr 2018-12-19"/>

An associated dish, [[carpetbag steak]], became popular in Sydney in about 1950. As eaten in that city, it is made up of a thick cut of beef with a deep incision filled with rock oysters, usually dipped in [[Worcestershire sauce]]. Sometimes the filling is supplemented with butter, lemon juice, parsley, bread crumbs, or shredded cheese. The filled steak is then either pan fried or oven broiled, and most often served rare.<ref name="mne 2004-05-06">{{cite news |last1=Grace |first1=Roger M. |title=A Mixed Marriage Made in Heaven: Bovine and Mollusk |url=http://www.metnews.com/articles/2004/reminiscing050604.htm |access-date=15 November 2025 |work=[[Metropolitan News-Enterprise]] |date=6 May 2004}}</ref>

Carpetbag steak is not an Australian invention; it traces its origins to [[Mumbles]], an oyster-fishing village in [[Swansea]], [[South Wales]], UK.<ref name="powell 2025">{{cite web |last1=Powell MA |first1=Carol |title=The Mumbles Oyster Trade |url=https://www.storyofmumbles.org.uk/stories/articles/customs-traditions/the-mumbles-oyster-trade |website=The Story of Mumbles |access-date=14 November 2025 |date=15 February 2025 |quote=[P]reviously published on the History of Mumbles web site.}}</ref> But after finding favour in Sydney, its popularity spread, with local variations, to the United Kingdom, South Africa, and other places.<ref name="mne 2004-05-06"/> In the United States, radio programs broadcast in the early 1950s associated the dish with Australia,<ref name="aft carpetbag steak">{{cite web |last1=O'Connell |first1=Jan |title=Carpetbag steak cited as a "national dish" |url=https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/1952-carpetbag-steak-cited-as-a-national-dish/ |website=Australian Food Timeline |access-date=15 November 2025 |language=en-AU}}</ref> as did news articles published in the 1970s,<ref name="nyt 1979-11-25">{{cite news |last1=Fabricant |first1=Florence |author1-link=Florence Fabricant |title=FOOD Interesting Parts Of a Tepid Cuisine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/11/25/archives/long-island-weekly-food-interesting-parts-of-a-tepid-cuisine.html |access-date=15 November 2025 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=25 November 1979}}</ref> 1980s,<ref name="upi 1987-06-30">{{cite news |last1=Leighty |first1=John M. |title=Australian 'roo stew' yanked from menu |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/06/30/Australian-roo-stew-yanked-from-menu/7171552024000/ |access-date=15 November 2025 |agency=[[United Press International|UPI]] |date=30 June 1987 |language=en}}</ref> and 2000s.<ref name="mne 2004-05-06"/> Meanwhile, in Australia as a whole, carpetbag steak experienced "something of a heyday" in the 1950s and 1960s,<ref name="aft carpetbag steak"/> and was an "iconic menu item" until the 1990s.<ref name="twlm 2017-10-12">{{cite web |last1=Hagger |first1=David |title=Nostalgic Carpetbag Steak Recreated at Marriott Culinary and Beverage Workshop |url=https://theworldlovesmelbourne.com/gourmet-news/1612-nostalgic-carpetbag-steak-recreated-at-marriott-culinary-and-beverage-workshop.html |website=The World Loves Melbourne |access-date=15 November 2025 |date=12 October 2017}}</ref> {{As of|2025}}, it was still on the menu of Charcoal Restaurant, a long-established [[steak house]] in Canberra.<ref name="cr home">{{cite web |author1=<!-- not stated --> |title=Charcoal Restaurant – Steak House |url=https://charcoalrestaurant.com.au/ |website=Charcoal Restaurant |access-date=15 November 2025}}</ref>

===Queensland===
Queensland has [[Weis Fruit Bar]] and claims the [[lamington]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/q150-icons-list-20090610-c2xk.html|title=Q150 icons list|date=10 June 2009|website=Brisbane Times|language=en|access-date=14 October 2018}}</ref>

The [[cuisine of Brisbane]] derives from mainstream Australian cuisine, as well as many cuisines of international origin. Major native foods of the Brisbane region and commonly used in local cuisine include the [[Macadamia tetraphylla|macadamia]], [[Backhousia citriodora|lemon-scented myrtle]], [[Citrus australasica|Australian finger lime]], [[Araucaria bidwillii|bunya nut]], and [[Thenus|Moreton Bay bug]]. The city's cuisine culture is often described as casual with an emphasis on outdoor dining.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.australiantraveller.com/qld/brisbane/brisbanes-dining-scene-heats-up/ |title=The Best of Brisbane Food Culture|date=10 June 2016|work=Traveller |access-date=18 April 2020}}</ref> Roof-top dining has become an iconic part of the culinary landscape, as well as a large [[street food]] scene with [[food truck]]s and pop-up bars common.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://blogs.qut.edu.au/international-student-stories/2016/08/09/food-truck-culture-in-brisbane/ |title=Food Truck culture in Brisbane |date=9 August 2016|work=QUT International Student Stories|access-date=18 April 2020}}</ref>

Brisbane also lays claim to several foods including [[Avocado toast|"smashed avo"]].<ref>{{cite news|url= https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245765723?searchTerm=avocado%20on%20bread&searchLimits=|title=The Avocado|date=4 May 1926|work=Trove |access-date=18 April 2020}}</ref> Although popularised in [[Sydney]] in the 1990s, smashed avocado was a common dish in Brisbane and Queensland dating back to the 1920s.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/179334469|title=An Eden By The Sea|date=8 June 1929|work=Trove |access-date=15 September 2020}}</ref>

{{gallery
| align = center
| title = Brisbane foods
| File:Avocado Toast Melbourne (cropped).jpg|[[Avocado toast|"Smashed avo"]]
| File:Lamingtons on a plate.jpg|[[Lamington]]
| File:Jimmy's On the Mall seafood dish for two.jpg|[[Thenus|Moreton Bay bug]] with chips
}}

===South Australia===
[[File:Pie floater in Adelaide SA.jpg|thumb|right|The famous [[pie floater]] of Adelaide]]
South Australia has [[FruChocs]], [[King George whiting]], and a range of foods of German origin including [[mettwurst]], [[Bienenstich]] (beesting), [[streuselkuchen]] (German cake)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fritzmag.com.au/traditional-german-cake-recipe/|title=Fritz – Traditional German Cake Recipe|website=www.fritzmag.com.au|language=en-AU|access-date=14 October 2018}}</ref> and [[Devon (sausage)|fritz]].

The State also has its own iconic brands such as [[Farmers Union Iced Coffee]], [[Yo-yo biscuit|YoYo biscuits]] and [[Balfours]] [[frog cake]]s. [[Jubilee cake]] is a specialty of South Australia, as is the [[Kitchener bun]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2014/06/australias-cuisine-culture-a-history-of-food/|title=Australia's cuisine culture: a history of our food – Australian Geographic|date=27 June 2014|work=[[Australian Geographic]]|access-date=14 October 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

In Adelaide, a variant on the meat pie is the [[pie floater]], which is a meat pie served in a bowl of pea soup.

===Tasmania===
Tasmania has leatherwood honey, [[abalone]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tasmaniatopten.com/lists/tasmanian_foods.php|title=Top ten Tasmanian food specialities|website=www.tasmaniatopten.com|language=en|access-date=14 October 2018}}</ref> and [[savoury toast]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zengerer |first1=Catherine |title=Tassie treat or bogan bread? The secret delights of savoury toast |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-07/savoury-toast-catches-nigella-lawsons-eye/100345346 |access-date=27 June 2022 |website=[[ABC News Australia]] |date=6 August 2021 |publisher=ABC Radio Hobart}}</ref> 

===Victoria===
Victoria is famous for its home-grown Melbourne invention, the [[dim sim]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-08/dim-sim-invention-a-story-of-chinese-australian-history/7148450|title=Dim sims: The history of a Chinese-Australian icon|last=Brown|first=Simon Leo|date=8 February 2016|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=15 December 2018}}</ref> Melbourne is also the home of the hot jam donut.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hot Jam Donuts |url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/hot-jam-donuts#:~:text=Hot%20jam%20donut%20is%20an,at%20the%20Queen%20Vic%20Market. |website=Tasteatlas}}</ref> 

===Western Australia===
[[File:Conti Roll, The Re Store, Northbridge, 2025 (01).jpg|thumb|alt=cut roll sandwich on a paper wrapper|A traditional [[conti roll]] prepared by The{{nbsp}}Re{{nbsp}}Store in 2025]]
In Western Australia, the [[conti roll]], or continental roll, is a popular sandwich,<ref name="abc 2021-03-13">{{Cite news |last=Wynne |first=Emma |date=2021-03-13 |title=How an Italian family's love of broccoli, olive oil and the 'conti' roll changed a city's menus forever |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-13/how-italian-migrants-changed-perth-menus-after-second-world-war/13208994 |access-date=2023-06-11}}</ref><ref name="sbs f 2021-08-30">{{cite web |last1=Veenhuyzen |first1=Max |title=Perth's new wave of continental rolls |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/perths-new-wave-of-continental-rolls/gbg1f9ui1 |website=[[SBS Food]] |access-date=14 January 2025 |language=en |date=30 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="Belle">{{Cite web |last=Belle |date=2021-10-14 |title=IN FOCUS: The Conti Roll |url=https://www.thebelltowertimes.com/the-conti-roll-perth/ |access-date=2023-06-11 |website=www.thebelltowertimes.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-26 |title=Where To Find Perth's Best Conti Rolls |url=https://scoop.com.au/where-to-find-the-best-conti-rolls-in-perth/ |access-date=2023-06-11 |website=Scoop |language=en-AU}}</ref> and has been described as both " ... a singularly Western Australian creation ..."<ref name="abc 2021-03-13"/> and "... the closest thing ... West Australians have to a regional sandwich."<ref name="sbs f 2016-01-27">{{cite web |last1=Veenhuyzen |first1=Max |title=The rise and rise of a West Coast sandwich with Italian flair |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/the-rise-and-rise-of-a-west-coast-sandwich-with-italian-flair/rj6djd1bs |website=SBS Food |access-date=12 January 2025 |language=en |date=27 January 2016}}</ref> It may have been born, and certainly was raised, in the inner-city Perth locality now known as [[Northbridge, Western Australia|Northbridge]].<ref name="sbs f 2016-01-27"/> Another WA treat is green-coloured, [[spearmint]]-[[flavored milk|flavoured milk]].<ref name="abc 2025-11-09">{{cite news |last1=Wynne |first1=Emma |title=Spearmint milk and Hawaiian packs included in celebration of WA's food history |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-09/celebration-of-wa-s-food-history/105985950 |access-date=9 November 2025 |work=ABC News |date=9 November 2025 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

In the 1970s, Peter Kailis, co-founder of the now national WA-originated fast food chain [[Red Rooster]], invented the Hawaiian Pack, made up of [[rotisserie chicken]], a deep-fried banana and a pineapple ring.<ref name="abc 2025-11-09"/> {{As of|2025}}, Red Rooster was no longer selling a Hawaiian Pack.<ref name="rr box meals">{{cite web |author1=<!-- not stated --> |title=Menu: Box Meals |url=https://www.redrooster.com.au/menu/box-meals/ |website=Red Rooster |access-date=13 November 2025 |language=en}}</ref> However, its "Box Meals" menu included a "Trop Box" with pineapple rings but no banana,<ref name="rr box meals"/> and its WA-based rival [[Chicken Treat]] was offering a "Hawaiian Quarter" with "Pineapple Fritter, [and] Deep Fried Bananas".<ref name="ct hawaiian quarter">{{cite web |title="Hawaiian Quarter" |url=https://www.chickentreat.com.au/menu/boxes/hawaiian-quarter/ |website=[[Chicken Treat]] |access-date=13 November 2025 |language=en}}</ref> Other fast food outlets with origins, or Australian origins, in WA include [[Hungry Jack's]],<ref name="abc 2025-11-09"/> [[Nando's#Australia|Nando's]],<ref name="gf 2025-07-30">{{cite web |last1=Veenhuyzen |first1=Max |title=Winner winner, roast chicken dinners: the bachelor’s handbag gets a glow-up |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/goodfood/eating-out/winner-winner-roast-chicken-dinners-the-bachelor-s-handbag-gets-a-glow-up-20250730-p5mizv.html |website=Good Food |access-date=13 November 2025 |language=en |date=30 July 2025}}</ref> and the now-defunct [[Chooks Fresh & Tasty]].<ref name="aboutuschooks">{{cite web|url=http://www.chooks.com.au/aboutusnbsp/ourorigins/tabid/60/Default.aspx |title=Chooks |access-date=2007-09-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070904175833/http://chooks.com.au/aboutusnbsp/ourorigins/tabid/60/Default.aspx |archive-date=4 September 2007 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia|Food}}
*[[List of Australian and New Zealand dishes]]
* [[Australian wine]]
*[[Australian whisky]]
* [[Chinese restaurants in Australia]]
* [[Culture of Australia]]
* [[Bush tucker]]
* [[Cuisine of Brisbane]]
* [[Australian Aboriginal sweet foods|Australian Aboriginal sweets]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last1=Newling |first1=Jacqui |title=Eat Your History: Stories & Recipes from Australian Kitchens |date=2016 |publisher=[[NewSouth Publishing]] |location=Sydney |isbn=9781742234687 |url={{GBurl|7nQYswEACAAJ}}}}
* {{cite book |last1=O'Brien |first1=Charmaine |title=The Colonial Kitchen: Australia 1788-1901 |series=Historic Kitchens |date=2016 |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |location=Lanham, MD, USA |isbn=9781442249820 |url={{GBurl|2-33DAAAQBAJ}}}}
* {{cite book |last1=O'Connell |first1=Jan |title=A Timeline of Australian Food: From Mutton to Masterchef |date=2017 |publisher=[[NewSouth Publishing]] |location=Sydney |isbn=9781742235349 |url={{GBurl|kxl8_1nKiEsC}}}}
* {{cite book |last1=Santich |first1=Barbara |title=In the Land of the Magic Pudding: A gastronomic miscellany |date=2000 |publisher=[[Wakefield Press (Australia)|Wakefield Press]] |location=Kent Town, SA |isbn=1862545308}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Santich |first1=Barbara |title=The high and the low: Australian cuisine in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries |journal=Journal of Australian Studies |date=2006 |volume=30 |issue=87 |pages=37–49 |doi=10.1080/14443050609388049 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14443050609388049 |issn=1444-3058 |author1-mask=7}}
* {{cite book |last1=Santich |first1=Barbara |title=Looking for Flavour |date=2009 |publisher=Wakefield Press |location=Kent Town, SA |isbn=9781862548596 |edition=expanded |author1-mask=7}}
* {{cite book |last1=Santich |first1=Barbara |title=Bold Palates: Australia's gastronomic heritage |date=2012 |publisher=Wakefield Press |location=Kent Town, SA |isbn=9781743051139 |author1-mask=7}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Cuisine of Australia}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
{{Cookbook|Cuisine of Australia}}
* {{URL|https://aussiefoodie.com/}} – a website devoted to "Simple Classic Aussie Cooking"
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090515023052/http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/foodanddrink/ Australian food and drink – Native Australians and early settlers]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20141216201538/http://australianflavour.net/ Australian Flavour – Recipes verified as having been cooked in Australian in the late 1800s and 1900s plus others considered iconic]

{{cuisine}}
{{Oceanian topic|| cuisine}}
{{Australia topics}}
{{Australian cuisine}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Australian Cuisine}}
[[Category:Australian cuisine| ]]
[[Category:Western cuisine]]