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Thali

🇦🇺 The food of Australia

61 dishes from Australia, best known first, across 3 cities and regions.

Australian cooking brings together native ingredients, British traditions, and influences from many immigrant communities. Meals often feature meats like beef, lamb, and chicken, with barbecues and roasts being especially popular. Modern Australian cuisine blends European techniques with Asian and Mediterranean flavours, while bush foods and local produce add a distinct character.

  • Barbecued meat is closely associated with Australian food culture.
  • Australia leads the world in lamb and mutton consumption per person.
  • Chicken is the most eaten meat by weight in Australia.
  • Fish and chips shops often serve flake, a type of shark, instead of cod.
  • Modern Australian cuisine blends European and Asian influences.

The cooking of Australia

Australian cuisine is shaped by its Indigenous heritage, British colonial roots, and waves of immigration from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Early diets drew on native plants and animals, known as bush tucker, with methods like roasting over open fires. British settlers introduced wheat, beef, and sheep, making bread and meat central to meals. Later, Italian, Greek, Chinese, and other communities brought new dishes and flavours, leading to a diverse food culture. In recent decades, chefs have combined European cooking with Asian and Middle Eastern tastes, creating what is called Modern or Contemporary Australian cuisine.

Staple foods in Australia

Wheat-based bread, beef, lamb, and chicken are core foods, with dairy products like milk and cheese widely consumed. Vegetables and fruits, both native and introduced, are common, including apples, bananas, and stone fruits. Seafood is available but less central than meat. Bush tucker ingredients, such as macadamia nuts and native berries, are used in some dishes but are not everyday fare for most Australians.

Lunch in Australia 29 dishes

Lunch at pubs, known as counter lunches, often includes steak and chips, chicken parmigiana, mixed grills, or roast meats with vegetables. Sandwiches made with smallgoods (cold cuts like ham, bacon, and salami) are also common. Lunch is typically a lighter meal than dinner but can be substantial, especially in social or pub settings.

From region to region in Australia

Food habits vary across Australia. In the north, tropical fruits are more common, while the south grows temperate fruits and vegetables. Queensland and New South Wales are known for beef and sugar cane, while Victoria focuses on dairy. Seafood preferences differ by region: southern states favour flake (gummy shark) in fish and chips, while northern areas feature barramundi. Indigenous bush foods also differ by local flora and fauna.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Australian cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of Australia

Adelaide 2Queensland 1South Australia 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
Fish and chipsFish or seafood 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 8 moreBattered fried fish served hot with thick-cut chips Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Pie 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreA baked dish with a pastry crust and sweet or savoury filling Main dish, Lunch, Dinner BrieVegetarian 🇫🇷 France and 3 moreSoft French cheese with a white edible rind and creamy interior Cheese or dairy food, Lunch, Dinner Phophở 🇻🇳 Vietnam and 5 moreVietnamese rice noodle soup with beef or chicken in aromatic broth Soup, Breakfast, Lunch Butter chickenMeatमुर्ग़ मक्खनी 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreChicken in a rich, creamy tomato and butter sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Chow mein炒麵 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreStir-fried noodles with vegetables and often meat or tofu Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Dim sum点心 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA variety of small Chinese dishes served with tea, often for brunch Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Apple sauceVegan 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreSmooth cooked apples, sometimes sweetened or spiced, eaten as a side or dessert Sauce, pickle or ferment, Lunch, Dinner Shepherd's pieMeatcottage pie 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreBaked dish of minced meat under a layer of mashed potato Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Roast chickenMeat 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreWhole chicken roasted over heat or fire, served in many styles worldwide Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Casserole 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreA baked main dish of meat or vegetables bound with starch in a deep pan Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Sunday roast 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreA meal of roasted meat, potatoes and vegetables, served on Sundays in Britain and beyond Main dish, Lunch, Dinner ParmigianaVegetarian 🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreEggplant slices fried, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Massaman curryแกงมัสมั่น 🇹🇭 Thailand and 1 moreA Thai curry blending local and imported spices, often made with chicken and potatoes Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Rissole 🇫🇷 France and 5 morePastry or breadcrumbed parcels with savoury or sweet fillings, fried or baked Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Lunch Chả giò 🇻🇳 Vietnam and 1 moreVietnamese deep-fried rolls filled with seasoned meat and vegetables Street food, Snacks, Lunch Gỏi cuốn 🇻🇳 Vietnam and 5 moreVietnamese rolls of pork, shrimp, noodles and herbs wrapped in rice paper Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Yangzhou fried riceMeat扬州炒饭 🇨🇳 China and 3 moreChinese-style fried rice with pork, shrimp, egg and mixed vegetables Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Crayfish as food 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreFreshwater crustaceans eaten in many styles around the world Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Macaroni salad 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreCold salad of macaroni, mayonnaise, and vegetables, often served as a side dish Salad or side, Lunch, Dinner PempekFish or seafood 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreFish and tapioca cakes from Palembang, served with a sweet-sour spicy sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Nasi padang 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreSteamed rice with a spread of spicy Minangkabau dishes from West Sumatra Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Meat pieMeat 🇦🇺 Australia and 1 moreHandheld savoury pie with meat and gravy in a pastry crust, popular in Australia and New Zealand Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Malatang麻辣烫 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreA Sichuan street food of meats and vegetables cooked in a spicy, numbing broth Soup, Lunch, Dinner Steak pieMeat 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreStewed beef and gravy baked in a pastry shell, often served with chips Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Chip buttyVegetarian 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreA sandwich of hot chips in soft white bread, often buttered Sandwich or wrap, Lunch, Dinner Mushy peasVegan 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreSoft-cooked marrowfat peas, a classic side for fish and chips in the UK Sauce, pickle or ferment, Lunch, Dinner Fish pieFish or seafood 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreBaked dish of fish in creamy sauce topped with mashed potato Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Sausage sizzleMeat 🇦🇺 Australia and 1 moreGrilled sausage served in bread with onions and sauce at community events Street food, Snacks, Lunch

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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