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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
Pie 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreA baked dish with a pastry crust and sweet or savoury filling Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Scone 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreA quick bread, sweet or savoury, served with tea in Britain and beyond Bread, Tea time, Breakfast Ginger snapVegetarian 🇦🇺 Australia and 5 moreA crisp biscuit flavoured with ginger and spices, popular in many countries Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks Mince pie 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreSmall sweet pies filled with spiced fruit mincemeat, eaten at Christmas Pie or savoury pastry, Tea time, Snacks LamingtonVegetarian 🇦🇺 Australia and 1 moreSponge cake squares dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Hot cross bunVegetarian 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreA sweet, spiced bun with a cross on top, eaten at Easter Bread, Breakfast, Snacks Anzac biscuitVegetarian 🇦🇺 Australia and 1 moreOat biscuits from Australia and New Zealand, linked to World War I soldiers Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time CrumpetVegetarian 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreRound, spongy griddle bread with a porous top, often eaten toasted with butter Bread, Breakfast, Snacks Pineapple tartVegetarian 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreSmall pastries filled or topped with spiced pineapple jam Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time

Photo credits on this page

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

The weekly plate

Every Monday: seven dishes you may not know, what the world is cooking this week, and one way of eating.