A drool-worthy guide to Australia's best cheese toasties

For those times when nothing by a cheese toastie will do…

Consider this your guide to Australia’s best cheese toasties, slathered with butter and grilled until gooey. Here are some beautifully engineered examples from around the country.

VIC | NSW | QLD | WA | SA | NT | TAS

Victoria

Mushroom and cheese toastie at HIFI Collingwood, Melbourne

HIFI is a new hipster hole in the wall in Collingwood that slaps mushroom ragu and taleggio between slabs of sourdough and toasts it until it is ridiculous. The Collingwood bolthole is the sibling to nearby Terror Twilight and Tinker in Northcote, and it is impossible to pootle past the kiosk due to the pervasive perfume of melting cheese. Expect cameos from achingly cool members of local bands such as Surprise Chef, and Hiatus Coyote who appreciate the vinyl-spinning vibes in a corner of Collingwood co-owner Kieran Spiteri describes as “dirty chic".

Cheese toasties at HIFI Collingwood — HIFI is a new hipster hole in the wall in Collingwood. (Image: My Friend Tom)

Calabresie toastie at Maker & Monger, Prahran

The Swiss raclette and All-American grilled-cheese toastie with onion and parsley at Maker & Monger is the signature toastie at this chapel to cheese in the heritage harvest hall at Prahran Market. The staple ingredient on the Calabresie toastie is the smoked scamorza, ‘nduja and oregano, which is gorgeously gooey on the inside and all crisp and crunch on the outside. It’s become a tradition for visitors to Anthony Femia’s stall to choose their wedge of gorgonzola or chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano from the seven-metre-long cheese cabinet before submitting to the toastie. Resistance is futile.

Fondue Toastie, Maker and Monger, Australia — Just submit to the toastie. Resistance is futile.

The Latina at Aphro & Wolfe, Fitzroy North

Aphro & Wolfe is serious about its toasties, with a dedicated toastie window that doles out epic cheese toasties with fillings that literally make them shine. It’s a meal fit for those fixie-riding hipsters who live in Fitzroy North and are fighting to remain WFH to feed their addiction to these doorstop-sized toasties. Blame the banh mi toastie: this creation is made from pulled pork cooked slowly for six hours and then squished between slabs of flame-grilled bread and a mix of cheeses. Keep saying no to the suit and tie and hole up here in the cosy cafe, fitted with plywoods and antiques.

Toastie, Aphro & Wolfe, VIC, Australia — Aphro & Wolfe is serious about its toasties. (Image: Aphro & Wolfe)

Ghosty Toasty, Bendigo

Who said bread was dead? Not the breadheads at Ghosty Toasty, that’s for cert. If you’re on a road trip in regional Victoria, and heading to Viva Bendigo, let it be for food first. The rest will follow. The Mark Truffalo with truffle oil, mushroom, rocket and thyme will hit you where it counts, as will the peanut butter, maple bacon and banana designed in honour of Elvis, who is taking over the city until July as part of the festivities surrounding the Elvis: Direct from Graceland exhibition coming to town. Wear your supersized jumpsuit for the Pastrarnold Schwarzenneger with pastrami, hot English mustard, cream cheese and pickles, surely one of Australia’s best cheese toasties.

Mark Truffalo Toasties, Ghosty Toasty, Australia — The Mark Truffalo will hit you where it counts.

Hector’s Deli, Richmond

Chef Dom Wilton worked at Attica and Stokehouse before co-founding Hector’s Deli and has some cred with bread. Hector’s Deli is a shrine to the sandwiches he so loves. Wilton’s formula is simple: he elevates deli-counter staples and tried and true treasures into superlative sangas by using exceptional ingredients. The Never Now-designed cafe, located in a quiet suburban backstreet in Richmond, is a low-key part of the hood in which to hang. Discover why Wilton is considered a champion toastmaster when you wrap your laughing gear around the monster HCT, mortadella with provolone, mozzarella and tomato chutney on sourdough.

Cheese toastie, Hector's Deli, Australia — Discover why Wilton is considered a champion toastmaster. (Image: Hector’s Deli)

New South Wales

Four-cheese toastie at Arms Length, Potts Point

Arms Length in Potts Point is one of the go-tos for a bottomless brunch in Sydney. But the cafe that turns into a bar by night is also known for its excellent jaffles, as toasties are known in Australia. Make a stop at Arms Length late at night after enjoying a neon-lit night in nearby Kings Cross. Arms Length recently relocated from Redfern to this leafty new HQ in Potts Point and the four-cheese toastie with crisps is especially good after a night on the town. This is the place to be as the sun sinks over the horizon, as you will want to Shazam every song during the DJ’s set.

The filthy-good cheese toastie on offer at Arm's Length served with a pile of salty crisps. — The filthy-good cheese toastie served with a pile of salty crisps. Credit: Chad Konik

Eight-cheese toastie at Penny’s Cheese Shop, Potts Point

If you’re in the mood for a cheese toastie, the version at Penny’s Cheese Shop is regarded by devotees to be one of the nation’s best. Owner Penny Lawson’s decadent rendition is made from a blend of up to eight different cheeses which she changes each day at her new digs in Sydney’s Potts Point. Those game enough to try and replicate this marvellously gooey creation at home can purchase all the artisan cheeses and the PiOik sourdough from the European-style deli and give it a red-hot go.

8-cheese toastie, Penny's Cheese Shop, Australia — The decadent rendition is made from a blend of up to eight different cheeses which she changes each day. (Image: Penny’s Cheese Shop)

Confit duck and five-cheese toastie at Three Blind Mice, Mascot

Three Blind Mice is a new neighbourhood providore in Mascot that specialises in cheese and meat. The most glorious dish on the menu is the toasted sandwich with confit duck, fig jam and scallions, mixed with a blend of five cheeses and grilled until golden and oozy at its centre. Chef Daniel Hughes and cheesemonger Milan Majstorovic are the co-founders of the elegant European-style deli that has put Mascot on the map for foodies.

Cheese toasties, Three Blind Mice, Australia — Three Blind Mice is a new neighbourhood providore in Mascot that specialises in cheese and meat.

Dosa Potato Jaffle at Flyover Fritterie and Chai Bar, Redfern

Flyover Fritterie’s owner Gunjan Aylawadi draws on his Indian heritage for his take on toasties that are a mash-up of old-school Aussie jaffles stuffed with Indian flavours in pairings such as Dosa potato and peanut chutney, and tofu tikka. Flyover Fritteria started as a hole-in-the-wall in Sydney CBD, but has moved to larger premises in Redfern due to the popularity of its dishes. The eatery is nods to the no-name street-food carts that jostle for space amid heaving crowds beneath Mumbai’s overpasses (flyovers).

Jaffle and Corn, Flyover Fritterie, Redfern, Australia — Taste the exquisite mash-up of old-school Aussie jaffles stuffed with Indian flavours.

Pork belly, provolone + American cheese toastie at SOUL Deli, Surry Hills

K-food culture is alive and well at Taylor Square in Redfern where SOUL Deli doles out decadent toasties designed to cure a heinous soju (hangover). Plough into the golden sourdough sanga that is filled with pulled pork, fried kimchi, provolone and American cheese and served with house-made pickles. Kimchi is an acquired taste and one that Australians are acquiring at an ever-increasing rate judged by its appearance on menus. SOUL deli also does a killer KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) roll.

Toasties from SOUL Deli, Surry Hills, Australia — SOUL Deli doles out decadent toasties designed to cure a heinous hangover.

Mushroom and gruyere cheese toastie at SixSmith Create, Cronulla

Drive a few kilometres south of the main hub of Cronulla and you will find a pretty little corner cafe sandwiched between Oak and Shelly parks. What you will also find at Sixsmith are members of the Jellybeans swim club tucking into the mushroom, thyme and gruyere toastie, which, like the cafe itself, is a jealously guarded secret. Pull up a seat at the communal table, where past and present NRL players and local cricketing legends make regular cameos, while you enjoy your toastie grilled to creamy perfection on Brasserie Bread sourdough.

Six smith Create, Cheese toastie, Australia — Enjoy your toastie grilled to creamy perfection.

Queensland

M.C. Cheese at Melt Brothers, Brisbane

The Melt Brothers have two locations in Brisbane: one at Post Office Square, and the other in the Myer Centre. And nowhere does a goopy New York-style grilled cheese sanga better.

The M.C. Cheesy is a molten monster of macaroni and cheese gussied up with maple bacon and finished with a sweet swipe of smokey BBQ sauce and aioli. The thick-cut white sourdough gives the double-decker treat structural integrity. Delish.

Goopy Cheese Toastie, Melt Brothers, Brisbane, Australia — No one does a goopy New York-style grilled cheese sanga better. (Image: Justin Kim)

Criminal Coffee Company, Maroochydore

Criminal Coffee Company is known and loved for two things: ‘Roasting and Toasting’. So consider it a bonus that you go for the cheesy, decadent toasties and stay for the artisan roasted coffee.

Toasties from Criminal Coffee, Australia — Go for the cheesy, decadent toasties.

The Criminal Coffee Company HQ is located in a quiet corner of Cotton tree in Maroochydore and it has a sister venue, called The Toast Office , on the bustling Mooloolaba Esplanade. Ask for your toastie extra unctuous. We love the signature toasted sarnie, the Padre, held together on fresh fermented sourdough and stuffed with a secret blend of herbs, cheese and spices.

Toasties from the Toast Office, Australia — It has a sister venue, called The Toast Office, on the bustling Mooloolaba Esplanade.

Two Blocks Cafe, Holloways Beach

This cute little cafe in Holloways Beach is routinely rammed with locals. It’s called two blocks because it’s literally two blocks back from the beach in the northern suburbs of Cairns. Tropical North Queensland is designed for al fresco dining and this industrial-chic cafe presents an excellent example of that. Sit in the outdoor dining area, which is softened with rustic railway sleepers and tropical greenery, and meet some of the friendly locals who are justifiably proud that this is their neighbourhood hang. Go for a walk along the beach after inhaling the ham and gruyere toastie with bechamel, mozzarella, house pickles and jalapeño mustard.

ham and gruyere toasties, Two Blocks Cafe, QLD, Australia — Try their ham and gruyere toasties. (Image: Benjamin McKay)

Milk Bar Coffee, Maroochydore

This Milk Bar Coffee specialty staple ingredient is a black truffle paste, which means we can carb-load here all-year round on black truffle and roast mushie toasties and not be restricted by the seasonal availability of fresh fungi. This is the crowd favourite, made up of field mushrooms, mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan cheese and served with house-made bread and butter pickles on the side to cut through the richness. You might want to extend your lunch break and have a snooze under a palm tree as you will enter a deep carb coma after devouring this beast.

Toasties from Milk Bar, Maroochydore, Australia — Carb-load here all-year round on amazing toasties. (Image: Timothy Birch Studio)

Western Australia

Bolognaise and cheese toastie at Foxtrot Unicorn, Perth

Foxtrot Unicorn is housed in an old underground bank vault built in 1887, where it’s likely the recipe to their jaffle toastie is stored for safekeeping. And while the eight-cheese toastie is sweetly nostalgic, a veggie option becomes a contemporary take with a serve of kimchi on the side. The award-winning bartenders here also do magical things with cocktails. And, as an aside, it’s a top spot to bunker down during an apocalypse. The outside of the jaffles is brushed in confit garlic butter, then crusted in parmesan. Inside, is a blend of about eight different cheeses and a top-secret seasoning called “jaffle crack".

Cheese toastie, Foxtrot, Queensland, Australia — Taste the blend of about eight different cheeses in their cheese toasties. (Image: Darius Photography)

Toastface Grillah, Perth

Those chasing the thrill of the grill in Perth should go directly to Toastface Grillah (and sister grillah, Lil’ Toastface). While the OG toasted sanga temple is known for its hangover-beating cheese toasties, it’s also one of the coolest cafes in the WA capital. Pull up a milk crate in the grungy alleyway and forgo the Panadol after your big night out in favour of the toasted chilli cheese sanga which will kick your dry-mouth horrors to the graffiti-clad kerb. There are now five locations of Toastface Grillah peppered around WA. We recommend the Quodzilla, a 35 cm x 25 cm four-cheese beast that you can slam dunk into four dipping sauces.

Livingstone’s Urban Jungle, Northbridge

Livingstone’s Urban Jungle is the toast of Northbridge thanks to its killer combos. Particularly, the Mac Daddy (triple cheese macaroni and cheese). Likewise, Bada-bing (Italian meatballs, garlic, rosemary, tomato sauce and Emmental cheese). Meanwhile, keep it simple with old-school winners such as ham and cheese. Moreover, take it up a notch with the seductive Slam ‘n’ Cheese, featuring smoked ham, bechamel sauce, seeded mustard and gruyere cheese. Check out the special boards for more out-there combinations such as The Raging Bull (braised beef short ribs with caramelised onions and cauliflower cheese). And then settle in for coffee at the greenery-filled oasis, which, we presume, was named after explorer Dr Livingstone who went missing in the wilds of Africa.

South Australia

Proof, Adelaide

Great sangas abound at the Proof located near to Press Food and Wine in Adelaide. The trick to making the colossal sandwiches so good is in the engineering; these are sandwiches with structural integrity. Let’s not overcomplicate things. Obviously, the Breville is in the detail. And the grilling is also integral to the success of a sweet-as sanga. Take some beans. Add some salsa and jalapenos and smoosh together in a jaffle iron. Sprinkle with some Dorito dust and hey presto: it’s a Tex Mex toastie. We would also like to tip our hat toward the lamb, hummus, ras el hanout with za’atar which is a beautiful collision of crunch, and is silken, sweet and spicy all at once. If you consume it all at once, it can be the sort of sandwich that will require an afternoon siesta.

Cheese toasties, from Proof Bar, Adelaide — The trick to making the colossal sandwiches so good is in the engineering.

Northern Territory

Postie, Darwin

The cheese toasties at Postie really cut the mustard. The secret to the perfect cheese sandwiches at Postie is all about the quality ingredients. Chiefly, the sturdy slabs of sourdough and secret blend of cheeses. Basically, there’s a science to making the perfect grilled cheese toastie as this video attests. Because you want to bite off more than you can chew, you should order the humble Postie toastie. Indeed, it features ham off the bone, homemade pink onion jam, a blend of cheeses and seeded mustard on sourdough. This cheesy concoction is toasted until golden, crunchy on the outside, gooey on the inside.

Tasmania

Samuel Pepy’s Cafe, Launceston

Why did the great diarist Samuel Pepy bury his giant wheel of Parmesan during the Great Fire of London? Because Parmigiano Reggiano was considered valuable even back in 1666, when Pepy buried his treasures before escaping from his house. Correspondingly, the owners of Samuel Pepy’s Cafe in Launceston also share a fondness for cheese. Evidently, the casual eatery with the vintage vibes does a pleasing lunchtime toastie that will appeal to gluten-free tribes. Finally, arrange a gatho to chow down on the chicken, bacon, avocado, cheese and aioli sanga on GF bread.

Toast, Launceston

Mainlanders travelling to Tassie seem to want to give Launie a bit of love. We’ll toast to that. Keep it simple with chicken and cheese. Or the ham, cheese and tomato. Equally, you can up the ante with a chicken parmie toastie or pork ‘n’ slaw. Besides, the BLT is also a thing of beauty: a tasty torpedo of melted cheese, mushies, bacon, pickles and lettuce. Accordingly, The Land Down Under flips the notion of a toastie with dim sims, bacon, mozzarella cheese and ABC sauce. Certainly, this is how Aussies like to eat.

This remote corner of Australia is one of the world’s last frontiers. This is how to see it properly.

Vast, rugged and deeply spiritual, the Kimberley coast in Australia’s North West feels a world away from everyday Australia – and there are countless ways to explore it. But if you want to reach ancient rock art, hidden gorges and lonely waterfalls, it has to be by boat. Whether you’re aboard a nimble expedition vessel or a luxury yacht with all the trimmings, exploring by the water brings exclusive experiences, shows unique views and makes travel easier than any other mode. And that’s just the beginning of Australia’s North West cruises.

The True North Adventure Cruise in between sandstone cliffs. — Adventure starts where the road ends.

1. Discover Broome, and beyond

Explore your launchpad before you set sail: Broome. Here camels and their riders stride along the 22 kilometres of powdery Cable Beach at sunset. That’s just the start.

At Gantheaume Point, red pindan cliffs plunge into the turquoise sea, whose low tide uncovers fossilised dinosaur footprints. Broome’s pearling history runs deep. Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers once worked these waters, and their legacy lives on in boutiques where South Sea pearls still shine.

If the moon’s right, you may catch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay. Or simply kick back with a cold beverage and a film under the stars at Sun Pictures , screening since 1916.

Ride a camel along Cable Beach as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, casting golden light across the sand and sea. — Ride a camel along Cable Beach. (Image: Nick Dunn)

2. Unmatched access to The Kimberley

Once you’re onboard, expect a backstage pass to some of the most isolated places on Earth. No roads. No ports. No phone reception.

At Horizontal Falls/ Garaanngaddim, 10-metre tides surge through twin gorges like a natural waterpark ride that’ll make your palms sweat. Then there’s Montgomery Reef/ Yowjab: a giant living platform of coral and seagrass, where the sea pulls back to reveal waterfalls, sea turtles and ospreys.

Up north, King George Falls/ Oomari rage 80 metres down red cliffs. Zodiac boats often nudge in closer so you can feel the spray on your sun-warmed cheeks. You might even fly in to reach Mitchell Falls/ Punamii-unpuu, a four-tiered cascade where you can swim in freshwater pools above the drop.

Come spring, some itineraries veer west to Rowley Shoals: an atoll chain of white sand and reef walls. Then it’s up the winding Prince Regent River to King Cascade/ Maamboolbadda, tumbling over rock terraces, and into a Zodiac to view the Gwion Gwion rock art, whose slender, ochre-painted figures are older than the pyramids.

A cruise drifts beneath King George Falls, where sheer sandstone cliffs frame the thunderous plunge into turquoise waters. — Get closer to the Kimberley than ever before.

3. Taste the Kimberley with onboard hospitality

You might spend your days clambering over slippery rocks or charging past waterfalls. But when you’re back on the water, it’s a different story. Meals are chef-prepared and regionally inspired: grilled barramundi, pearl meat sashimi, mango tarts, and bush tomato chutney. One night it’s barefoot beach barbecues with your shipmates; the next, alfresco dining on the ship.

Small expedition ships each have their own personality, but many carry just 12 to 36 guests, making being out on the water a whole other experience. You might sink into a spa on the foredeck or sip coffee in a lounge while watching crocodiles cruise by. It’s choose-your-own-relaxation, Kimberley style.

4. Expert-led excursions through the Kimberley

These voyages are led by people who know the Kimberley like the back of their sunburnt hand. Attenborough-esque naturalists might gently tap your shoulder to point out rare birds or tell the story beneath a slab of rock. Historians can explain exactly how that rusted World War II relic came to rest here.

If your ship has a helipad, you might chopper straight to a waterfall-fed swimming hole. If not, you’ll still be hopping ashore for that wet landing at a secret creek.

Then come the evenings: songlines shared by Traditional Owners under the stars, or astronomy sessions that link what’s overhead with what’s underfoot and what’s within.

A small group glides through Kimberley’s rugged coastline by boat, passing ancient cliffs. — Explore with naturalists and historians by your side.

5. Relax in luxurious lodgings

Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean you have to rough it. These Kimberley vessels are small in size, but mighty in luxury. True North’s ships come with their own helicopters and a no-sea-days policy, so you’re always in the thick of it. Try the luxurious offerings from Ocean Dream Charters for exploration in style. Kimberley Quest offers a fast boat for easy, off-ship adventures. On the larger end of the scale, Coral Expeditions has open-deck bars and curated wine cellars. And then there’s Ponant’s luxury yachts – sleek and incredibly stylish French sailing yachts.

A helicopter soars above the sea, with a sleek cruise ship gliding in the distance. — See the Kimberley from sky to shore.

6. The adventure continues with pre- and post-cruise experiences

You’ve already come this far – so, why not go further? Broome makes it easy to ease in before you board, or wind down when your voyage ends, and there is no reason to stop there.

Head an hour and a half south to Eco Beach to stay off-grid and off the clock. Join a Yawuru guide for a mangrove walk or ocean forage. Dive even deeper into Broome’s pearling past at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay, where divers and craftspeople still pull the seawater-slicked gems from the deep.

If you’re still craving adventure, it’s time to go further. Soar over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or detour inland with a 4WD trip along the Gibb River Road. Book a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles. Or – because you never know when you’ll be back – do all three.

aerial of people walking on eco beach in the kimberley western australia — Stay off grid at Eco Beach. (Image: Tourism WA)

Find out more about your trip to Australia’s North West at australiasnorthwest.com .