10 Foodie Wonders In Australia Worth Travelling For

From destination diners and spirits that distil a sense of place to twists on the classics and a national dish (read: sausage sizzle), these are the culinary treasures that fuel our foodie obsessions.

This article is part of our 100 Australian Wonders series. Throughout the series, we explore our nation’s wonders across culture, nature, food, islands and many more. We hope it inspires your own exploration of Australia’s many wonders.

1. Aboriginal Bush Traders cafe, NT

Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

This not-for-profit organisation in Darwin’s CBD brings a bush tucker twist to classic Aussie brunch. Ancient flavours take on a modern spin with delights such as bush tomato shakshuka, granola served with tangy Kakadu plum compote and pies flavoured with bush spices.

a look inside the Aboriginal Bush Traders Cafe — The classic Aussie brunch gets a bush tucker revamp at Aboriginal Bush Traders cafe. (Image: Shaana Mcnaught)

Refresh with an iced Rosella tea, and be sure to check out the art gallery and shop attached, featuring a dazzling array of Indigenous art, bush food and bush skincare. All proceeds go towards supporting local Indigenous communities.

ethically sourced art at Aboriginal Bush Traders — Browse the art gallery and shop for one-of-a-kind treasures to take home. (Image: Leicolhn Mckellar Photography)

2. Aussie oysters

Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

Creamy, briny and umami-rich, oysters encapsulate the taste of our oceans and waterways. These microcosmic morsels vary in flavour, depending on region and species. For instance, buttery Sydney rock oysters are heralded as some of the best in the world for their intensity and complex flavour profile.

an oyster farm tour in the clear blue waters, Australia — Join an oyster farm tour on the Eyre Peninsula. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Plump Pacific oysters in Coffin Bay soak in nutrient-rich southern seawater, which lingers in the form of a subtly sweet aftertaste. And the sinewy flesh of Angasi oysters from Tasmania delivers a salty, zesty sucker punch to the palate – a perfect accompaniment to a glass of Tassie sparkling.

a basket of oysters — Slurp on plump Pacific oysters during a tour of the oyster racks. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

3. Tokyo Lamington, NSW

Travelling with: Jo Stewart

Putting a Japanese spin on a nostalgic Aussie bakery treat is a risky move, but Sydney’s Tokyo Lamington nails it. Located on the aptly named Australia Street in Newtown, this pocket-sized shop sprung to fame for reinventing the humble lamington.

the love cake at Tokyo Lamington — Take your pick from a range of unique flavour fusions of lamingtons.

Interesting flavour combos such as yuzu meringue, pandan tiramisu and fairy bread popcorn prove that nothing is sacred – and you can indeed improve on the classics. Purists will be pleased to know that there’s also an OG lamington with raspberry jam and vanilla cream in the mix, too. Onigiri, miso mushroom pies and matcha lattes bring an added touch of Japan to the menu.

mini square cakes at Tokyo Lamington — Sink your sweet tooth into these pocket-sized cakes at Tokyo Lamington.

4. Australian coffee culture

Travelling with: Lara Picone

From your single origins to your cold drips and doppio espressos, Australians are highly caffeinated and vastly coffee literate. Our country, as adrift as it is from Europe, has one of the best coffee cultures in the world. Indeed, baristas are some of our favourite people: we feel the warmth of being seen when they know our name and what we drink.

pouring coffee into a cup at Paramount CoffeeProject, Sydney — Paramount Coffee Project in Sydney showcases a variety of coffee origins, processes and roasters. (Image: Destination NSW)

For many, ‘just grabbing a coffee’ is a daily ritual that we harbour no desire to abandon and, of course, we have immigration to thank for it. Italians mostly, and southern Italians in particular, who began importing coffee machines after the Second World War.

We’ve been fine-tuning our brew for decades, inspired by how other countries do it, and tweaking to suit our own preferences for grind, bean and style. Wear your coffee snobbery proudly; it’s a cultural wonder all of its own.

two people passing by Industrial Beans Fitzroy — Melbourn has no shortage of cafes but the award-winning Industrial Beans Fitzroy is a roastery and cafe that certainly stands out. (Image: Jesse Hisco)

5. Bilpin cider, NSW

Travelling with: Taylah Darnell

The small town of Bilpin on the lesser-traversed side of the Blue Mountains has a generous sprinkling of some of the best cideries in Australia. The cold-winter, mild-summer climate of the region is perfect for growing apples, with a handful of orchards and cideries calling the town home. Head to dog-friendly Hillbilly Cider , a favourite among locals and tourists, for the ultimate Bilpin experience: a small but gorgeous orchard, live music on the weekend, delicious ciders and woodfired pizza year-round.

a couple tasting Hillbilly Cider — Sample Hillbilly Cider in a lively atmosphere. (Image: Destination NSW)

6. The Agrarian Kitchen, Tas

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

When Australians travel, even in their own backyard, they like to eat well. And one of the first places that springs to mind as a destination for dining is The Agrarian Kitchen , run by trailblazers Rodney Dunn and wife Séverine Demanet.

The Agrarian Kitchen in Tasmania — Head to the restaurant and cooking school at The Agrarian Kitchen. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The two-hatted restaurant has put the tiny Tassie township of New Norfolk on the map.

a dish on the table, The Agrarian Kitchen — Dine on fresh produce at The Agrarian Kitchen. (Image: Stu Gibson)

Visitors to the unassuming eatery, housed in a former dormitory ward of Willow Court asylum, can also take a tour of the sprawling garden to see where produce is plundered for the restaurant and gather ingredients for a cooking class.

a chef holding a dish at The Agrarian Kitchen, Tas — The renowned eatery elevates sustainable dining in Tasmania. (Image: Tourism Australia)

7. LANGTONS Classification of Australian Wine

Travelling with: Imogen Eveson

The Australian wine industry has hit a sweet spot: young enough to be bold and innovative but mature enough to be a serious contender on the global stage. From the coast of Western Australia to the patchwork of wine regions in South Australia (like Barossa and McLaren Vale) to cool climes in Tassie and Victoria, the country proudly produces some of the world’s best wine.

the wine-producing region of Yarra Valley — Yarra Valley is known for its world-famous vineyards. (Image: Filed Image via Getty Images)

The cream of the crop is reflected in the LANGTONS Classification of Australian Wine , the pinnacle of recognition for Australian wineries and producers that acts as a guide to the country’s most sought-after wines.

The current (eighth) Classification comprises a total of 100 wines across 60 wineries, including Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series Chardonnay , which captures timeless Margaret River excellence; Chris Ringland’s Dry Grown Barossa Ranges Shiraz , described as a contemporary Barossa marvel; Bindi Original Vineyard’s Pinot Noir , demonstrating the best in minimal-intervention winemaking; and Wine By Farr’s Sangreal Pinot Noir , which showcases the potential of Geelong’s terroir.

Cumulatively, the classification serves as a pulse-take of Australian winemaking practices, vineyard provenance and regional voice.

8. The Aussie sausage sizzle

Travelling with: Lara Picone

It may not be a culinary marvel, but the humble Aussie sausage sizzle teeters somewhere between a national dish and a cultural phenomenon. It’s not fancy. In fact, it’s resolutely anti-fancy. It dictates white bread only – maybe wholemeal, if you’re a bit hoity-toity – and the only embellishments permissible are sauce and charred onions. It’s called to duty for community fundraisers, on election days when it’s elevated to the lofty title of the Democracy Sausage, and every weekend at Bunnings, when it’s inhaled by bored children and parents running errands.

A mighty leveller, the sausage sizzle unites everyone from every crevice of Australian life. Its intoxicating aroma carried on the breeze is a siren song to take a minute and chill. For nothing can ever be that bad with a sausage sizzle in hand.

barbecued sausages — It’s an Australian rite of passage to enjoy a sausage sandwich. (Image: Alamy/Handypix)

9. Aussie spirits

Travelling with: Katie Carlin

No longer just for your nanna, gin has shaken off its drab former image and experienced a resurgence in the hands of a growing number of innovative small-batch distillers using native botanicals to craft distinctively Australian gin that is making the world take note.

Kangaroo Island Spirits exterior in South Australia — South Australia’s Kangaroo Island Spirits was one of the first Australian distilleries to produce gin using native botanicals. (Image: Kangaroo Island Spirits)

We’ve developed an insatiable appetite for the juniper-infused drink; from bars to masterclasses and festivals, gin continues to capture our attention. In less than two decades, the nation’s top producers have risen to international acclaim; Yarra Valley-based Four Pillars Gin , Sydney’s Archie Rose Distilling Co. , McLaren Vale’s Never Never Distilling Co. and South Australia’s Kangaroo Island Spirits (one of the first Australian distilleries to produce gin using native botanicals back in 2007) are among our most awarded. This brave new world of gin has thankfully met its match with the emergence of premium tonic waters – think Fever-Tree, CAPI, Quina-Fina and StrangeLove.

a bottle of gin at McLaren Vale’s NeverNever Distilling Co. — Try McLaren Vale’s Never Never Distilling Co’s award-winning gins. (Image: Meaghan Coles)

But it’s the commitment to quality, sustainability and spirit of innovation that continues to be the driving force behind the fledgling industry’s success with flavour profiles such as lemon myrtle, wattle seed, finger lime, Tasmanian pepperberry and more delivering a uniquely Australian expression like no other spirit can.

five glasses of Kangaroo Island Spirits — Taste uniquely Australian flavour profiles in the nation’s best gins. (Image: Kangaroo Island Spirits)

10. Sydney Fish Market, NSW

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

The brand-new Sydney Fish Market is taking shape at Blackwattle Bay where the original storied structure sat for some 70 years. In addition to capitalising on the expansive new 1.9-hectare site, this $750 million iteration will, like the original working market, go beyond the sale and distribution of fish.

In fact, the new site is destined to become even more of a draw, a landmark attraction for both Sydneysiders and visitors that will remain an integral part of the city’s fabric well into the future. The complex features a wavy timber and aluminium roof inspired by the ocean that will be utilised for potential energy production, rainwater collection and recycling. While the ground floor will include the working wholesale fish market and auction hall, the upper ground level will feature retailers, restaurants and cafes that revolve around both the land and sea.

Expect all the happy hubbub of the original market and more after its planned move in 2024.

the complex at Sydney Fish Market — The complex at Sydney Fish Market features a wavy timber and aluminium roof inspired by the ocean.

Keep reading our 100 Australian Wonders series; from road trips, outback and cultural wonders to foodie wonders and many more.

Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

walking trails in the Yarra Valley — You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy — Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy — A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate , I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate — Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

kangaroos in Yarra Valley — Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

the Yarra Valley vineyards — Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway — The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

Playing there

the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley — Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art . Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

Eating and drinking there

Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station — The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)

10 foodie wonders in Australia worth travelling for