10 Best Local Dishes From Melbourne

Salt and pepper calamari is a unique Australian twist on classic calamari from Cantonese cuisine. The squid or calamari is covered in a salt-and-pepper batter of rising flour and deep-fried, then served with a side salad and dipped in a spicy sweet chili sauce.

With this simple preparation and flavors, the crunch and crispiness of the finished batter and the firm texture of the calamari rings give the dish its lightness and distinctive taste. The basic seasoning of the batter also works with the sweet heat and thickness of the chili sauce.

Fairy bread is an Australian staple at children’s parties, due to its sweet flavor and colorful, festive appearance. The recipe is simple, combining plain, sliced white bread with rich butter or margarine, which is then covered with hundreds of sweet, colorful sprinkles and cut into small triangles.

This simple, sweet recipe is a mainstay in Australian culture and nostalgic for adults, as well as a delightful and much-loved treat for children. Though the recipe remains unchanged, it’s common to find fairy bread in unique shapes, themed colors or iced for a creative twist on the classic.

Parma has Italian origins, but the Australian-style chicken parma version is commonly found in pubs and restaurants. Like the Italian version, chicken parma in Australia may use ripe eggplant, chicken, or other meats and a tomato-based sauce with Italian seasonings and melted cheese, such as mozzarella.

For a unique twist, some recipes include ham or prosciutto with complementary flavors. Parma may also be used for sandwiches, pies, with pasta, or combined with a side of chips or a salad. Parma is a popular staple in pub food, and Melbourne even has its own specialized chicken parma restaurants.

Originally known as a "soldier’s biscuit" or "Anzac tile," the Anzac biscuit was a favorite of traveling sailors and soldiers for its simplicity and hardiness. Though it has become more flavorful and sweeter over the years, the Anzac biscuit still uses traditional, primal ingredients to create its distinctive taste.

The modern Anzac biscuit favors oats, flour, coconut, butter, golden syrup, and baking soda for a fluffy, light, and sweet taste and a satisfying snack. These ingredients not only give it a unique flavor, but also give it the ability to be stored and preserved over long distances.

Melbourne’s Chinatown is famous for its culinary invention, dim sim, a Chinese-inspired meat and vegetable dumpling snack. Consisting of minced meat, such as pork, lamb, or chicken, cabbage, and a unique blend of seasoning, the dumpling may be steamed, deep-fried, or barbecued and dressed with soy sauce.

Restaurant and family recipes typically use traditional Chinese ingredients, such as shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, or water chestnuts, though the dumplings have a thicker, doughy skin and robust flavor in comparison to Chinese-style dim sum dishes. Dim sim got its name when it was misspelled on a menu, which was then picked up by other Australian settlers.

Pigs in a blanket is a sausage-based dish that is often found as an hors d’oeuvre, side dish, or appetizer at pubs, restaurants, and cocktail parties. This dish includes a cocktail frankfurter wrapped in bacon for a salty, savory taste, or a puff pastry to balance the robustness of the meat with the light, airy texture and flavor of the pastry.

These bite-sized treats are typically served with mustard or aioli dipping sauce, as well as other unique condiment recipes. On occasion, the small sausage may be filled with cheese to add another layer of flavor to the recipe.

Inspired by Italian cuisine, spaghetti Bolognese, or spag bol, is a meat-based sauce that is used to dress lasagna or pasta. The Italian version uses several cooking styles, including sautéing and braising, as well as a sofrito of celery, onion, and carrot with chopped beef or pork.

In the Australian version, the spag bol uses succulent Aussie beef or veal and locally grown mushrooms, truffles, and herbs for a twist on the classic dish with the distinctive flavors of the country.

Similar to Britain’s Marmite, Vegemite is a yeast spread that’s commonly combined with butter or margarine and spread on toast, crumpets, and crackers, or as pastry filling. It’s enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, and tea in Australia.

Marmite uses vegetable extract, but Vegemite is a dark brown paste that’s more substantial and savory, rather than sweet. It also has a salty, slightly bitter and malty taste that’s similar to beef bouillon. To balance the strong flavor, you can add lettuce, avocado, or tomato.

Kangaroos are abundant in many parts of Australia, low in fat, and completely methane free, so its versatile meat is often used in traditional recipes.

Naturally low in cholesterol and high in iron, kangaroo meat is tender, sweet, and can be grilled with distinct, powerful flavors like garlic, juniper, pepper, rosemary, plum, red currant, and orange. Because of the low fat content, kangaroo meat is prone to drying out during cooking, so it’s usually cooked rare to medium to preserve its tenderness and juiciness.

The pie floater is a traditional Australian dish that combines culinary influences of British settlers with local flavors. Pea soup with meat, a long-standing recipe in English culinary history, is combined with a traditional Australian style meat pie for a unique dish.

The pie itself is sitting or submerged in a bowl of thick pea soup from blue boiler peas, and chefs often use tomato sauce, salt pepper, mint sauce, or malt vinegar to alter the flavors. The meat pie may include a variety of different meats common in Australia, such as beef, deer, rabbit, poultry, or even kangaroo meat, for a leaner, healthier meal and lighter flavor.