Where to Eat Kangaroo and Other Aussie Food in Sydney
Curious about trying Kangaroo meat or other Aussie food in Sydney? You can find emu and kangaroo on pizza, and crocodile in spring rolls just for a start. In this guide, I’ll walk you through some of Sydney’s must-try foods, both traditional and modern. You’ll find my personal favorites, as well as a few dishes I’m not keen on but think you should try anyway.
Vegetarians, I’ve got you covered too — there are plenty of plant-based bites alongside the classics like Vegemite and Anzac biscuits.
Who this guide is for
- Travellers asking “where can I try kangaroo in Sydney?” or “what are the best Aussie foods to eat in Sydney?”.
- Curious eaters who want reliable, no-fuss recommendations, with options for kids and vegetarians.
What you’ll find here
- Specific venues to try kangaroo, emu, crocodile, meat pies, lamingtons, pavlova, Anzac biscuits and Tim Tams.
- Practical tips (how to order, how to cook, what to expect) and map-friendly areas to help plan your day.
Menus change — items were current as of Dec 2025. Please check links for the latest details.
This page contains affiliate links. You can find our full disclosure policy here.
Kangaroo or Emu – Trying Australia’s national icons
You may be surprised to hear kangaroo meat is sold in many supermarkets, but don’t let that fool you into thinking we Aussies eat it often. It’s a novelty for most of us. Emu is even less common at home, but both are worth a try while you’re here.
We know these animals are national symbols and culturally significant. If you choose to try them, do so at reputable venues that source meat responsibly and follow sustainable, legal practices.
Kangaroo is fairly easy to find in larger supermarkets. Emu is harder to buy raw but can sometimes be found at upmarket butchers and high‑end stores like David Jones.
Pro tip: If you’re brave enough to try cooking it yourself, treat it like venison. Quick, hot sear on the outside, leaving it rare to medium-rare in the middle.
Where to eat kangaroo, emu and crocodile in Sydney
- The Australian Heritage Hotel in The Rocks has pepper kangaroo and a saltwater crocodile pizza.
- Pony Dining in the Rocks serves kangaroo skewers with pepper sauce and berries.
- The Rocks Cafe offers a kangaroo burger and fillet.
- Blackbird Cafe in Darling Harbour has grilled kangaroo fillet steak.
- Planar in Darling Harbour has a char-grilled kangaroo fillet and an excellent happy hour!
- I’m Angus in Darling Harbour serving seared kangaroo tenderloin.
Kangaroo fillet used to be common on steakhouse menus but has disappeared. This is a shame, as kangaroo is often cited as one of Australia’s most sustainable meat options due to regulated wild harvesting and lower environmental impact. It’s also incredibly lean.
A Meat Pie or a pie floater at Harry’s Cafe de Wheels
Meat pies are Australia’s unofficial national dish. You’ll see them at the footy and in every bakery. Often-quoted estimates suggest Australians eat around 12 meat pies per person each year. I’m about 11 behind this year!
Looking for the best meat pie in Sydney? Start here:
Check out this 1970s jingle for an Aussie culture crash course: “Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars”.
Harry’s Cafe de Wheels has sold pies in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo since 1938. This is your spot for an iconic Aussie pie tasting steeped in history. There are several Harry’s outlets around the city but Woolloomooloo is the only place to go.
The signature dish, the Tiger, is a meat pie served with mashed peas, mashed potato and gravy. They’ve also added apple turnovers to the menu. Order them hot or cold.
Bourke Street Bakery is my favourite place for meat pies in Sydney. If you’re in the city centre, head to their Barangaroo store or the Surry Hills shop by the light rail. The fillings rotate and are consistently good; start with the classic beef — the pastry is the star, crispy and delicate.
Consider the Pie Tin in Newtown, especially if you’re planning to take our street art walk. It’s perfectly positioned near the end of the route when you’ll need sustenance. The range is huge — I recommend the steak and Vegemite for a full Aussie experience.
Other good pie contenders include Black Star Pastry and Flour and Stone, both in Newtown or the city.
A BBQ – the classic summer meal
Aussie BBQ is different from American BBQ — less sauce, quicker cooking. If you’re not invited to one by a friendly local, head to a supermarket for the basics and use Sydney’s public BBQs.
Good spots include Bronte Beach or Pyrmont Bay Park. Meat in a Park helps you find BBQs near where you’re staying. You can also check our guides to the city’s best parks and gardens.
Your basic BBQ shopping list:
- Sausages (cheap and cheerful or gourmet), onions, fresh bread rolls and tomato sauce.
- Store‑bought coleslaw and potato salad.
- Veggie skewers if you’re feeding mixed diets.
- Lamb cutlets are great for easy eating while chatting with friends.
Feeling fancy? Head to the fish markets for fresh prawns and salmon for the hot plate.
The Snag on a roll aka The Democracy Sausage
The sausage sandwich or snag on a roll started as a school fete snack and now lives on at fundraising stalls outside Australia’s biggest hardware chain, Bunnings.
Most trips to Bunnings mean walking past a BBQ full of sausages and onions ready to be wrapped in white bread and covered in sauce.
This delicacy is also called a democracy sausage and is a highlight of voting day in Australia. Many schools are used as polling places and set up a BBQ by the exit.
Vegemite – an Aussie breakfast staple
Ah, Vegemite. A yeasty, salty spread we love to introduce visitors to. We even made Oprah eat it during her visit down under.
Here’s the thing about Vegemite: it’s an acquired taste. We grow up on it, spread thin on morning toast before we can walk. t’s comfort food. It’s a mild hangover cure. It’s also a patriotic statement.
For the brave souls willing to give it a go, here’s your Vegemite cheat sheet:
- Less is more. I cannot stress this enough. A paper-thin scraping is all you need.
- Always butter your bread or toast first. The butter‑to‑Vegemite ratio is crucial.
- Try it with avocado and crumbled feta. It’s my secret weapon for impressing brunch guests.
- Pair it with cheese. A Vegemite and cheese sandwich is peak comfort food.
Prefer not to buy a jar? Most cafés have Vegemite. Order Vegemite on toast and say “a very light spread please. You can also pick up a Vegemite scroll at Baker’s Delight. The bakery chain has stores in most shopping centres.
We always take some when we travel — its special powers ward off homesickness!
Pavlova – the great debate
While it may be a Kiwi invention, Aussies have claimed the pavlova as our own. Pavlova is a summer favourite in Australia, often appearing at Christmas lunches and backyard BBQs. Its light, sweet taste suits hot weather.
It’s a crisp meringue shell topped with cream and fresh fruit. Sometimes you’ll see chocolate shavings too.
Where to try pavlova in Sydney:
- Fine dining restaurant Cafe Sydney usually has a version – on the current menu it’s Vanilla pavlova, coconut chantilly, pineapple salsa, passionfruit sorbet. Bennelong Restaurant in the Opera House also have one on their à la carte menu
- Mode Bar and Kitchen in the Four Seasons hotel has a signature Berry Basil Pavlova on its current menu
- For a casual option – The Grounds of Alexandria often features pavlova on their rotating dessert menu.
DIY option: pick up a pavlova base from any supermarket and add your own toppings. Fresh berries and kiwifruit are classic choices.
Whether you side with Aussies or Kiwis in the pavlova debate, it’s a dessert worth trying while you’re here.
Lamingtons
A lamington is a traditional Australian dessert made of square sponge cake coated in chocolate icing and rolled in desiccated coconut. I remember helping Mum make these for school fundraisers — coconut everywhere and chocolate‑coated fingers.
The desiccated coconut coating gives the lamington its unique appearance and adds sweetness to what can often be a pretty bland sponge.
There’s a debate among fans about whether a traditional lamington should have a filling. Some have jam, cream, or both between the two sponge layers, then covered in chocolate. I think this makes them taste better!The desiccated coconut coating gives the lamington its unique appearance and adds sweetness to what can otherwise be a plain sponge.
There’s debate about whether a traditional lamington should have a filling. Some have jam, cream, or both between the sponge layers before the chocolate. I think this makes them taste better!
These days, there are many versions of the traditional dish — Tokyo Lamington is the standout.
These days, you can find many creative versions of the traditional lamington. Here are some of the best places to try them in Sydney:
Where to try lamingtons in Sydney:
- Tokyo Lamington in Newtown — Traditional and inventive flavours. Try the classic with jam, or the yuzu flavour.
- Flour and Stone in Woolloomooloo and at Carriageworks Market — Their lamington is soaked in panna cotta with a berry compote centre and dark chocolate icing.
- Breadfern in Redfern — two versions, a more traditional berry version and my favourite a lemon version with homemade lemon curd.
In the CBD, David Jones Food Hall usually has lamingtons at the cake counter. I’ve also seen them at The Grounds of Alexandria in the city.
Making lamingtons at home? Most supermarkets sell plain sponge cakes you can cut up and decorate. Fun (and messy) with kids.
Visiting Woolloomooloo? See where to stay nearby and plan a morning visit to Flour and Stone before exploring the harbour.
Anzac Biscuits and Tim Tams
Both Australia and New Zealand claim the ANZAC biscuit, and versions have existed in both countries since the early 1900s. The first published Anzac biscuit recipe dates to 1917. They rose in popularity during WWI, possibly because the ingredients were readily available during rationing.
Anzac biscuits were named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. They were included in the care packages sent to the troops by their wives and mothers because the ingredients didn’t spoil quickly.
These days we traditionally make them every year around ANZAC Day (April 25th). There are commercially produced versions, but I find these a little hard and a bit too sweet. If you see them in a café, I will try them there. Or you can make your own.
Anzac biscuits were named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. They were included in care packages sent to troops because the ingredients didn’t spoil quickly.
These days we make them every year around ANZAC Day (25 April). There are commercially produced versions, but I find these a little hard and too sweet. If you see them in a café, try them there. Or make your own.
Woolworths and Coles sell Anzac biscuits, but they’re often crisper and sweeter than I like.
While the Anzac biscuit is the local icon, the Tim Tam is quite possibly the most common supermarket purchase for visitors to Australia
Tim tams started as a chocolate malt biscuit with a choc creme centre and dipped in milk chocolate. Now there are over a dozen versions. My favourite is the dark chocolate ones. According to Arnotts, Aussies buy 35 million packets of Tim Tams each year.
Tim Tams started as a chocolate malt biscuit with a choc crème centre dipped in milk chocolate. Now there are many flavours. My favourite is the dark chocolate. According to Arnott’s, Aussies buy tens of millions of packets each year.
Try the infamous Tim Tam Slam when you get the chance!
Planning your food stops
- Use this guide to group eats by area: The Rocks (kangaroo, pies), Darling Harbour (kangaroo), Newtown (pies, lamingtons), Woolloomooloo (Harry’s, Flour and Stone).
- Opening hours and menus change — check the venue’s website before you go.
Have questions about things to see and do in Sydney?
Head over and join our Facebook Group and we will be happy to help.
