We all crave a certain comfort food when we are feeling down, under the weather or just looking for a pick-me-up. It is food that provides a nostalgic or sentimental value and is quite often characterised by its high-caloric nature and association to childhood or home cooking.
Ultimate Aussie comfort food choices include everyone’s fave chicken parmigiana, barbequed snags, lamingtons, a burger with the lot and the humble meat pie…here are five venues to get a comfort food fix:
Find Comfort in Gourmet Pizzas
Follow the tantalising aroma of wood-fired pizza cooking to find hidden gem Woodfellas Pizzeria on Suscatand Street in Rocklea. Located in a Brisbane industrial estate, this rustic restaurant blends white subway tiles with distressed timber and splashes of greenery, to set the scene for indulging in delicious slices of pizza, paninis and wraps.
For an early comfort food fix, devour a big breaky burger with bacon, egg, cheese and BBQ sauce on a toasted bun; while later diners find comfort in gourmet pizzas such as Mediterranean lamb with sun-dried tomato, red onion, roasted capsicum, spinach, olives and tzatziki sauce.
Comforting Plates of Pasta!
Find the true taste of Italy at Del Piero’s Italian Restaurant on Mowbray Road in Lane Cove. This family-owned and operated go-to Sydney dining destination oozes rustic charm with ceiling beams, trailing greenery, twinkling lights and a mural of Italian soccer player Alessandro Del Piero on the wall serving a pizza.
Whether you’re looking for a delicious pizza, a comforting plate of pasta, or hearty takeaway, there is a dish on the menu to satisfy all palates; think Tennessee smoked BBQ pork ribs, chips and salad, or spaghetti marinara with prawns, mussels, calamari, octopus and garlic.
Vietnamese with a French Twist
Fresh modern Vietnamese fare with a French twist has Mosman locals returning time and again to Tran's Restaurant on Military Road in Spit Junction. A warm, welcoming vibe and menu match an interest in plant-based food for Chef Lanna, who brings gluten-free and vegan options to traditional Vietnamese cooking, concentrating on fragrant herbs and fresh ingredients.
Perhaps find comfort in plates of Vietnamese ravioli, filled with pork, prawn, carrot and daikon; before dipping your spoon into a steaming bowl of chicken and vegetable pho, or devour Drunken Cow – tender slow-cooked beef in a clay pot with red wine, mushrooms and ginger.
Satisfy All Hunger Cravings
Delicious, authentic kebabs to satisfy all hunger cravings are what you’ll find on the menu at Spitz Kebab & Grill on Bronte Road in Bondi Junction. This vibrant kebab shop uses only the freshest ingredients and traditional cooking techniques to create mouth-watering offerings; whether you are in the mood for a classic lamb kebab or something a little more exotic, there is a dish to tempt all tastes.
Chow down on a snack attack with juicy housemade lamb kebab served with hot chips and sauce, or wrap your hands around a chicken kebab with lettuce onion, tomato and sauce, with hot chips on the side, washed down with an iced tea.
Authentic, Comforting Filipino Fare
Find authentic, traditional Filipino cuisine with a hint of the West on the plate at Enelssie Café & Grill on Tenterfield Drive in Burnside Heights. This Melbourne dining destination is also a bike shop so expect to see cycles hanging from the rafters along with trailing greenery, while a glass frontage allows an abundance of natural light, ideal for lingering over all-day fare with flair.
From breakfast to dinner there is a comfort plate to tempt all tastes such as share favourites like buttered garlic prawns, or twice-cooked crispy skin pork belly with sides of battered wedges and seasonal vegetables.
