Australian Open 2022: What to eat and drink at the tennis
From a rocking AC/DC burger to a Michelin star restaurant’s pork sandwich — these are the best things to eat at the tennis.
Food
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This year’s Australian Open is serving up a tempting mix of homegrown hits and global tastes. Here are the best 20 things to eat and drink at the tournament.
KANGAROO TAIL SNACK PACK
BIG ESSO BY MABU MABU
Mabu Mabu chef Nornie Bero plucks native flavours from her Torres Strait island upbringing to create the halal snack pack-inspired KSP. Lemon aspen salted fries are topped with slow cooked kangaroo tail, seasoned with pepperberry and native thyme, and a wild tamarind garlic aioli. The saltbush and pepper berry crocodile ($20.50) tastes just like squid.
$23, Western Courts
KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN BAO
LUCY LIU
The CBD mod-Asian favourite gifts us a KFC (Korean fried chicken) snack in a soft bao bun slathered in a hot mustard slaw.
$18.50, Grand Slam Oval
RICOTTA AND PUMPKIN LASAGNE
ATTICA
Ben Shewry’s cult lockdown meal is reborn in veg form alongside his other Attica Summer Camp and takeaway hits. Think a chicken souva plate with wattleseed hummus and hot chips, Port Phillip mussels stewed in Mac Forbes riesling, baked brie wheels, vegan pork rinds and a punchy kimchi dip packing heat that just won’t quit.
Part of a set menu, from $155 per person, AO River Terrace
CHIANG MAI HOTDOG
GINGERBOY
This two-bite charmer will tickle the tastebuds with a juicy pork sausage, served on a soft bun with fiery kimchi, chilli jam, tamarind relish and kewpie mayo
$18.50, Grand Slam Oval
TIRAMISU
GLASSHOUSE DINING
Guy Grossi shows off his famed Italian dessert during his Glasshouse residency. Get in before Jan 28, as the creamy, choc and coffee-spiked dessert will be subbed out for the tennis finals.
Part of the set menu, from $300 per person.
PORK SANDWICH
ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL X BURNT ENDS
This global collab puts Aussie-born, Singapore-based chef Dave Pynt in the kitchen at AO premium dining repeat offender Rockpool. Burnt Ends pork sandwich with chipotle aioli can be enjoyed by all — with walk-ins welcomed in the alfresco area.
$32, Centrepiece
CHAMPAGNE
PIPER HEIDSIECK
Pop a bottle at either the champagne house’s striking red-coloured Rod Laver Arena terrace home or with sand between your toes at the Beach House. Sip the classic cuvee brut or rose sauvage bubbles, or break the bank with a bottle of 2012 Piper Heidsieck Vintage for $259.
From $23.30 a glass, Rod Laver Arena Terrace, Beach House
HOISIN DUCK BUNS
MR MIYAGI
Executive chef Kyle Doody’s Beijing-inspired buns see two pillowy orbs filled with either rich duck marinated in a sticky hoisin sauce or miso eggplant.
$18.50, Western Courts
MAX’S SOUTHSIDE COCKTAIL
PENFOLDS
Iconic Aussie wine label Penfolds dials up the fun across three spaces — a restaurant, bistro and pretty in pink rosé bar. Raise a glass to one of two AO inspired cocktails at Max’s Rosé Bar — the southside made with rosé, gin and lime and the rosé sloe sour with gin, lemon, lime, sugar syrup and foam.
$17 each, Centrepiece
AC/DC BURGER
LANEWAY BURGERS
Wrap your laughing gear around this rockin’ fried buttermilk chicken burger with slaw, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing and pickles with bite.
$18.50, Grand Slam Oval
TRUFFLE MUSHROOM MELT
NICO’S SANDWICH DELI
The northside sanga king flexes its muscles with this umami-packed flavour bomb. Roasted portobello mushrooms are jostled in chipotle, black truffle, taleggio and fior di latte cheese, koji, chimichurri before being jammed between toasted country loaf. Drool.
$17.50, Grand Slam Oval
CHICKEN GYROS SOUVLAKI
STALACTITES
It may not be Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas’ signature souva, but Stalactites chicken gyros is undeniably mouth-watering with marinated, spit-roasted meat huddled in pita with lettuce, tomato, onion and tzatziki.
$18, Grand Slam Oval
CACIO E PEPE
MARAMEO
This cheesy, peppery, ultra-comforting pasta sauce is a firm fixture at Italian restaurants for the last few years. Now you can enjoy it courtside wrapped around tight coils of fusilli showered with plenty of pecorino cheese. Bellissimo.
$21.50, Grand Slam Oval
SALT AND PEPPER SQUID
LONGRAIN
Scott Pickett’s Longrain serves up this classic snack that’ll hook you from first bite.
$19.50, Grand Slam Oval
FISH AND CHIPS
PIPI’S KIOSK
Albert Park’s Pipi’s Kiosk lets us eat fish and chips at the beach. Claim a sandy seat at the pop-up beach before indulging in the summertime favourite by owner/chef Jordan Clay with tartare, lemon and pickled cabbage.
$24.50, Beach House
MARGHERITA PIZZA
400 GRADI
Johnny Di Francesco’s World’s Best Pizza gets a look in at the tennis. While the OG flavour is impossible to ignore, 400 Gradi also slings wood-fired pepperoni and napoletana pizzas.
$22.50, Grand Slam Oval
CHICKEN YAKITORI
ROBATA
AO newcomer Robata has more fun than you can poke a stick at. It’s coal-fired yakitori (meat on a stick) threads juicy chicken thigh and spring onions on a skewer with a refreshingly rich white miso, sesame and shiso salad.
$18.50, Grand Slam Oval
MATCH POINT COCKTAIL
THE EVERLEIGH
Heartbreaker and The Everleigh’s Michael Madrusan is shaking things up at the Atrium bar with six tennis-themed cocktails, including the Match Point which mixes Aussie made Grainshaker Vodka, coffee liqueur, cold brew and wattleseed macadamia over ice.
$16-$17, Atrium bar, AO River Terrace
NUTELLA DOUGHNUT
LITTLE LUNA
Kids and parents alike will appreciate Little Luna’s lunch and snacks with the food van found in the Kids Ball Park. There’s toasties, muffins and doughnuts, including this chocolate treat and coffee for the big kids.
$5, AO Ballpark
PRAWN AND GINGER DUMPLINGS
ORIENTAL TEA HOUSE
Melbourne’s favourite dumpling house is pumping out plenty of these slippery, bite-sized morsels including the crowd-pleasing prawn and ginger variety on Asian greens.
$17.90, Grand Slam Oval
New-Age Greek snack bar is everything we love about eating out
This Yarraville eatery seats 15 people inside, has 11 items on the menu and nothing costs more than $24 a plate. It’s also everything we could ask for in a restaurant right now.
How much more restaurant meals cost compared to five years ago
Meal prices at some restaurants have tripled over the past five years, but chefs and owners say the industry is broken and they’re in dire need of help.