Melbourne Royal Show 2022 food: Gelato Messina, Nico’s Sandwich Deli, CWA, Pasta Poetry

Droolworthy beef brisket burgers, a cult sandwich bar slinging toasties and birthday cake flavoured gelato — foodies haven’t been forgotten at this year’s show.

Our favourite family event the Melbourne Royal Show is back after a two-year hiatus, and foodies haven’t been forgotten.

Whether you’re after a grab-and-go lunch or keen to feast after a day on your feet, know there’ll be plenty to eat and drink.

This year some of the city’s favourite restaurants and cafes will make their show debut – popping up in the new Graze Pavilion and Melbourne Laneway areas.

Here are 10 delicious things to try at this year’s show.

Get your laughing gear around this.

1. Smoked Brisket Burger by Burn City Smokers, $17

Cooked low and slow for 14 hours, this juicy brisket is jammed between two milk buns with a healthy dose of Burn City’s own barbecue sauce, French’s yellow mustard and crinkly pickles. Add fries for $4 to make a meal of it.

Pura Pavilion

When it comes to Nico’s Tuna Melt: if you know, you know.

2. Tuna Melt by Nico’s Sandwich Deli, $17

One of Melbourne’s favourite sanger shops is making its show debut with four fresh sandwiches and melts. This crowd favourite oozes gooey Swiss cheese, fluffy tuna, capers, cornichons, pickled chilli and fennel between toasted sourdough. Tabasco is optional for an extra kick.

Graze Pavilion

Carb load with this meaty plate thanks to Pasta Poetry.

3. Spinach Cascatelle with ragu by Pasta Poetry, $20

The cook-at-home pasta kings will sling their lockdown-famous ragu made with six-hour slow cooked beef and pork, with ruffles of fresh spinach cascatelli. Not a meat lover? They also sell a mean mac n’ cheese.

Graze Pavilion

Wonder Pies nails the brief with a portable meal.

4. Beef and gravy pie by Wonder Pies, $9

You can’t go wrong with a meat pie in September. Celebrate both grand final and show week by wrapping your laughing gear around Wonder Pies’s traditional beef and gravy number. Chunks of tender meat are tumbled in a robust gravy, with chef Ray Capaldi’s iconic shortcrust and French-glazed puff giving other pie shops a run for their money.

Melbourne Laneway

Soft, fluffy and crunchy where it counts.

5. Chicken bao by Katsu King X Bao Down, $15

These Grazeland regulars are taking their Japanese street food and ever popular crispy chicken bao to the showgrounds in two locations. Think golden crumbed chicken, pickled red cabbage and coriander with a good squirt of kewpie mayo in a cloudlike bao bun.

Graze Pavilion, Eat Street Grand Pavilion

Napkins are essential at Dingo Ate My Taco.

6. Birria tacos by Dingo Ate my Taco, $21 for three

Melt-in-your-mouth-tender beef tresses are topped with Spanish cheese Oaxaca, onion and coriander and wrapped snug in a white corn tortilla. Dunk you taco into a spicy salsa or brisket birria consommé for the ultimate experience. Have your napkins at the ready.

MasterChef Garden

The ultimate spring time snack.

7. Lobster roll by Claw and Tail, $23

This springtime snack takes Western Australian lobster and sweet prawn meat, tumbles it in a creamy kewpie mayonnaise and lemon before piling it on a crunchy roll.

Graze Pavilion

Is it even the Melbourne Royal Show with a scone and jam?

8. Scones with jam and cream by the CWA, $6

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and knowing the Country Women’s Association make the best baked goods. Pop into the CWA Pavilion for a spot of afternoon tea, where fluffy scones, jam and whipped cream will be aplenty.

CWA Pavilion

Everyday is your birthday at Gelato Messina.

9. Birthday Cake Sundae by Gelato Messina, $10

Gelato Messina is making three types of sundaes for the show, including the birthday cake which sees for di latte gelato topped with a vanilla cake crumble, cream and sprinkles. Golden Gaytime and pavlova-inspired flavours are also sure to impress.

MasterChef Garden, Pura Pavilion

Sweeten the deal with a creme brulee.

10. Creme brulee by The Brûlée Cart, $9

This classic dessert ticks all the boxes: torched caramel shattery glass top and indulgent vanilla bean crème within. All that’s left to decide is whether to share or keep it for yourself.

Graze Pavilion