Best burger in Australia: Foodie road trip destinations you must visit

A foodie road trip might be just what the doctor ordered. Here’s where to find outstanding fish ‘n’ chips, burgers, vanilla slices and more.

The mark of an avid foodie is the lengths you’ll go to to hunt down the holy grail of snacks.

Whether it be queuing for hours to nab a ramen burger at a pop-up shop, or driving for half a day to sample the nation’s greatest vanilla slice, some of us will go to great effort to dazzle our tastebuds.

We’re all desperate to take a little road trip post lockdown and what better motivation for an amble into regional Australia than knowing there’s a magnificent pie or burger at the end?

So dust off the road map and bring your appetite.

DAMN FINE PIES

The perfect antidote for crummy winter weather.

It could be argued that no pie will be better than one from a pie-warmer at any sports ground in the middle of winter.

But there are some pies that have reached icon status and are well worth the schlep to sample them.

The scallop pie has reached hero status in Tasmania. It is one of the more divisive dishes on this list. People either love the idea of puff pastry filled with whole scallops drench in rich curry sauce, or they think it’s the most messed up thing to grace God’s green earth.

There’s a stand at Hobart’s weekend Salamanca Market where you can score one, otherwise the Dunalley Bakery and the Blue Edge Bakery in Bicheno also get lots of praise from locals.

Back on the mainland, Queenslanders are mad for the pies at Beefy’s in Gympie, and in Victoria, the goldfields area has a particularly strong representation – Country Cob Bakery in Kyneton has taken out honours in “Australia’s best pie” awards for the past three years running.

Still in the Garden State, Johnny Bakers in Castlemaine has people driving for hours to sample their ever-changing pie combos (the cakes are exceptional too. Hop in, this is no time for calorie counting.)

Western Australia also has some stellar regional bakeries. The Miami Bakehouse in Falcon and The Bindoon Bakehaus, (try the banoffee eclair, it was a hit with Prince Harry), are worth the detour.

FIRST CLASS FISH AND CHIPS

A crispy piece of fish and a decent handful of chips is an excellent cheat-day splurge.

Make your way north to Townsville and head to Tobin Fish Tales for some of the best fish and chips you’ll ever devour. They took out the honours of best national fish ‘n’ chipper last year, and it’s due in part to the husband and wife team who run it – they’re passionate about good quality fish (in fact, they both have doctorates in fisheries science), and it comes through in the perfectly fried final product.

Further south, Pelican Rocks Cafe at Greenwell Point in NSW and The Fish Shop in Burrill Lake (also in NSW) are both well worth the journey.

Ocean and Paddock in Albany, WA is also a winner.

VERY GOOD VANILLA SLICE

There seems to be a fairly unanimous answer to where you find Australia’s best vanilla slice (or custard slice if that’s how you were brought up). The Bridgewater Bakehouse in country Victoria (again, the goldfields area … they really know their baked goods) has won the Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph not once, but twice, in 2018 and 2019. (It was cancelled in 2020 but will be on again in 2021).

BANGING BURGERS

Burgers became one of the most Instagrammable foods of the last decade.

According to food writer Anthony Huckstep, one of Australia’s best burgers is found at Miss Perez in Stirling, South Australia. He says the way to go is their signature burger: “With 200g of local grass fed beef combined with Mercian cheese, onion jam, lettuce, truffle mayo and a slap of Perez secret sauce. Yes please.”

LUSCIOUS LAKSA

The spicy soup is worth travelling for.

Darwin is not exactly “regional” being the NT’s capital city, but to be fair, many of us would have to take a bloody long road trip to get there, so I’m including it.

Its proximity to Asia and its tropical climate has meant there’s some truly great Malaysian food to be found here, so much so that there’s an annual Laksa Festival.

The locals’ recommendation is to head to Mary’s laksa stall at Parap Markets – they’ve been perfecting the recipe for over 20 years and apparently it’s the finest in the country.

If Darwin is way too far, Dickson Asian Noodle House in Canberra also gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from everyone who goes there.

TRULY GREAT ICE CREAM

Dan Hunter is one of the nation’s top chefs with his restaurant Brae in Victoria’s picturesque Otway hinterland being named among the world’s best. He gave us the hot tip that there’s excellent ice cream to be found in Apollo Bay along The Great Ocean Road in Victoria. Their chocolate ice cream is currently the Australian Grand Dairy Award Champion. Dooley’s Ice Cream is where you want to head.

SENSATIONAL SCHNITZELS

Viva la schnitty, that deep fried slab o’ meat. South Australians are pretty big on the schnitty at the Willunga Hotel.

I’m going to leave it to politician Bill Shorten to give you his recommendation for a chicken schnitzel sambo:

Quick schnitty a third of the way along the road trip to Canberra

Posted by Bill Shorten MP on Monday, 6 April 2020

HONOURABLE MENTIONS TO:

* The Anzac biscuit served on the Riverboat Postman on the Hawkesbury River in NSW

* The raspberry drops at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, Victoria

* The gingerbread from The Ginger Factory in Yandina, QLD.