Seven Things You Need To Eat At The Melbourne Royal Show

Never mind the rides and the showbags. The main reason to get excited about the Melbourne Royal Show is the food. And no, we’re not talking toffee apples and fairy floss, but the smorgasbord of street eats from some of Melbourne’s best-known food trucks, cafes and diners that gets bigger and more diverse every year.

There are more than 80 indie vendors at the Show this year, spread across multiple mainly outdoor food precincts and offering everything from snackable guacamole or Cajun spiced fries to burrito bowls, Cuban sandwiches, smoked brisket rolls, loaded pies, bubble tea and Japanese donuts.

It doesn’t matter which laneway you head down at the Showgrounds; a feast of good food is never far away.

New to the mix this year is Little Havana, fresh from sellout seasons at the AO and Grand Prix. The creation of Atlas Dining chef Charlie Carrington, Little Havana takes its name from the Cuban neighbourhood in Miami famed for its hearty toasted sandwiches.

“As a lifetime Show-goer, I’m thrilled to be bringing what I believe are the world’s best sandwiches to Melbourne foodies at the Show,” says Carrington, who fell in love with Cubanos - as the sandwiches are known - while on a research trip to the US in 2022.

Also new is what may well be the world’s biggest pie stall, the Wonder Pie in the Sky. At over 22 metres high, the heritage-listed Pie in the Sky structure has been the meeting hub at the Show since it was built (for Four ‘n’ Twenty Pies) in 1977. What’s new this year is the name—so if you fancy a quality hot pie from the multi-award-winning Wonder Pies brand, you know where to find one. Fun fact, they sold 25,000 Wonder Pies at the Show last year.

Says Hannah von Bibra, Melbourne Royal Executive General Manager, Experience and Commercial: “There are 13 new [food] vendors at the Show this year, including La Mano, Shandong Mama, DeMochi Donuts and Little Havana.

“We also have a bigger focus on value-for-money—so you can get a $4 cheese toastie, say, or a $10 Wonder Pie,” she says.

​​In other words, it’s a thrill a minute, and that’s even before you strap yourself in to The Joker or The Beast. 

Our Top Picks For Must-Eats:

• Little Havana: The classic Cuban sandwich of smoked pork and ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles.
• Wonder Pies: From the loaded pies selection, the Italian Stallion -  a Lasagna Pie with Beef Ragu and parmesan cheese.
• Mr Miyagi: Mr M’s vegetarian dumplings with Shibazuke mayo and sesame seeds.
• Shandong Mama: Mackerel fish potsticker, one of the best-sellers at their Chinatown arcade eatery.
• La Mano: The Quesabirria; beef tacos with cheese, onion, coriander, consommé and lime.
• DeMochi Donuts: The twin mochi donut pack with chocolate, salted caramel or strawberry sauce.
• Fluffy Crunch: A Flurrito, aka gourmet fairy floss (well, it is the Royal Show) with ice cream and all sorts wrapped in the middle. This one has to be seen to be believed!

And a bonus must-drink? Wash everything down with a can of Hazy IPA from craft brewery Hawkers Beer Bar.

The Melbourne Royal Show runs Sept 26-Oct 6. Have fun!