Be careful in Bondi: tourist traps are everywhere. In spite of that danger there is a stack of great food, and with a little direction it won’t cost you too much. We’re here to make that easier.
Prosciutto and ricotta on a French stick at Pasticceria Papa – $10
It’s possible to walk by the Hall Street stairs that lead to Pasticceria Papa before realising there’s lots of deliciousness below. The Haberfield transplant has taken over one side of the hidden arcade, with one section devoted to its magnificent sweets – including the ricotta cake – and a cafe. There’s also a deli selling Italian cheeses, small goods, bread and handmade fresh pasta. Not only is the food excellent, much of it is under $10.
Although the square takeaway pizzas look marvellous and there’s salami, mortadella, hams and plenty of other meats, store supervisor Ery Takahashi recommends sticking with the basics: a made-to-order prosciutto and ricotta roll. Her preference is a crusty French stick, although there’s an array of bread to choose from, too.
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SIGN UP“Some people put semi-dried tomato or some olives on there, but I don’t like too many ingredients because the bread is so amazing,” she says.
She’s right.
Lemongrass-chicken banh mi at Hong Ha – $9.50
Over the years Hong Ha has upgraded. Flat-screen TVs display the menu and there’s been a shiny, fresh fit-out. But the 1986 Bondi staple gives away its age by sticking laminated food photos to an ancient sandwich board out front, and pictures of people queuing for its rolls taken in what looks like the last century.
Hong Ha still does a booming trade, in part thanks to its banh mi, which is one of the cheapest and tastiest things to take away so close to the beach.
Kiersten Jacobson of nearby superb homewares shop Jones & Co tells us her favourite dish at Hong Ha: “The lemongrass-chicken sandwich is absolutely killer. But be careful – if you go too late, it will be sold out for sure.”
Vegan Funky Chunky Pie at Funky Pies – $6.50
Funky Pies is small and radiates with heat from the ovens that are constantly pumping out trays of pies. It also smells of butter, which is strange because the place is exclusively vegan.
But don’t be put off by the temperature in the shop because the Funky Chunky Pie is the vegan cousin of a traditional meat pie and it’s very convincing. “Sometimes people who aren’t vegan don’t even recognise that it’s not meat,” says Sylva Kotrbova, who works in the shop.
The filling is made from thick chunks of shiitake mushrooms cooked in a rich gravy of onions, garlic and chilli. Creamy mashed potatoes are stirred into the gravy. Through some secret preparation, the shiitake chunks are fall-apart tender and a little chewy, just like a perfectly slow-cooked beef stew.
Bacon and egg roll at Blair Street Dairy – $12
The ubiquitous bacon and egg roll may not be revolutionary, but Blair Street Dairy’s version is among the best around.
The two key ingredients are topped with a house-made relish and served on a soft-as-a-cloud, slightly sweet brioche bun. “Throwing a hash brown inside takes it up a notch,” says co-owner James Meek.
Blair Street Dairy is the embodiment of a local cafe and is only about two kilometres from its older sibling, Bennett Street Dairy, which is on Bondi Road. “We’re all about the locals and the local area,” he says.
Chicken burger at Little L – $10
You would be very happy spending $10 on Little L’s basic chicken burger, but add in an extra 50 cents so you can get it with the house-made chilli sauce. It’s a perfect balance of salt, tang and heat, made from a secret recipe developed during the 20 years the husband-and-wife owners have been in business. “The chilli sauce is our special recipe,” says co-owner Olivia David. “A lot of effort has been put into perfecting it and we don’t share the ingredients with anyone.”
Little L wasn’t the Davids’ first Portuguese chicken venture, but after two decades it’s where Olivia feels like they’ve reached a calm maturity. They could probably charge a little more for their food but Olivia says, “We’re reasonable, we don’t want to take advantage of our customers. We’re really pleased with where the business is at, and I think when you’re happy, just be happy with what you have.”
1/23–37 Campbell Parade, North Bondi
Chicken roll at Heart Cafe – $12
Sometimes eating good food is just simple and satisfying, and sometimes it has the added bonus of contributing to something bigger. Heart Cafe is Wayside Chapel’s first social enterprise and by eating there you’ll be helping unemployed young people learn the ropes of getting and keeping long-term employment.
Heart Cafe is set a block back from the touristy madness of Campbell Parade, and it’s a quiet place to retreat after a swim. Settle in with a simple, filling bread roll topped with chicken, tart chimichurri and avocado, and watch the people of Bondi’s backstreets walk by the open picture windows.
Ground Floor, 95 Roscoe Street
And splurge for … the tasting platter at Chacha’s – $14.90
This dish is grounded in Ayurveda tradition, an ancient Indian system of medicine, and the principle that the ideal meal should be sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent. This selection includes rice, dal, curry, salads, sauerkraut, Indian-spiced potatoes, and pappadums.
“It must have been a way to make sure people had well-rounded nutrients in every meal,” says co-owner Vidya Raman, who also runs Nalini’s Wholesome Streetfood in Bondi Junction. “When you eat a dish with all six flavours, your body feels nourished and you don’t crave a little something afterwards.”
If you do crave a little something, you needn’t budge from Chacha’s colourful space. In the display there are 26 or so nut-based vegan ice-creams (Raman used to sell her ice-creams on Campbell Parade at the now-closed Chacha’s Bondi. And while Raman says, “literally everything goes together well”, the combination of miso caramel with tiramisu for $5.80 is our top pick.
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