Island Dreams Cafe

Since 1996, Lakemba’s Island Dreams Cafe has been serving some of the best satay in Sydney, Christmas and Cocos Islands style. The family who run the quaint, brightly coloured cafe-restaurant hybrid come from the two tiny island terrorises and their menu, based on the islands' cuisine, is the only of its kind in Sydney.

The affable owner of the restaurant, Alimah bte Bilda, describes it as a simple cuisine, one influenced by fresh seafood and the lack of arable land for growing fresh produce. Best to think of it of a mixture of Indonesian, Malaysian and British-Australian.

For a classic islander experience ask for a fresh fish, fried and topped with soy, vinegar, chilli and ginger; the loudly crunchy and rainbow-coloured fish crackers made by the chef’s family in WA; and the signature chili chicken, a herbal, spicy, on the bone saucy recipe. If you call ahead you can get the chili chicken done the traditional way, grilled and dry, as well as a puffed roti with pumpkin jam, a popular islander breakfast usually served with tea.