The Illawarra has undergone a culinary transformation in recent years, with boutique and high-end cafes, bars and restaurants serving up an array of finely-polished, locally-sourced cuisine. Following suite, local wines from the Illawarra and surrounding regions are coming into their own and making a mark for themselves on the Australian landscape.
Food Stories
Give local and support the Illawarra community
At Quicksand Food, we are an ardent supporter of the local community. Based in the Illawarra, our mission is to support the vibrant culinary future of our region and to showcase this to the rest of the world. As such, we are proud to partner with the Illawarra business community and offer a 40% discount […]
Cultural cuisine: A guide to the Illawarra’s lesser-known eats
With a rich history of immigration, it’s no surprise the Illawarra is littered with an array of amazing international food. Thai curries, Middle Eastern mixed plates, and cheap and cheerful Chinese are the staples for most, however many of the best cultural gems you won’t find on Instagram. Tucked away in car parks, in the […]
Twice-hatted Bistro Officina chef Nicola Coccia launches fire-fuelled cookbook
From the owner and chef of the twice-hatted Bistro Officina restaurant in Bowral comes a new cookbook using only fire as fuel: Farm to Flame: Cooking without rules in the Bistro Officina kitchen. Featuring 70 recipes across the 230-page hardcover publication, Farm to Flame is a homage to Coccia’s Italian heritage – growing up in […]
Wild food of the Illawarra
Originally a method of food collection for indigenous populations, foraging for wild food has found its way into culinary culture and is now embedded in the practices of many high-level chefs. Using wild food as not only an ingredient, but as a means of connecting their food to the landscape that surrounds them, Australian chefs […]
Treating Mum this Mothers’ Day in the Illawarra
With Mothers’ Day just a few short weeks away, no doubt you’ve already planned the perfect way to spoil that special lady in your life (and win some brownie points in the process). If you’re still in need of a little inspiration, don’t fret, we’ve pulled together some of our best tips on treating your […]
A locals guide to dinner and drinks (and drinks again) in Wollongong
There’s an excellent host of small, boutique bars and restaurants in Wollongong and Howlin’ Wolf is one of our favourites. Quicksand Food’s Director Stefan Posthuma sat down with owner Luke Symons to chat about the town’s evolving after dark scene, and both Wollongong locals shared their late-night itineraries for drinks, dinner (and drinks again) in […]
Cooking in a wood-fired oven
“Remember when we didn’t have gas or electricity, and we cooked over an open fire? That’s the smell you want, and the taste you want. It’s something you just can’t get from conventional cooking methods. It’s primal, in our DNA” – Yon Miller. Eat At Sandy’s in Bulli is all about good food shared with […]
Eight ways to shop the freshest seasonal produce in the Illawarra
Local food, paddock to plate, farm to table … we’ve heard the buzzwords – and now we know we should all shop local. Spending your cash with nearby producers helps drive our economy and benefits our farms and small businesses. In return, you’ll get the freshest seasonal produce around, with minimal impact on the environment. […]
Becoming a local food producer
Swapping their inner city lives for an 18 hectare agricultural property perched high above of shores of Gerringong, Fiona and Adam Walmsley of Buena Vista Farm understand firsthand that making a tree change is no easy feat. Now producing a range of free-range meat, chemical-free vegetables and wholefoods including raw honey, fresh bread and fermented […]
Reducing food waste in your kitchen
With up to 40% of food in restaurants and kitchens ending up in Australian landfills each year, food waste is a major sustainability issue that community initiative, Hidden Harvest, is working hard to combat. Hosting pop-up food events in the Illawarra where menus are sourced entirely from ‘up-cycled’ ingredients that have been rescued on their […]
The benefits of buying at local farmers’ markets
As the trading bell rings at Kiama Farmers’ Market each week, hundreds of shoppers get ready to fill their baskets with the best local produce, from hand-picked blackberries to freshly-baked bread. Since launching in 2013, the Kiama Farmers’ Market has become an integral part of the local community, bridging the gap between the people and […]
What to grow in your home garden
The 4,000 square metre backyard garden of Sarah and Ben Anderson is awash with fresh produce – from rock-melon and pumpkins to marigolds and calendula. Self-confessed ‘Google growers’, Sarah and Ben have evolved their Woonoona home to a thriving market garden, Popes Produce, and are leading by example when it comes to sustainable practice in the […]
Best Australian seafood from the South Coast
With their beachside address still fondly remembered by locals as Jim’s Fish Café – established in 1946 – South Sailor restaurant in Thirroul puts a modern spin on classic chip-shop fare. Drawing on the abundance of fresh seafood in the region, Head Chef Graham Ette plates up a variety of oceanic dishes with global influences […]
Celebrating the food and farmers of the Illawarra
From cafes to hatted chefs, cocktails to coffee – the rich and diverse culinary landscape of Wollongong and its surrounds has been showcased in the newest publication from local, independent publisher Quicksand Food, The Illawarra Cookbook. The hard-cover, coffee-table style cookbook – which will hit the shelves in early December – features 55 recipes curated […]