Food Deliveries That You Can Rely On for an Impromptu Park Picnic
You, your mates, stellar weather and a top-notch feast.
Food Deliveries That You Can Rely On for an Impromptu Park Picnic
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You, your mates, stellar weather and a top-notch feast.
There's no better way to get a much-needed change of scenery from your apartment's bland four walls than by heading to one of Sydney's many parks and soaking up some vitamin D. The good news is that, although it may still be winter, we're coming into some warm and sunnier days in Sydney. But, real talk: the weather apps aren't super reliable. So, if an outdoor soiree was planned so spontaneously you forgot to pack snacks, we've got you covered. We've partnered with DoorDash to round up some of the top feasts to get delivered to whatever patch of green you've settled on. Read on to discover the perfect bite to eat for your next impromptu park picnic, whether it be a first date, a group hangout or a solo sunshine dining sesh.
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In our opinion, hummus is a mandatory picnic snack — regardless of what else you’re eating. And you can get your fix from Clovelly Road’s A Man and His Monkey, alongside brunch dishes with an Israeli flair. We’re talking a haloumi and eggplant-stuffed pita pocket, malabi — a popular Middle Eastern-style rose-scented milk pudding topped with pistachios, coconut and strawberries — and a mean shakshuka. The latter will rival those from any of the popular shakshuka joints across Sydney — and you can opt to have it with sujuk, slow-cooked lamb, hummus or labne.
Come lunchtime, order the hummus plate, which comes with pita and your choice of sides, including poached eggs or eggplant salad. There are also a range of toasties and sandwiches available, including the reuben with double-stacked house-made pastrami. Wash it down with a coffee or one of the turmeric, purple taro or chai lattes.
Image: Cassandra Hannagan
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Located near Menai Park Bushland Reserve, Little Bonny’s is a great spot for an impromptu group hang. Named after French military general Napoleon Bonaparte, Little Bonny’s nods to the leader’s love of French-style rotisserie chicken, with its house-made garlic, lemon and tarragon stuffing as the star of the menu. You can turn it into a full group meal by adding hot sides — chips, greens, roasted spuds and saffron rice — and a couple of salads. If you’re flying solo, the Southerner Burger, with fried chicken, slaw, cheddar, pickles and a kick of sriracha, is a winner. Or you can keep it simple with a good ol’ fashioned pulled chicken and gravy roll.
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Nothing short of a feast will be had from Al Aseel. This is where to order when you’ve got an entire army to feed, and you all want to eat so much you can barely walk back to the car. On the menu, you’ll find all the share-style dishes that make Lebanese cuisine a great choice for group meals. To keep things simple, we suggest grabbing a few of the mixed plates. The traditional Al Aseel mixed plate features skewers of chicken breast, lamb and kofta served with tabouli, baba ghanoush, hummus, falafel and garlic dip, while the skewer platter features shish tawook (grilled chicken), laham meshwi (grilled lamb), kofta and garlic dip. And don’t forget to grab a Maamol Mix dessert platter — a selection of shortbreads filled with pistachios, walnuts and dates.
Image: Cassandra Hannagan
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Craving a piece of New York in Sydney? Brooklyn Boy Bagels has you covered with its delicious bagel deliveries. If you’re ready to carb up, the ‘everything’, cinnamon raisin, blueberry, pumpkin, onion, poppyseed, rainbow and pumpernickel bagels are among the list of flavours available in packs of four. It also offers gluten-free bagels. The Bagel Survival Kit is a great one to share with friends, with a six-pack of its most popular bagels, along with plain whipped cream cheese, raspberry jam and Nutella for smearing. You can also build your own Survival Kit with New York streetcart-style pretzels, challah bread and cookies.
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For those warmer winter days, La Perouse — and some of its surrounding coastal points of interest like Bare Island, Frenchmans Beach and Henry Head Lighthouse — is a great place to kick back and enjoy the sunshine. And you can do so while enjoying seafood from The Boatshed. Regardless of whether you’re going solo or bringing a group of friends, the team has catered for all fish lovers with its menu of decadent seafood platters, fish ‘n’ chip packs and sides.
The seafood platter for one features a feast of rock oysters, cooked tiger prawns, cooked blue snapper, salt and pepper calamari, seared scallops, barbecued octopus and gemfish — you won’t be going hungry, that’s for certain. If you’re not sure you’ll get through all of that, opt for a pot of mussels in a spicy tomato sauce, a bucket of prawns or a fish burger.
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If you’re planning to crack open a bottle of wine on your picnic (you can find some excellent BYO parks here), you’re going to need some appropriate snacks, too. The Stinking Bishops is serving up cheese and meat boards for delivery — fully assembled and ready to eat.
The meat boards come with up to four meats sourced from Barossa Valley, Canberra and Italy, plus crackers and pickles. And, if you’re a cheese lover, the range of artisanal cheese will be the way to your heart — manchego, brie, gorgonzola, comté, blue, roquefort, truffle pecorino and stilton are among the favourites. All the cheese boards come with quince paste and a selection of crackers. We suggest adding marinated Italian olives for an extra bite, too.
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Originally from Melbourne, Veneziano Coffee Roasters in Surry Hills should be on every coffee lover’s radar. Being in Surry Hills, Veneziano is in proximity to a number of great picnic spots, including Frog Hollow Reserve and Harmony Park, so you can sip your coffee in the sunshine and meet some local doggos.
You can order your coffee with either the Bond Street or Estate blend — take your pick from a milky coffee, filter or cold brew. To eat, nab one of the toasties from Toastie Toast Co. Our picks are the BAE with bacon, egg, mustard and cheese or the Winner Winner, with poached chicken, spinach, pecorino and caramelised onion. Meanwhile, pastries are available, too, courtesy of local joints Tuga, Shortstop and Organic Bread Bar.
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If your picnic spot is water adjacent, then fresh, locally sourced seafood is an obvious choice. Fish and Co is known for serving up fresh seafood daily, which is sourced from fisheries that are committed to sustainable practices.
The loaded lobster fries smothered in cheese sauce and bacon is hangover-busting goodness, while the tacos pack a mighty flavour punch. Those who want something lighter will love the seafood bowls — teriyaki salmon, albacore tuna and prawn burrito bowls are among the choices. For a heartier meal, the team also serves up burgers and rolls, including luxe, buttery lobster served in a sweet, pillowy brioche roll.
Image: Steven Woodburn
Take advantage of the $0 delivery fee on your first order and order your next meal via DoorDash here.
Top image: Al Aseel, Cassandra Hannagan
