The Five Most Over-the-Top Takeaway Eats to Get in Sydney

At Rollers Bakehouse, the croissant isn’t an item you halfheartedly order along with a coffee — it’s the main event. This Manly-based bakery offers a whole new perspective on the buttery melt-in-your-mouth pastry. Determined to take the croissant to all new heights, Rollers offers a range of enormous, generously filled and uniquely flavoured croissants, both sweet and savoury.

Customer favourites include garlic bread (garlic, rosemary and thyme-flavoured dough with gruyere cheese), sushi roll (charcoal-dyed dough filled with salmon, ginger and nori) and a classic Aussie special: a hot croissant filled with Vegemite and gruyere.

Image: Kitti Gould.

Lukumades (the food) are round doughnuts made by hole-in-the-wall patisseries in Greece, usually served slathered in honey and walnuts, and beloved by Greek people. A few years back, a Melbourne food truck started selling these doughy balls of deliciousness, and Lukamades (the business) bloomed from there. It’s recently opened its first Sydney store in Chippendale, which serves up classic lukumades, as well as modern takes that feature Nutella, salted caramel, or white chocolate with crushed Oreo. These deep-fried doughnut holes are as sweet as a treat could possibly come, and are the perfect sugary pick-me-up to get you through the afternoon.

When you’ve had a jolly time with a few bevvies in the inner west, the best place to grab a slice for the journey home is Enmore’s Epic Pizza. The third of Epic’s locations (it also dishes up slices in Drummoyne and Darlinghurst), this spot offers a truly New York City pizza experience — enormous 11-inch slices, as well as 12- and 20-inch whole pies.

There are classic toppings, like pepperoni or ham and pineapple (otherwise known as the Big Kahuna). Then there are the more adventurous offerings, like Notorious P.I.G, with bacon, sausage and jalapeños, and Jon Bon Chovy, topped with prawns, chorizo, sundried tomatoes and — yep, you guessed it — anchovies. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, Epic also offers a wide range of ice cream sandwiches and a Nutella-filled calzone.

Image: Kitti Gould.

When we’re talking takeaway food, it’d be remiss of us not to mention what is possibly the original. Rou jia mo (pronounced ‘roll-geeyah-moh’) is said to be the oldest sandwich in the world, dating back around 2300 years. This juicy pork burger originated in the Shaanxi Province in northwest China, and CBD eatery Mo’st is now serving it, bigger and better than ever, to Sydneysiders.

While a traditional rou jia mo is filled with stewed pork, spices, coriander and capsicum, Mo’st offers a more modern take on what goes in-between its delicious clay-baked burger rolls — there are loads of choices, including cumin lamb, miso salmon, beef meatballs or tofu. Be sure to get there early, because the lineup for Mo’st’s daily rou jia mo gets really long, really fast.

Rejoice: after years of hopping around, Brooklyn Boy Bagels (finally) set up its first permanent shop in Circular Quay earlier this year. If you find yourself harbourside around lunchtime, or just have a curious craving for hearty New York-style bagels packed with filling and schmear, you know where to head. There’s plenty of pastrami, provolone and pickles or, if you after something sweeter, opt for ricotta topped with poached pear and cinnamon honey. Or, keep it traditional with the lox bagel: smoked salmon with capers, dill and red onion, with a generous helping of whipped cream cheese, made in house. These treats might not be OTT in the ‘won’t be able to eat again until tomorrow’ sense, but they sure do pack a flavour punch. Your lunchtime hunger, along with any longing for a sojourn to the Big Apple, is solved right here.