Surprise! It's Australia Day. Who knew, right? If you're not sure what the public holiday is all about, here's a quick refresher: Australia Day commemorates the arrival of the first fleet of British ships at Port Jackson in New South Wales in 1778. It's a controversial day—some call it Invasion Day or Survival Day—but it is often celebrated with drinking, barbecuing and performances.
Australians have been flocking to L.A. for its comparable weather, waves and beautiful babes, so it's no surprise that you can find a few top-notch Aussie eateries, shops and celebs in this town. To celebrate Australia Day, head to these local spots.
EAT
We're not going to force you to eat Vegemite, but you'll definitely want to tuck into some traditional Aussie meat pies. You can find them at a couple places: the Bronzed Aussie and the Fork-In Aussie Pie Kitchen. The Bronzed Aussie is a charming Downtown spot serving 5-inch pies ranging from lamb to Thai chicken to tofu curry (they also offer a nice selection of brekkies, or breakfast pies and wraps). Fork-In Aussie Pie Kitchen has locations in Santa Monica and Inglewood, offering brekkie options along with pies, desserts and coffee. Oh, and if you want to ogle an Aussie chef, head to Maude and Gwen, owned by Melbourne-native Curtis Stone.
DRINK
Australian coffee culture took L.A. by storm a few years ago, and has continued to permeate throughout the city with its signature import: the flat white. You can find the flat white almost everywhere by now (even Starbucks is on board), but your best bet is to head over to Paramount Coffee Project, a cafe on Fairfax where you will undoubtedly always hear an Australian accent. The shop's first outpost opened in Sydney in 2013 before jumping to Los Angeles in 2015. A variety of beans are used here, but most are from Reuben Hills in Surry Hills, which they use to make espresso, gibraltars, flat whites and more. There's even a Vegemite and butterscotch milkshake, if you so desire.
SHOP
The Local 132 by General Pants Co. is a one-stop-shop for dozens of Australian brands, everything from the ultra-feminine line Don't Ask Amanda to denim label OneTeaspoon. There's something here for both men and women—and they're even throwing a little party for Australia Day. Head over to their La Brea shop for 20 percent off your purchase, plus free beers and meat pies.
Oh, and we highly recommend perusing Time Out Sydney to see how they're celebrating Australia Day today.
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