What Sets Australian-Style Sushi Apart From The Rest

The U.S. is home to thousands of sushi restaurants. From all-you-can-eat sushi buffets to small-town sushi to vegan sushi, the options are plentiful for sushi-loving Americans. But until relatively recently, the U.S. apparently lacked a very important category of sushi: Australian-style.

Australian-style sushi is loosely based on a Japanese temaki roll (also called a hand roll), but it has distinct features that make it unmistakably Australian. In the land down under, sushi typically consists of a meat, fish, or vegetable filling encased in tightly packed sushi rice and rolled up in seaweed. All of this might seem pretty standard, but the key, critical, absolutely essential distinction that sets Australian-style sushi apart from the rest is that the roll is not sliced. Instead, it remains uncut, in a long tube that can be eaten on the go as a convenient handheld snack, perhaps while heading to the beach for a surf with your mates (as I imagine Australians are constantly doing). 

In the land down under, Australian-style sushi rolls can be found on street corners and in food courts across the country. But when an Australian-style sushi counter opened in New York City in October 2023, it quickly became an internet sensation. Many New Yorkers were confused at first, having no idea what Australian-style sushi entailed, but residents quickly warmed up to the affordable and convenient snack. (Perhaps it's no surprise that $5 sushi rolls that can be eaten while walking would gain popularity in the land of the dollar pizza slice.)

Australian-style sushi isn't just set apart by its grabbable and affordable nature. Popular flavors include teriyaki chicken and cooked tuna salad — not exactly the protein options most Americans typically associate with sushi. Australian-style sushi is also typically accompanied by adorable fish-shaped soy sauce containers, rather than the plain old packets we usually get in the U.S. (which look rather boring by comparison).

Sushi has been an internationally beloved food since at least the early 20th century, and Australia isn't the only country or region to have developed a unique sushi style through cultural diffusion. Eastern European sushi often features a layer of fish on the outside of the roll and goes heavy on the cream cheese. In Canada, you'll find sushi pizza — a deep-fried rice crust slathered in mayonnaise sauce, topped with raw fish, avocado, and other sushi fillings. In Mexico, popular sushi fillings include chipotle mayo, various types of cheese, and cooked meat rather than raw fish. And the great state of California is the birthplace of both the sushirrito and, naturally, the California roll.

Some might shudder at the Australian idea of grabbable teriyaki chicken or tuna salad stuffed sushi rolls. But in my opinion, no matter how you slice it, sushi is delicious. Australian-style sushi is definitely going on my Aussie food bucket list (right below magic coffee, vegemite toast, and tim-tam slams).