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Mexico is the world’s second-largest exporter of food, with $12,6 billion in exports in 2022. The Mexican food industry is growing rapidly in Australia, but it is still a very small part compared to other cuisines. There are many local restaurants that serve Mexican dishes, but there are also some chains such as La Reyna or Gustavo’s Mexican Restaurant that have expanded their menu due to popularity among locals and tourists alike.
Hello, I’m Scott Firaun, a Director of Data and Analytics at Casino Mate, Australia. In this post, we’ll talk about parts of Australia where Mexican food is the most popular today.
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is the smallest state in Australia and has the highest number of Mexican restaurants in Australia. The most popular Mexican restaurants in Canberra are El Loco and El Burrito.
Western Australia
Western Australia has a great number of Mexican restaurants. Perth is a popular destination for Australians to visit, so there are lots of Mexican restaurants. The state capital of Perth has over 100,000 residents with a large percentage of them being Mexican.
In addition to having a large population of Mexicans, Western Australia is also very close to the US border where over 40% of all illegal immigrants come from Mexico (and many other Latin American countries). As such, it’s no surprise that this region has experienced an influx of cuisine influenced by these cultures over time.
Queensland
In Queensland, Mexican cuisine is most popular in Brisbane and Cairns. The state’s capital city of Brisbane has over 20 restaurants serving Mexican food, while Gold Coast’s population of more than 700,000 people makes it the second largest population center for Mexicans living in Australia (after Melbourne). In addition to these two major cities, there are many other areas with large Hispanic populations such as Ipswich and Toowoomba where you’ll find many delicious dishes from south-western Mexico.
New South Wales
In New South Wales, Sydney has the most Mexican restaurants in Australia. The most popular cities are Sydney and Wollongong, where there are a number of restaurants serving traditional dishes such as enchiladas and tacos. In other Australian states like Queensland and Victoria, more people enjoy eating Mexican food as well.
Victoria
Melbourne is the most popular city for Mexican cuisine in Australia. It is home to more than 300 restaurants serving authentic Mexican food, according to TripAdvisor. The state capital of Melbourne has a large population of people from Mexico and other Latin American countries, which helps explain why there are so many restaurants serving Mexican cuisine there.
Tasmania
In Tasmania, Mexican food is popular and delicious. The state has about 10,000 people of Mexican descent living there, making it one of the most multicultural states in Australia. There are many restaurants serving Mexican dishes throughout Tasmania and Hobart. Some of those restaurants include:
- El Toro (Hobart). This restaurant offers delicious tacos al pastor along with other great Mexican food options such as burritos and enchiladas!
- Mariscos Y La Vida (Hobart). This restaurant specializes in fresh seafood washed down by delicious margaritas or draft beer! They offer a lot more than just one type of dish either so if you’re looking for something new try their signature burrito bowl with shrimp, avocado and jack cheese wrapped up inside a flour tortilla then grilled until golden brown on both sides before being sliced into thirds; this might just become your new favorite lunchtime indulgence after trying it today.
South Australia
South Australia is the third smallest state by land area and fifth smallest by population. There are many reasons for this, but one of them is that Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia.
South Australia has a very high proportion of people who were born in Australia — over 90%. This makes sense because it’s only accessible by plane or boat from other states such as Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
Aussie Mexican Restaurants
Mexican cuisine is popular in Australia, with restaurants found in all states and territories. Mexican food is a fusion of Spanish, indigenous and African cooking. It has become more popular since the 1960s when many Australians adopted Mexican food as part of their diet. Mexican food is available at many restaurants and fast food chains across Australia including:
- Tex Mex (Tex-Mex). This style of cooking uses extra virgin olive oil for frying rather than vegetable oil like most other cuisines do.
- Poblano/Anaheim chili peppers are used as a base for this dish, which can include anything from corn tortillas to chicken or pork tacos; it also includes cheese on top and sometimes sour cream too.
