Brief History of Kebabs in Australia

Brought in due to immigration from Greece, Turkey, former Yugoslavia, and Lebanon, Kebabs have earned their place in the hearts and stomachs of millions of Australians throughout the years. Kebabs served in Australia are Doner Kebabs of Turkish, Lebanese and other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. The earlier form of today's Doner kebab was believed to originate from Cag Kebab, where it was grilled horizontally and thicker slices were cut. However Doner Kebabs found in Australia are very dissimilar to the traditional Middle Eastern dish. Kebabs here are usually served in Pita bread and wrapped, rather than in a pide or on a plate. The type and quality of the kebab variations served depends on the ethnic population within in the location. States with larger Greek population such as Melbourne will often refer to kebabs as souvlaki, gyros or yiros. In Brisbane on the other hand Kebabs are influenced more strongly by the Lebanese and Turkish variation.

Kebab shops have come a long way from being a small family run business for the community to big franchisees opened across Australia-wide. It is rumoured that the best Kebab shops are the ones found in suburbs which tend to be more authentic than the ones found in food courts and the city area. The reason behind this is that a majority of the patrons for the suburb based kebab shops consist of the local community who more often than not are ethnic and demand more authenticity with the cuisine served. Therefore if the kebabs aren't up to scratch their business would suffer as a result. Whilst in the city, Doner kebabs tend to be popular during the mad rush of lunch hour and late night snacking where busy mid-day or intoxicated after-party patrons search for the quick and convenient meal (with a whopping 600++ calorie per-kebab) to last the day or finish off the night with.