Wollongong Top Ten Gourmet Shopping Precincts

10 of Wollongong’s finest foodie destinations

1. Wollongong Produce & Creative Traders Market:

fresh is best so get it straight from the grower at the Wollongong Produce & Creative Traders Market held every Friday in the Wollongong City Mall. Stalls include organic fruit and vegetables and plenty of homemade foods such as fresh baked breads, honey and olive oils, preserves and ready-to-eat meals.

2. The Educated Palate:

the place to go if you’re looking for gourmet supplies like quince paste, olive tapanade, pies and pastries. They also do a great coffee in the café. 87 Crown St.

3. My Chocolate Shoppe:

serious chocoholics head south to Shellharbour to get their cocoa fix. Be tempted by handmade brownies, cakes and high quality Belgian chocolates, or enjoy a latte, hot or iced chocolate. Shop 1, 20-26 Addison Street, Shellharbour Village.

4. Leisure Coast Fruit Market:

if you’re looking for quality fresh fruit and vegetables then this is one of the region’s best fruit markets. It also stocks a great range of cheeses, cured meats and groceries. 75 Princes Hwy, Fairy Meadow.

5. Tea’se Me:

small but fabulous tea shop with a great selection (more than 80) of black, green and herbal teas and all the accoutrements to make that perfect cuppa. They are famous for their chai lattes, made from chai that has been brewed for more than12 hours. Shop 3 163 Keira St.

6. The Fish Market Wollongong Harbour:

pick up some just caught fish fresh from the sea at the local fish market in Belmore Basin. Local catches include prawns, Balmain bugs, gemfish, flathead, snapper, kingfish and John Dory.

7. Wollongong Nut & Deli Hut:

stock up on everything from nuts to stuffed olives, spices, nuts, dried and candied fruits and fresh cheeses such as feta and haloumi. 102A Kembla St.

8. Dong Phoung Oriental Groceries:

for all your Asian cooking needs, including fresh herbs, spices, noodles and tinned products in a handy location in the city centre at 145Keira St.

9. Berry Woodfired Sourdough Bakery:

it’s worth making the one-hour drive south to Berry just to get your hands on some of this delicious bread, although this place is much more than a just bread shop. The restaurant is very popular (the fish soup is divine) and Berry is a shoppers delight with more boutiques and antique stores that you can count. 23 Prince Alfred Street, Berry. Open Wednesday to Sunday 8am-3pm.

10. Shoalhaven Coast Wineries:

spend a day touring the 11 wineries clustered around Berry, Shoalhaven Heads, Gerringong and Nowra. All have cellar doors where you can taste and buy. Favorites include Coolangatta Estate where the first grapes were grown by Alexander Berry in the 1880s and The Silos at Jaspers Brush near Berry, both of which have good restaurants.