Comedian Jimmy Rees’ favourite restaurants and cafes in Mornington, Melbourne and Sydney
The popular entertainer shares her favorite eateries from her Victorian home, as well as her go-to spots around Australia.
He may be best known for capturing the attention of younger viewers with his role as Jimmy Giggle on ABC. Giggle and HootJimmy Rees was making kids (and their parents) laugh for a decade until 2019, but since turning his focus to making adults laugh during the not-so-funny pandemic, Jimmy Rees hasn’t looked back.
He made a lot of money along the way 1.8 million followers on social media — proof that comedic timing is everything.
The father of three lives on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula with his wife Tori, their 10-year-old son Lenny and six-year-old twins Mack and Vinny; here he draws on his wisecracking personality to create viral videos that take down local politics and take satirical swipes at everything from US politics to generational stereotypes in supermarkets that tickle him and his many fans.
Rees has found his own style at home, where he now has a dedicated studio for filming content. She loves nothing more than cooking a simple chicken parmigiana for her kids and working with them. Hello Fresh Creating simple recipes for home cooks.
These include the Southeast Asian shrimp po’boy with chili crisp and lemon pepper potato chips, his own version of the Korean TikTok viral dish featuring cheesy butter chicken parmigiana and gochujang carbonara.
“It’s about creating a menu that’s fun to prepare at home, try something different and create some fusion in the kitchen,” he says.
Here are Rees’ favorite places to eat in Australia and abroad, and the places he likes to order from when he’s not whipping up a bar-worthy parma at home.
Food
signature dish at home
It’s always chicken parmigiana with chips. Sometimes at home we like to be adventurous and top it with pineapple and ham.
my guilty pleasure
Ordering Indian takeaway from my local Chutney Bar Mornington. My wife Tori was in Melbourne recently for a night out with the kids and I ordered two mains for myself because I couldn’t decide what to eat – butter chicken, lamb korma plus rice.
Kitchen wisdom I live by
My dad always made cooking fun when he was in the kitchen. When it was time for fish and chips, he would serve it on paper and we would get so excited as kids. It’s about bringing the props!
eating out
My hometown’s favorites
Filling Station It’s my go-to for great fresh sandwiches and coffee in Mornington.
RocksMornington This is where I go when I want to order a seafood platter to share. They have great oysters and the freshest fish.
Loosie’s A great dive bar on the Peninsula where I eat lots of fried bar snacks like chicken nuggets and burgers and always order fries.
I get my flat whites from here People Coffee Company. They take coffee making very seriously. The food is very good. I recommend the eggs Benedict because I love hollandaise sauce. They also make great crab cakes.
Favorite takeaway points of the peninsula
I like Pizza Craft and Pasta Company for a parmigiana – it’s so big it’s also a family favorite.
Vinni’s Pizza and Pasta There is another special spot on Mount Eliza. We’ve been eating here since I was a kid. Our son Vinny loves going here because they have a common name and they do the best margherita pizza. A great family business. Vinni hasn’t aged a day!
Great Australian food food memory
Tori and I spent a few nights together. jackalop [also in Mornington] It was a fabulous getaway close to home without the kids. We sat down to a tasting menu Rare Rabbit and I had fresh oysters, pork belly, and bourbon-glazed brisket.
My favorite Sydney food places
You queue for hours to go to a Malaysian restaurant Mamak Haymarket but definitely worth it. You can see them making roti in the window. Satay is incredibly good. If I had the opportunity, I would drink it from the jar.
Mecca Coffee I’ve been using it regularly since the King Street location in Alexandria closed. It’s always an order of scrambled eggs with a flat white and pepperoni.
Meanwhile a fight Maggie’s in Potts Point and Una’s For the best schnitz in Sydney, it’s at Darlinghurts, so why not both? I put my jaeger sauce (creamy mushroom sauce) aside and pour it over it.
Fei Jai Potts Point My favorite Chinese restaurant in Sydney. It’s perfect when you’re feeling a little cheerful and have something to celebrate.
Artisan Farmer Not in Sydney but a few hours north in Nabiac. Makes a great road trip stop. The pies are insane and the pastries are probably the best I’ve had anywhere. Very good.
My favorites in Perth
If there’s a tiki bar on offer, I’ll take it. I don’t remember the food but the spiced rum cocktails are great Hula Hula Bar.
If you’re up for a fancy Japanese meal in Perth, I recommend Nobu perth. Let someone else order and watch them all come to the table. This is my favorite place for a business meeting in Perth.
my favorites brisbane
From the same man who perfected Longrain in Sydney, Short Grain Very good. All the crispy fish are incredible.
Moo Moo Wine Bar and Grill It’s just around the corner from the theater we sometimes play in in Brisbane. The staff is great and so are the cocktails. There’s also one on the Gold Coast.
I’m not vegan, but I love delving into vegan dishes to see how creative and delicious they can be. Govinda’s West Side It’s great to be in Brisbane and it’s really easy with a credit card. The menu is constantly changing and makes you feel good.
You can find Jimmy’s recipes at: hellofresh.com.au
Jane Rocca is a regular contributor to Sunday Life Magazine, Executive Style, The Age EG, a columnist and a columnist for Domain Review, Domain Living’s Personal Space page. He is an author with four published books.Connect with: excitement or email.
