Harry's Cafe de Wheels - Pies, Sydney

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Harry's is a Sydney instituition just like Nathan's is to Coney Island. Harry's is basically a snack/quick food shack. The menu had a variety of easy to eat items. We had passed by Harry's numerous times while walking back to our hotel and finally decided to stop by for a snack. There was a line but we barely waited 10 minutes. Chris decided on a curry pie and I ordered a hot dog. The food was pretty good and I felt satisfied.

Favorite Dish: The hot dog was very good and I liked the spicey mustard.

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Harry’s is a Sydney institution. I have seen others around the city but this trip I found myself passing the original nearly every day on the bus back to the hotel. So we stopped and got off to get a pie for a snack.

You will always find that there is a crowd here. We even had people waiting behind us while I decided quickly what I was going to eat. The do quite a bit of business and are worth the visit at least once. They’re an attraction for a reason.

Favorite Dish: I had the curry pie and she the hot dog. I was pretty impressed in the curry pie and do wish I had bothered to stop and get another during the week but with so many better food options just up the stairs in Potts Point we never did.

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I ate at Harry's Cafe de Wheels one lunchtime during my visit to Sydney in April 2006.

This pie cart has been operating since 1945 and can be found next to Finger Wharf, Wooloomooloo Bay. Pick up a snack and sit at one of the benches looking out across the wharf!

Harry's speciality is pies...with all manner of fillings!!....but you can also choose from hotdogs, burgers, pasties and a variety of other fast food snacks.

Favorite Dish: I opted for:

"Curry Tiger" pie - Cost: 4.95 AUD

A beef and curry pie topped with mashed potato, mushy peas and gravy. Mmmmmmm!!

600ml bottle of Coca Cola - Cost: 2.70 AUD

A wide variety of cheap fast food snacks with great views over Wooloomooloo Bay!

Due to its reputation, "eating a Harry's meat pie" was on my list. I even marked its location on my map before leaving HK. There's nothing much to do at night in Sydney if you're not into partying/clubbing/pubbing. I suggested taking a late dinner at Harry's to my new friends - 4 medical students from HKCU that I met in my hostel. HK people like eating and I was glad that there's no exception for doctors! It's a real long walk from Darling Harbour to Harry's, we used like 30 minutes (or more?). The vicinity of Harry's was very quiet at night, which made us (4 girls and 1 boy) a bit nervous. I was so worried that Harry's would have closed (it's after 10p.m., pretty late in Australia), luckily it's not the case. We were very satisfied by the meat pies, which were very filling and too big as a late night snack.
They're so yummy! Another important point to note is that Harry's is famous among locals. We were the only group of non-locals when we arrived. I was so happy to see so many people there at night.

Favorite Dish: I ordered a Curry Tiger (AUD4.7), Vincent ordered a Chili con Carne (AUD4.9) and Doris/Nicole ordered the simplest one (forgot the name).

My Curry Tiger was very tasty, though the curry wasn't spicy at all, i guessed it's Japanese curry, not my favourite. There was a big mass of mashed peas on the top of my pie and the whole pie was filled with meat. I was so full after eating.

Vincent's Chili con Carne was wonderful too.

Bonus of the night: saw a handsome Japanese Harry's staff!!!

My thanks to VT member M0B1US, whose tip inspired me to go here.

This pie cart is a great experience. You can wander around and eat while looking at the Australian navy ships, interact with people, and spend less than A$10 for dinner. There is something about the very real sights and smells of the wharf that make this special. Some say the superstars eat there. I don't know, but Russell Crowe's condo is at the end of the adjacent pier. The cart isn't in Sydney proper, rather Wooloomooloo.

Favorite Dish: The Tiger, a meat pie topped with mashed potatoes and mashed peas, then hollowed and filled with gravy. Pasties are good too.

If you're after a good vegetarian restaurant, try (don't laugth) the Govinda's theatre/restaurant in Darlinghurst Road. You get a buffet food plus youcan also buy a meal and movie package. This is a well kept Sydney secret. if you're down on the budget and still want a bit of movie plus food , this is unbeatable. Cushions style seating in the cinema. If you are a Carnovore like me, Harry's Cafe De Wheels can't be beat. The Harbour View is free.

Favorite Dish: Its all you can eat at tGovindas( Krishna). Shepherds Pie at the Harry's Cafe De Wheels.

Harry's Cafe De Wheels is well known and famous for there pies. They are located in Wooloomooloo. Its a great location... usually people go there after a big night out.... in the early hours of the morning.

Great atmosphere..

Favorite Dish: Pies ...... anything you could imagine...they have it.

Harry's Cafe de Wheels in Wooloomooloo is a Sydney institution. The diner is now in a fixed location, but apparently years ago it WAS on wheels. The owner would wheel it into place each day down by the harbor. His mission in life in those days was to serve up hot Aussie meat pies for hungry sailors, and anyone else who had a hankering for cheap and filling food.

And, since 1945, Harry's Cafe de Wheels has pretty much been doing just that. Eighteen hours a day, they're there cooking up a variety of tasty meat and vegetable pies, all going for about A$4 each, tops. One item on the menu is a "pastie", which some will claim is the national dish of Australia. It's a concoction of mushy green peas and potatoes wrapped in a flaky crust. It's better than it sounds, actually. But in truth, I prefer the ones with meat.....I'm such a carnivore.

There are many places in Australia to find yourself a "pie". And if you're like me, you'll probably have several while you're Down Under. But, EVERYONE in Potts Point insisted that going to Harry's was akin to a takeaway eating religion. And, after seeing and enjoying the Cafe de Wheels, I'd kind of agree.

I'm not a churchy type of guy, but I can dig this sort of pastry pilgrammage. : )

Favorite Dish: The pies, mate. I like the ones with meat and potatoes....and maybe a few veggies, too.