The Illawarra is rapidly becoming a diverse cultural hub for art, technology, music, and now food.
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Illawarra Business Chamber chief executive Debra Murphy said our economy was going through a transition while our culture was changing.
Wollongong Central has embraced the change and released a foodie booklet highlighting some of the diverse eateries in the CBD, enticing people to get amongst it with discounts.
The #ComeDineWithMe initiative takes hungry tummy’s along Keira Street and through Globe Lane to restaurants inspired by tastes of Spain, Asia, Hungary, Japan, Cuba, Thai, the US and Mexico.
Ms Murphy said the book reflected the growth in the food and beverage operations opening up in the city.
“It’s now become more Melbournian,” she said. “From a business perspective, people want to do business in that type of environment, they want to have coffees, or they want to have food, and they want to take it out of the office.”
Wollongong Central general manager Dennis Price said they wanted to encourage people to explore different types of cuisine that they may not realise was available in the city.
“I think [food] is the core of it really, it’s a big driver of the modern lifestyle, people eat out more and more often despite the Masterchef phenomenon,” he said.
Meanwhile the retail centre has also launched a smartphone app Pronto, where you can order your lunch (or dinner) via your device, then be sent a notification of when it’s ready to pick up. At present only a handful of outlets are available, but it’s understood the list will grow in coming weeks.
Eateries, along with retail and the accommodation sector made accounted for 18 per cent of the Wollongong Local Government Area’s economy, $1.6 billion in gross regional product, and employed 40 per cent of people under the age of 24.
Some treats to try:
- Coco Cubano – captures the essence of Cuba with an Australian twist.
- Kurtosh – traditional Hungarian pastry and other cakes sold by weight, so you can choose how much to indulge.
- Kinn Thai – stir-fries and curries packed with flavour.