ANZAC Day is one of the few dates on the Australian calendar where the food is not really the point. The march is the point. The dawn service is the point. The gathering afterwards, with family, with community, with people who served, is the point. But the food still has to be there, and how it is chosen quietly says something about who is welcome at the table.
Quick answer
ANZAC Day (April 25) brings Sydney communities together at dawn services, marches, and mid morning gatherings at RSL clubs, community halls and homes. Traditional ANZAC food (biscuits, meat pies, sausage rolls) is well covered. For a more inclusive gathering that welcomes all cultural backgrounds, add warm empanadas as a substantial main. Party Box (60 empanadas) covers 15 to 20 attendees, Corporate Box (100) covers 25 to 33. April 25 is a public holiday. Delivery must be pre booked five to seven days ahead.
What ANZAC Day looks like across Sydney
ANZAC Day begins with dawn services at war memorials across Sydney. Martin Place hosts the largest. Suburb war memorials at Bondi, Coogee, Manly, Chatswood, Parramatta and hundreds of smaller sites hold their own services from 4:30 to 6:00 am. The Sydney ANZAC Day march steps off from Martin Place around 9:00 am and moves through the CBD.
Afterwards, the day breaks into three broad kinds of gathering. RSL clubs open early for breakfast and stay busy through lunch. Families host mid morning gatherings, often at home or a park. Community halls, ex service organisations, and cultural community groups run their own commemorations and lunches. Food follows the format of each.
The traditional food, with respect
Traditional ANZAC Day food carries meaning. ANZAC biscuits (oats, coconut, golden syrup) recall the biscuits sent to soldiers on the front. Meat pies and sausage rolls are the RSL kitchen mainstay. Damper and lamingtons show up at community events. None of this is in dispute, and it belongs on the table.
What we would add, quietly, is that modern Australia's ANZAC Day gatherings include family and community members from every background. A menu that only reads as Anglo Australian misses part of the room. Argentinian empanadas are not traditional ANZAC Day food. Nobody is pretending otherwise. But as one warm hand held addition alongside the pies and biscuits, they extend the welcome.
Menu building by gathering type
Dawn service breakfast at an RSL
Dawn service ends around 6:30 am. Breakfast in the RSL auditorium runs 7:00 to 9:00 am. Cold weather is likely. Standard menu is bacon and eggs, coffee, and the RSL's own kitchen output.
Empanada role here is limited. If you want to add a warm hand held bite for a coffee break in the morning, a couple of 12 packs baked and delivered warm at 7am work. Otherwise, this is a gathering where the RSL kitchen owns the menu.
Mid morning gathering at a family home
The most common private ANZAC Day gathering. Family, some who served, most who did not, kids, older relatives. Time slot 10am to 12pm, transitioning into lunch. Format is grazing table, not sit down.
Suggested build: a Family Box ($132, 40 empanadas, feeds 7 to 10) mixed across Carnivore, Athlete, Classic . Plus a plate of homemade ANZAC biscuits. Plus a warm sausage roll platter from the local bakery. Plus tea, coffee, and a couple of bottles of something for the adults. Total food cost for 10 people around $180 to $220.
Community lunch at a hall
Larger community, RSL sub branch, or ex service organisation lunch for 30 to 100 people. Format is sit down or long table with shared platters.
| Guests | Suggested Argentum order | Add locally |
|---|---|---|
| 25 to 33 | Corporate Box ($499, 100 empanadas) | Sausage rolls, salad, sweets |
| 40 to 50 | Corporate Box plus Family Box ($631) | Meat pies, salad, ANZAC biscuits, tea and coffee |
| 60 to 80 | Two Corporate Boxes ($998) | Full pie and salad spread, dessert platter |
| 100+ | Multiple Corporate Boxes plus supplementary Party Boxes | Full catering coordination with venue |
The Anzac and Argentinian bridge
A brief note. Argentum's founders (Pedro and Karim) run the kitchen as a family sole trader business in Bondi Beach. Argentina and Australia both sit at the end of long migration stories. On a day that commemorates service and sacrifice, offering food from an Argentinian Australian kitchen alongside the traditional ANZAC menu is a modest gesture of the multicultural country the ANZACs' descendants live in now. That is the framing. Not a replacement, an addition.
Timing across the day
| Time | What is happening | Food role |
|---|---|---|
| 4:30 to 6:00 am | Dawn services across Sydney | Nothing. Bring a thermos. |
| 6:30 to 9:00 am | RSL breakfast | Bacon and eggs. Coffee. Optional empanadas at 7am for a warm bite. |
| 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | ANZAC Day march (CBD and suburbs) | Nothing. Water and snacks. |
| 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | Family gatherings begin | Grazing table forms. Empanadas, biscuits, sausage rolls. |
| 12:00 to 3:00 pm | Community lunches and family lunches | Full meal. Empanadas as one substantial main. |
| 3:00 pm onwards | Two up games at RSLs, family wind down | Snack food and drinks. |
Ordering logistics for a public holiday
April 25 is a public holiday and delivery capacity is limited. A few operational notes.
- Book five to seven days ahead minimum. Fourteen days if your order is Corporate Box scale or larger.
- Confirm delivery window at order time. ANZAC Day traffic in the CBD is restricted until after the march (approximately 12pm). Suburban delivery is easier.
- Consider pickup. Bondi Beach pickup at our kitchen is often the cleanest option for ANZAC Day. Pre order the day before, collect baked and warm on the morning of.
- Frozen and bake at home. A Party Box frozen ($279) can be delivered days ahead, stored, and baked on the morning of ANZAC Day (18 to 22 minutes at 190C).
See the catering collection for the full menu. The Family Box is our most requested product for small ANZAC Day gatherings.
Kids and older relatives
Two constituencies at any ANZAC Day family gathering. Kids often prefer Classic (three cheese). Older relatives who prefer familiar flavours also lean toward Classic and Athlete (chicken and green olives). Carnivore (beef) is the crowd pleaser across ages. Patagonia is the vegetarian and vegan option for family members who need it.
FAQ
Do you deliver on ANZAC Day itself?
Yes, with restrictions. April 25 delivery is subject to CBD road closures during the march (typically 6am to 12pm). Suburban delivery is available all day. Book five to seven days ahead.
How much notice do I need for a public holiday order?
Five to seven days minimum for standard orders. Fourteen days for Corporate Box scale or larger. Weekend and public holiday delivery capacity is limited.
Can you cater RSL club events?
Yes. We coordinate with RSL kitchen coordinators for delivery timing and access. Corporate Box (100 empanadas) is the most common order for RSL sub branch events. Book two weeks ahead if possible.
What is a good menu for a family gathering at home?
Family Box ($132, 40 empanadas) mixed across four flavours, plus homemade or bakery ANZAC biscuits, plus a sausage roll platter or plate of meat pies, plus tea and coffee. Feeds 7 to 10 comfortably.
What are the vegetarian options for older relatives?
Classic (three cheeses, caramelised onion) is the reliable vegetarian option for family members who prefer mild familiar flavours. Patagonia (roasted vegetables, chimichurri, tofu) is fully vegan.
What is the cost per person?
For a family gathering of 10 people, expect $18 to $22 per person for a Family Box plus supplementary bakery items. Community lunch scale (30+) drops to $15 to $18 per person as the Corporate Box price scales.
Can you deliver hot or warm?
Yes. Baked delivery arrives warm and stays warm for 30 to 45 minutes. For longer events, order frozen and bake at the venue if oven access allows (18 to 22 minutes at 190C).
How many empanadas per person should I order?
Three to four empanadas per person for a substantial main course. Two per person if empanadas are one of several dishes on the table. For an ANZAC Day gathering with traditional pies and sides also on the table, plan two to three empanadas per person.
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