American food in Sydney: Costco runs, NFL at breakfast and finding a Thanksgiving turkey

Short answer: you can eat very well in Sydney, and plenty of it will feel familiar, from smash burgers to buffalo wings. The things you'll actually miss are specific: canned pumpkin, real root beer, a Thanksgiving turkey in November and a game-day crowd on a Monday morning. Here's how Americans here track them down.

The short version

• Costco has several warehouses around Sydney, and it says your membership is accepted at all Costco warehouses; check with Costco before relying on a US card here [1].
• USA Foods, an American grocery importer based in Melbourne, ships US snacks, baking goods and drinks Australia-wide [2].
• Frozen whole turkeys are sold at Woolworths, but supply in November can be patchy, so plan ahead [3].
• In the Australian summer, Sunday 1 pm ET kickoffs land at 5 am Monday in Sydney, and the Super Bowl lands on a Monday morning.
• Plenty of Sydney pubs throw Super Bowl parties; Time Out's roundup has listed more than 20 [4].

US groceries: what you'll find and what you won't

Australian supermarkets, mainly Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and the independent IGA stores, carry a lot of what you're used to under different names. Cilantro is coriander, zucchini is zucchini (thankfully), bell peppers are capsicum and cookies are biscuits. Ground beef is mince.

What's harder to find:

USA Foods

USA Foods is run by an American couple who moved to Melbourne in 1993, and it has been importing American groceries since 1997. It has one physical store in Moorabbin in Melbourne, but it ships Australia-wide, so Sydney customers order online. Categories include snacks, drinks, baking, barbecue, candy, breakfast and Mexican, with names like Eggo, Cheetos, Dr Pepper and Reese's [2].

Import prices are higher than back home. Shipping costs add up, so many Americans place one big order before Thanksgiving and another before the Fourth of July.

Costco runs

Costco's Australian store finder lists warehouses around Sydney, including Auburn, Crossroads in Casula and Marsden Park. They're out in the suburbs, so you'll need a car or a long train-and-bus trip. Costco Australia's member page says your membership "is accepted at all Costco Warehouses," but it doesn't spell out whether that includes memberships issued in other countries, so call ahead before you bring your US card [1]. Many Americans just sign up locally once they settle in.

Expect familiar territory: Kirkland products, the rotisserie chicken, a food court, and a gas station at some locations. Not everything is the same as at home, since Australian food rules and suppliers differ.

Thanksgiving in Sydney

Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26. In Sydney it's a regular workday in late spring, so most Americans celebrate on the following weekend instead. The weather is often warm enough that you'll want a beer garden more than a fireplace.

Finding a turkey

Turkey is a Christmas food in Australia, which means supply ramps up in December, not November. Woolworths lists frozen whole turkeys, such as a 4 kg (about 9 lb) self-basting bird [3]. That's on the small side for a big American crowd. A few tips:

1. Shop early. Check the freezer cases at Woolworths and Coles in late October and early November, and buy when you see one.
2. Order from a butcher. Many Sydney butchers take orders for whole birds or turkey breast. Order at least a couple of weeks ahead and ask what size they can get.
3. Thaw time. A frozen bird needs days in the fridge. Budget for it, because there's no Butterball hotline here.
4. Go for two smaller birds or a turkey breast roast if you're feeding a crowd.
5. Stock the pantry. Canned pumpkin, French's crispy onions and cranberry sauce can sell out at import shops in November [2].

Many Americans join a group Thanksgiving, and invitations go around our community group for Americans in Australia every November.

Watching the NFL (and the NBA) in Sydney

The time difference is the whole story. Sydney runs on daylight saving time (AEDT) from early October to early April, and the US East Coast is on standard time from early November. That makes Sydney 16 hours ahead of New York for most of the NFL season.

In September and October, when the US is still on daylight saving, the gap is 14 to 15 hours, so everything shifts an hour or two earlier. NBA games tipping off at 7:30 pm ET usually land just before lunch the next day in Sydney. Your fantasy draft? Saturday morning, with coffee.

Most people stream games at home or at work. Check what the NFL's and NBA's own international streaming options offer in Australia, since US streaming apps often geo-block.

Bars for the big game

For the regular season, few bars open at 5 am on a Monday. The Super Bowl is a different story. It lands on a Monday morning in February, and plenty of Sydney pubs open early for it. Time Out's Super Bowl roundup has listed venues including [4]:

• Forrester's in Surry Hills, with a viewing package and bookings required
• The Golden Sheaf in Double Bay, with bookings essential
• El Camino Cantina in The Rocks, with wings and tacos
• Glenmore Hotel in The Rocks, with a ticketed package including a cheeseburger and wings
• Public House Petersham, with an all-American menu and a beer garden
• Edinburgh Castle Hotel in the CBD, opening early with wings by the kilo (about 2.2 lb)
• Felons Manly, with a live screening and a replay later in the day

Offers change every year, so check each venue's website or socials in January before you book. Lots of American workers in Sydney take the morning off; your Australian boss will probably understand, especially if you bring back wings.

American-style food when you eat out

Sydney's dining scene has taken on plenty of American classics. You'll find burger joints in most neighborhoods, Southern-style fried chicken, Texas-style barbecue smokehouses and Tex-Mex. Mexican food is improving, though Americans from California and Texas often find it milder than back home.

Some things to know before you order:

• Tipping isn't expected. Wages are higher, and the menu price is what you pay. Some restaurants add a weekend or public holiday surcharge, and card surcharges are common.
• Portions are smaller. Bottomless sodas are rare.
• "Chips" means fries when it comes with a burger, and "hot chips" if you need to be specific.
• Ranch dressing is hard to find; import shops sell the bottled kind [2].

If you're hosting a Fourth of July barbecue, remember it's midwinter here, around 17°C (63°F) by day. Indoor chili may beat burgers on the grill.

Sources

1. Costco Australia: Where can I use my Costco membership?
2. USA Foods: About us
3. Woolworths: Ingham's frozen whole turkey, self basting
4. Time Out Sydney: Where to watch the Super Bowl in Sydney

Keep reading

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• Sports in Sydney: rugby league, AFL, cricket and the NFL
• Nightlife in Sydney
• Cost of living in Sydney vs Los Angeles