From Our Editors
The Background
Whereas Americans adore pastimes of baseball and pies filled with apples, Australians love swimming in the surf and pies filled with, well, just about anything. So when Australian entrepreneur Samantha Bryan found herself missing her native land's pies while living in Los Angeles, she teamed up with a Michelin Star-trained Australian chef and established Bronzed Aussie in 2013.
The Food
Chosen as one of Yelp's top 100 places to eat in the USA, Bronzed Aussie anchors its menu with five-inch meat pies and three-inch sweet pies. The ground beef pie, for instance, follows a classic recipe of lean ground beef, gourmet gravy, tomato, and spices that has satisfied Australians since the 1900s. The custard tart, meanwhile, headlines the dessert selection with a crunchy puff pastry crust and egg custard filling. Back in Australia, this particular treat is often a reward for cyclists after successfully ascending a steep mountain pass.
The Name
Like its food, Bronzed Aussie's name comes straight from down under. It's a nod to the country's 25,000 volunteer surf lifesavers, who monitor restless waters for swimmers in duress. Hours spent in the sun leaves their skin a deep bronze color, but these men and women also receive bronze medallions when they pass the test to become certified surf lifesavers.
