If you're planning a trip to Australia, one question you might have is what there is to eat down under. No real traveler worth his or her salt sticks to familiar chain restaurants from back home while abroad. Why would you?

After all, most standard Australian restaurants and cafes will feature things you're familiar with - sandwiches, focaccia, curries, burgers.

If you're curious as to what not-so-familiar menu items you'll be running into throughout your adventures, here's a quick overview of some of the more common staples.

• Vegemite. Made from brewer's yeast, wheat, spices, and other flavors, you'll find this popular staple everywhere. Australians commonly eat this on toast, but for many Americans it will take some getting used to. However, it's certainly worth a try.
• Pavlova. Named for ballet dancer Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s, this meringue dessert has a crispy crust and a soft inside. New Zealand and Australia, which share a friendly rivalry, are divided over which of the two countries invented it.
• Meat pie. This is a popular "take away" (take-out) food that you'll find in many convenience stores. As you might guess, it consists of minced meat and possibly vegetables contained in a pastry crust. Vegetarian and vegan options are available in some places.
• ANZAC biscuits. The name is an acronym for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. The recipe for these biscuits (what Americans call cookies) is believed to have come from World War I military wives, who made them out of ingredients that kept well for long periods of time. Main ingredients include flour, sugar, oats, and desiccated coconut.
• Macadamia nuts. These small, nutritionally rich globes may be synonymous with Hawaii, but they originated on the Australian continent. In fact, in 1997 Australia became the largest producer of macadamia nuts in the world, surpassing the United States.

You'll find countless other foods not so common everywhere else, including damper (Australian soda bread). Not so common these days is kangaroo meat, but you will find it at meat counters and some restaurants. On the other side of the spectrum, you'll also find an array of readily available vegetarian and vegan options. There's also no shortage of restaurants featuring Thai, Vietnamese, Lebanese, German, and Chinese cuisine, among many others, in Australia.

When you're traveling in Australia, stay away from the chains you know so well, or otherwise you'll be out on some great foods that will turn your vacation into a culinary experience.

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