How high-low can you go? We pair some of Australia’s classic snacks with their best drink matches.

Is there anything more Australian than a meat pie? Well, maybe having it slop down the front of you as you sit alongside 80,000 strangers on a Saturday night at the ‘G. What about eating a potato cake lightly dusted with sand on the beach? And yes, we’re talking about the potato scallop – we’re not here to start any interstate fights. Perhaps it’s the Vegemite-smeared toast you scarf down at the kitchen counter after a night out (and for those wondering, the correct butter-to-Vegemite ratio is 70:30).

At the core of these sacred pastimes are classic, bloody unreal, Aussie snacks. Remember the humble Chiko Roll? And how long has it been since you had a vanilla slice? What on earth should you drink with a sauso roll? We're going to give you the ultimate high-low pairings for the nostalgic snacks of your dreams.

Potato cakes on a tray with a glass of sparkling

1. Six potato cakes, please (and Aussie fizz)

When we say high-low, we mean it. Now, while potato cakes are no longer the 50-cent, after-school special they once were, they're still worth it – especially when paired with a glass of bubbles. One of the country's best-known sparkling producers, House of Arras' A By Arras Premium Cuvée NV is a very good place to start – it's a dry sparkling, produced from a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay. And with Arras’ chief winemaker Ed Carr behind the wheel, you know it's going to be damn good.

As we know, fried food – in this case the potato cake – tends to be salty and oily, so the sparkling acts as a palate cleanser that cuts through the richness. The acidity from sparkling wine balances the salt, not to mention they’re just an incredibly fun duo. So, in one hand you’ll have a glass of Aussie fizz, and in the other, a salty, crispy, deep-fried disc of potato heaven.

2. Chiko Rolls and a Nonna-approved sangiovese

Staying on the fish and chip menu, we bring you the underrated (and dare we say under-appreciated) Chiko Roll. For those who don't know, a Chiko Roll is packed with cabbage, carrot, celery, onion and green beans before being wrapped in a thick, golden-brown and slightly chewy pastry that can withstand deep frying. All this is to say the Chiko is bursting with umami – the fifth flavour next to sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Pair it with Pizzini’s Nonna Gisella Sangiovese from the King Valley. This sange is a true food wine, and we recommend setting up in the park with a group of friends, your finest tumblers and those iconic, one-handed snacks.

3. Vegemite toast and a… Negroni?

There's no bad time of the day to eat Vegemite toast, but it hits especially well when paired with a nightcap. You know, around that time when you’re in the kitchen contemplating ordering French fries. Put your phone down, grab that loaf of sourdough and cut a thick slice. While it’s in the toaster, get started on your Negroni. Stay with us on this pairing; the salty umami of the Vegemite will cut through the bitterness of the Negroni. We’ve got our Negroni recipe down to a fine art, taking just a few minutes, so you should be ready to go right when that toaster pops.

Vegemite toast on a plate with a Negroni

4. The meat pie with an equally Aussie red

Now, we promise not to judge if you’re someone who carefully chisels around the lid of your meat pie, lifts that flaky goodness, fills the base with sauce and then pops the lid back on as if nothing ever happened. Likewise if you eat a pie sans sauce, we *pinky swear* we're not judging. When it comes to pairings, we reckon the meat pie is best served alongside a fellow Aussie classic – shiraz. We’d pour a glass of the St Hallett Faith Shiraz, which hails from Barossa. The Faith is an approachable, full-bodied shiraz, but, importantly, it’s driven by dark berry fruits, peppery notes and a hint of chocolate, so it can stand up against the flavourful gravy of the pie. If you’re looking for a little more ceremony, you can also go for the always-reliable Whiskey Sour.

5. RTDs for sausage rolls

It’s a long way to the shop... just kidding! We’re thinking homemade sauso rolls in the backyard, doused in tomato sauce, or tomato chutney if you’re feeling boujee (we told you we could do high-low), paired with a fruity seltzer and a big group of friends. Smirnoff’s Passionfruit Seltzer is a can of convenience – a blend of vodka and lightly flavoured sparkling water, and that fresh passionfruit flavour. The crispness from the can will offset the rich, likely porky, flavours of the snag roll, refreshing your palate between bites.

A plate of lamintons on a chair with a glass of sparkling moscato rosé

6. The Lamington, squared

Call us over the top, we can take it, but we’re pairing the lamington with our delicious (and decadent) Lamington cocktail. Usually a morning-tea classic, we’re flipping this to an after-dinner dessert – talk about ending dinner on a (sugar) high note. If you’re new to the world of lamingtons, a light and airy sponge cake forms the base – often there’s jam and cream in the middle – before being glazed in chocolate and rolled in desiccated coconut. The cocktail itself is a mix of coconut syrup, strawberry jam and vanilla liqueur that has been expertly balanced with bourbon (feel free to choose your own adventure when it comes to your bourbon selects). If that pairing is too OTT for you, we suggest a sparkling moscato – it’s light, sweet and matches the fluffy lamington with ease.

7. A sticky and sweet vanilla slice combo

Talk about a throwback – it’s been far too long since we’ve had a vanilla slice. It’s almost impossible to eat without getting covered in pastry and custard, so we’re also throwing a sticky, sweet wine into this mix. It has to be the Deen Botrytis Semillon from Aussie sweet-wine icon, De Bortoli. The key here is to choose a wine with a sweetness level that matches or even exceeds the sweetness of the vanilla slice. This sticky has notes of tropical fruit and candied citrus peel, which harmonise with the wobbly custard classic.