Its quite an achievement growing up in Sydney and being over 30 when you make your first visit to Harry’s Cafe de Wheels. I’m not sure how I managed it to be quite frank but this night I stood before the pie cart (OK its more a caravan than a little cart) thinking “Oh yes, its been a long time coming but I’m finally here!”. Even at 6.30pm on a Sunday night there are plenty of people sitting on the wooden benches nearby eating pies and hot dogs and staring off into the view of the harbour and the gigantic shark coloured navy boats.
The caravan boasts a wide range of celebrity pie eaters such as Pamela Anderson (being a vegetarian, I’m guessing she didn’t have the famous pie floater) and more recently Adrian Grenier from Entourage. And in tribute to the nearby sailors that have undoubtedly consumed thousands of the pies, there is a mural of a sailor kissing a woman in a pink dress as well as a mural of the flag and the Harbour bridge to lure tourists.
Making up my mind is simple, I simply must have a pie floater or what is here a “Tiger”: a meat pie with mash, green peas and gravy ($5.30) named after the founder Harry “Tiger” Edwards. Seeing other people eat the huge, stuffed full hot dogs, we also order the Hot Dog de Wheels ($5.30), essentially, a hot dog with the lot and by the lot we mean the lot. Both helpfully provided with a fork and I have to eat a pie with a fork and given the presence of so much topping, you’d be risking a sartorial nightmare to try and bite into it.
The paper plate it rests on is floppy and carrying it to somewhere to eat nearby is a precarious experience. We manage to get our goodies to a safe place to eat and I take to the Tiger pie with my fork. The pea mash is lovely and creamy but not mashed to smithereens with still a little texture. Its, along with the mashed potato (probably instant but tastes a lot fresher than the one from the Upper Crust I tried recently) and the deliciously perfect gravy are blissful together. The pie itself isn’t anything particularly stunning, although it is quite good and peppery but I see it more as the perfect vehicle to transport the delicious topping.
The Hot dog, a beast of a thing, is next. The bun is super soft and pillowy white inside, the sausage resting on top of a spicy bean and beef chili con carne (that gives us enough of a chili kick to be pleased that you can actually get fast food with heat), mashed peas, sauteed onions and cheese on top of the tomato and mayo sauce coated smoked frankfurt. Its enormous and one of the best hot dogs I’ve had and I can barely finish my half but its greeted with much enthusiasm by my husband who is one satisfied customer that knows that he has definitely gotten his money’s worth here.
Interesting trivia spot:
“The name Cafe de Wheels came about because of the requirement from the city council that mobile food caravans had to move a minimum of 12 inches (30 cm) each day. The cart has been moved by the city council five times over the past 55 years, and is now back at its original spot. Local legend tells that the name was temporarily changed to Cafe de Axle at one point when the wheels were stolen.
As the years passed, ‘Harry’s Cafe de Wheels’ gained new fame as a tourist attraction. A visit to the caravan became a ‘must’ for visiting celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Robert Mitchum and Marlene Dietrich. In 1974, Colonel Sanders stopped at Harry’s and enjoyed the food so much that he ate three ‘pies and peas’ while leaning on his walking stick in front of the caravan. A picture of Sanders taken during the visit still hangs in the caravan today.”
Source: Wikipedia
Colonel Sanders enjoying a pie (pic from the National Trust)
Harry’s Café De Wheels
Cowper Wharf Rd
Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
Tel: +61 (02) 9357-3074
Open 24 hours
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16 Comments | Add your own
colonel sanders? wow, what an advertisement!
i have to say, i thought the pie was slightly overrated the last time i went (about fifteen years ago).
Hi blythe-Yes what a stellar recommendation! The pie itself I found to be ok but the topping (peas, potato and gravy) was worth the visit. In actual fact I think we preferred the Hot Dog!
Hi there! I’ve been lurking here for a wee while, reading every so often. I really enjoy your reviews, and although I live in Christchurch, NZ (and therefore can’t usually experience the wonderful food for myself) my partner and I have just returned from a week in your city, and I have to thank you for your review of the Altitude restaurant. I’m a vegetarian, and to find a restaurant of such calibre with options(!) for vegetarians was such a novelty – and I’d never have known if it wasn’t for your blog! So thank you, keep writing, and next time we cross the ditch hopefully we can experience some more of the fantastic food Sydney has on offer!
Oh, and I see you were at Tropfest too – we arrived the day before, and armed ourselves with yummy Asian pastries from the place downstairs in the World Tower for our evening in the domain – less industrious than your tasty looking bagels, but very satisfying all the same.
~Rosa
damn, that pie looks delectable! i’m visiting syd in april and i must say the picture of it is mighty tempting atm! reminds me of our pie floaters here in adelaide.
Hi Rosa-You’re more than welcome -hope you had a good time in Sydney
So great to hear that you enjoyed your experience at Altitude, I thought that the view and food were great.
Was it Bread Top at World Square? That’s great isn’t it-we went there are got a few of their goodies a while back. Very delicious stuff!
Hi Jules-I think Harrys pies actually originated in Adelaide!
So you might have the more authentic ones but I think a visit to compare is definitely a good idea 
I too have never visited Harry’s, and I’ve lived in this city for (gasp!) 38 years. This can be put down to geography (don’t spend a lot of time in Wooly …) but mostly to me. Although I’m Australian born and bred, and anglo to boot, I don’t like meat pies unless homemade by me. I also don’t like vegemite, beer or football, the Melbourne Cup and cricket. It’s a wonder I haven’t been deported, to be honest.
But today I’m off to the inner west and I’ll be stopping by Bourke St Bakery to stock up! Can’t get decent bread in Castle Hill … sigh.
It is actually quite convenient that this shop is on wheels and towable… goes off to organise towing so that it’s parked infront of my house
Hi Alison-Good to know that I’m not alone! Hehe perhaps those questions are now part of the citizenship test which I’d probably fail too.
Have fun stocking up with all of those BSB goodies!
Hi Cappucino – What a brilliant idea!
It was Bread Top! And your yummy photos make me want to drool all over again. We had a sesame ball, a custardy thing, a melon something… I lost track! I actually forgot to take photos, because we were just so keen to get gobbling.
I’ll be sure to post more Sydney pics soon!
Hi Rosa-I know exactly what you mean about Bread Top. I’ve tried maybe 8 items from there and they’ve all been winners. Its so hard to resist digging in! I have to hold myself back from diving in
It seems I don’t come to your blog nearly as often as I should because when I come back.. I see so many new posts!
I would have loved this hotdog even though pea’s are not really my favourite thing. The pie.. well I would have ordered the same.
Thank you for sharing your photo’s and food experiences.. you have such a fantastic blog!
Hi Maria-Hehe its a compulsion I have to update my blog every day, I am a verbose writer!
Thankyou so much! I like your blog too, as my other obsession is television and discussing tv shows
unfortunately my verdict on the tiger pie is not that great. =X maybe my expectations were too high. =(
Hi jules-Yes I didn’t think the pie itself was anything special but I did like the peas, gravy and potato. I actually really liked the Hot Dog a lot better
The doggies are awesome, and the celebrity pics are great endorsements.
Hi Jay-The hot dogs are really what they should be known for
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