A singular steak, the ultimate cheese toastie and a laksa worth lining up for – meet the Australian chefs devoted to perfecting one exceptional dish.

“It can feel like The Truman Show around here,” says Maker & Monger owner Anthony Femia, who’s been selling exquisitely crafted cheese toasties at Prahran Market in Melbourne (Naarm) since 2015 (pictured below). “We have the same customers ordering the same toasties. There are people who come in three times a week at the exact same time.”

While the stall offers a range of cheeses and wines to take away or enjoy at one of a handful of tables, the crowds form for the four deceptively simple sandwiches: the All American (two Vermont cheddars and onion), the Pimento (with the addition of jalapeño and roast capsicum), the flagship Fondue (an exacting blend of comté, gruyère, shallot, wine and garlic) and the Fondue Special, which includes ham.

Around the country, there are all sorts of artisans focused on creating one delicious thing: the cult croissants from Lune in Melbourne, Brisbane (Meanjin) and Sydney (Warrane); fluffy custard puffs at Emperor’s Garden Cakes & Bakery (75 Dixon Street, Haymarket; 02 9281 5989) in Sydney’s Chinatown; and The No.1 panini at Lucia’s Fine Foods in Adelaide. Each has its own intangible pulling power that keeps people coming back – and queueing – for more.

But punters aren’t just lining up for flavour and familiarity. Maker & Monger regulars are paying for Femia’s years of experience and painstaking research and development. They’re investing in the six months it took him to find a replacement cheese when one of his American suppliers shut down, testing and tasting until he found the Goldilocks with the exact pH for a perfect melt. They’re supporting the labour involved in using muslin bags to drain onion so that none of the flavour is lost. “You can buy much cheaper toasties than ours but they can be like eating cardboard,” he says.

Executive chef Pip Pratt from Sydney CBD restaurants Bistecca (pictured above) and Alfie’s says that the decision to focus on specific steaks (they only serve Florentina T-bones at the former and sirloin at the latter) came from visiting small neighbourhood restaurants in Italy, where a single ingredient often takes centrestage.

“We love the idea of a product being simply cooked and presented and allowed to shine,” he says. Working with the same cuts over and over means the team can spot even the tiniest irregularities and correct them with the supplier. That care and attention to quality builds trust with customers. “We want to be known for our consistency. People always understand what they’re eating with us.”

Femia believes that dogged devotion to mastering one thing can create everyday magic. “There is this cheesy quote I love,” he says. “‘In search of perfection, you achieve greatness.’”

Here’s where to try the best of the rest across Australia.

Image credit: The Prawn Shack

Best prawn rolls: The Prawn Shack, QLD

1/11

This sky-blue shed on North Stradbroke Island is famous for one thing: prawn rolls. Stuffed with local shellfish, housemade mayo, dukkah, avocado and lettuce, it’s a titan of the genre. Recently, the same crew opened a sit-down restaurant across the road – Six Beaches Fish Grill & Bar – but this plucky little stand is still going strong.

Image credit: Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers

Best gnocchi: Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers, QLD

2/11

No prizes for guessing what the mainstay is at this collective (there are seven outlets in Queensland and one in Sydney’s Newtown). The potato pillows are served with a range of classic sauces, from pesto or lamb shank ragú to puttanesca, and there’s a “dégustation” that includes a taste of them all.

Image credit: Tahini Neri

Best hummus: Neri’s Hummus Bar, VIC

3/11

To the untrained eye, Neri’s looks like a dip manufacturer, which it is: the brand’s rich traditional hummus is sold in 250 stores around Australia. But those in the know head to Neri’s Hummus Bar in Melbourne’s Bentleigh East on Fridays only between 9am and 3pm for a fresh hummus bowl packed with hot falafels, pickles and plenty of that famous dip.

Image credit: Kristoffer Paulsen

Best tacos: Taquito, VIC

4/11

There are non-taco dishes at this vibrant Carlton cantina but if you’re not here for the tacos you’ve taken a wrong turn. The maize tortillas are made from scratch and fresh to order then stuffed with fillings such as Yucatán-style chicken pibil, pork belly and roasted pumpkin and peanut salsa matcha. There’s also a range of Mexican drinks, including tequila, mezcal and horchata.

Image credit: Khao Soi

Best khao soi: Khao Soi, NSW

5/11

The drawcard here is in the name – the creamy, spicy noodle curry/soup hybrid from Northern Thailand. Diners at this Haymarket spot can customise their order with grilled pork ribs, chicken or seafood, adding the signature crunchy noodles at the end. For a country that loves Thai food as much as Australia does, it’s rare to see khao soi on menus – just another reason to seek out this specialist.

Image credit: Yum Cha Project

Best (fast food) yum cha: Yum Cha Project, NSW

6/11

Howin Chui, the founder of Sydney’s first fast-food yum cha outlet, knows a thing or two about specialising: he was also one of the masterminds behind the now defunct Senpai Ramen in Chatswood and Burwood, and runs four Kowloon Cafes that serve only Hong Kong food. Yum Cha Project in The Rocks offers all the favourites – spring rolls, pork buns and dumplings – but it’s the divisive Hainan chicken pizza that’s set to become the cult hit.

Image credit: Tourism NT

Best laksa: Mary’s Laksa, NT

7/11

Territorians are fiercely proud of their excellent laksa culture and most residents have a favourite vendor. This one at Darwin’s Parap Village Markets tops a tonne of best-of lists, largely because owner Guo Yang Yei (Mary) has been making her spicy coconut soup – including the fresh-ground laksa paste – from scratch for more than 20 years.

Image credit: Burger Bones

Best burgers: Burger Bones, WA

8/11

Good burgers aren’t that hard to find but this compact Busselton shopfront is a standout. They don’t cut corners here, using fresh not frozen meat for the patties and housemade sauces and sauerkraut. The bold tagline – “the finest burgers available to humanity” – might just be true.

Image credit: Frankly Bagels

Best bagels: Frankly Bagels, SA

9/11

These bagels-only bakeries in the Adelaide suburbs of Prospect and Norwood offer traditional fillings – cream cheese and smoked salmon or pastrami with slaw and Russian dressing – alongside more adventurous options, such as chimichurri chicken or halloumi, jalapeño cream cheese and nacho chips.

Image credit: Farm Gate Market

Best Congee: Rough Rice, TAS

10/11

Sunday’s Farm Gate Market is where Hobart locals go to stock up on straight-from-the-soil produce for the week. The first stop for many is the Rough Rice stand, for a bowl of fragrant, smoky congee topped with a rainbow of veggies, pickles and a fried egg. It’s among the city’s best breakfasts.

Image credit: Lune