A delicious new exhibition has been served up at the Western Plains Cultural Centre (WPCC) called Reserved: A bite sized look at Dubbo's food culture.
The exhibition, featured on the walls in the museum space, showcases menus from various Dubbo restaurants, hotels and special events dating from the early 1900s through to the 1990s.
Local Studies Officer Simone Taylor said, the exhibition is a fun exploration of how our food culture has changed over time.
"It is fascinating to see the unusual food items available on menus from the past and their prices such as green turtle and larded sweetbread or an 85 cent T-bone steak.
"Many older Dubbo residents may remember some of the restaurants featured in the exhibition including Philippe's French Restaurant and The Old Shire Restaurant. There are also menus from places still in operation today such as the Westside Hotel," Ms Taylor said.
"Some of Dubbo most important events revolve around food, such as what the Queen ate when she attended a civic luncheon hosted in Dubbo during her royal visit."
Today, while a traditional pub meal remains popular, Dubbo has a range of dining experiences from around the world including everything from Indian to Mexican.
"This exhibition is definitely something that people can sink their teeth into and see what food and menus tempted people's tastebuds in the past."
"Local history is an important part of who we are as community. Local stories help to connect us to the history of a specific place, time or people," Ms Taylor said.
Reserved: A bite sized look at Dubbo's food culture will be on exhibition from 28 March– 25 October 2026.
This exhibition is part of the 'From the Vault' series designed to explore and make publicly accessible elements of the collections at the WPCC.
The exhibition has been supported by the generous donations and loan of materials from members of the community.
