GM Cafe ~ Sydney Domestic Airport cabbie hangout

Where and what do cabbies eat at Sydney Domestic Airport?

We have another obsession besides food - walking. Mr Shawn walks every day for a couple of hours and we both get out on weekends when we can for a long walk somewhere, anywhere.

One cloudy Saturday afternoon after dropping off visiting parents at the airport via a cab, we decide we will walk back home.  On our last trip to the international terminal we discovered a way to get there via the 422 bus and a walk across the park in Tempe, so we were keen to find an easy way to make it home from the domestic terminal via a public bus or a bit of legwork. Sure we could catch a cab but there's no adventure in that, is there?

It turns out it's not as easy as you would think. The aiport is not made for pedestrian traffic, its all about
cars and buses and getting you in and out of there anyway besides on foot.

On our way along the mega busy road with hardly any pedestrian niceties, Alison remembered there was a place where her frequent flyer sister-in-law (a rogue super success in the family) orders some Indian takeaway on her way home via her driver, who has it ready when she gets picked up. As we trudged along the roadway towards the DHL building, we spy a cabbie carpark and what looks like a cafe.



Ah, another obsession, taxi driver food!

After we made it across the four lanes of traffic we saw the GM Cafe Deli, complete with waiting area, arrivals board and some good looking food. Sitting around outside cabbies are playing cards, having a chat or just grabbing some quiet time before the next arrival. There's a board with all the domestic arrivals so they can time their next fare.



Inside there's a large selection of hot foods including curries, grilled fish and a chicken shish kebabs over a bed of coals. Sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, cake and drinks make up the rest of the meals. Halal food is available.

After having a quick cheeseburger earlier at the terminal, we ordered a few snacks to test out the fare. The beef curry was tender and full of flavour. The samosa had chunks of chilli and tiny fennel seeds studded through the potato filling.

Our favourite find was the yoghurt drink ayran, but this version had garlic added which gave it a sweet vampire repelling flavour. The little chunks of garlic float around in the drink, congesting at the bottom for a last garlick-y burst.

We finished off with a sweetly spiced pastry from Abla's that we grabbed last minute from in front of the cashier, all together about $11.00.



We did end up walking all the way home, meeting some New York tourists along the way trying to find Mascot train station to avoid the pricey airport train charges. We're not the only crazy walkers around these parts.

The GM Cafe Deli is on Sir Reginald Ansett Drive just before you reach Terminal Two going into the Departures. There's no parking nearby unless you are a cab.