Ten delicious dishes to bring comfort and joy on the Border this festive season

441 Dean Street, Albury, open Monday to Saturday, 7am to 3pm and Sunday, 7.30am to 3pm

As Thick As Thieves has been satisfying our sweet and savoury cravings since early 2018. Melbourne-born chef Hanna Kadi took no time to put her stamp on the Albury hospitality scene. Well-known for her modern fusion staples in nourishing poke bowls, lamb souvlaki and falafel wraps, her all-day breakfasts are legendary. The red velvet ricotta hotcakes come with five spice infused maple syrup, strawberry jam, vanilla bean ice cream and cotton candy. It's literally sugar and spice and all things nice!

HAPI sticky chicken with sesame and spring onion

465C Dean Street, Albury, open Tuesday to Sunday, noon to 9pm

This crowd-pleasing dish has been on the menu since HAPI first opened on Dean Street. While other items have come and gone, sticky chicken has stayed the course. It is the one thing everyone in your group will agree on (vegos aside, but there's plenty of options for you too!). Pair sticky chicken with charred broccoli and secret sauce and a side of kimchi and rice and it's a balanced weeknight meal. Alternatively, order a bunch of bao and dumplings and make it a feast for friends. Either way, you'll be happy! See what I did there.

Church St Hotel Adobe Chicken Tacos

49 Church Street, Wodonga, open Monday and Tuesday, 3.30pm to 10pm, Wednesday and Thursday, 11.30am to 10pm and Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11.30am to midnight

These fresh Adobe Chicken Tacos are the ultimate summer party starter. Served with chilli lime pico and popcorn mayo, this fresh, savoury dish has a satisfying crunch to boot. With two per serve, you can either share them or devour both. But leave room to try some of the other satisfying starters such as the Guajillo brisket tacos or kimchi dumplings. The mini potato scallops (cakes, people! I clarified for us all before ordering) with massaman sauce and cashews are genius. They're like the homemade potato cakes your dad might have made once in a blue moon in the 1980s but brought up to date served with a mildly spicy Thai curry sauce and crunchy nuts! Comfort food, right there. Amen!!

Mamma Mia Italian Kitchen Verona Pizze Tradizionali

634B Electra Street, East Albury, open Tuesday to Thursday, 5pm to 8.30pm, Friday, 5pm to 9pm, Saturday, 12pm to 2pm and 5pm to 9pm

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene ... it looks a little like East Albury. Mamma Mia Italian Kitchen has been serving traditional pizza and pasta to EastEnders and others for a little over a year now. Italian-born Alessandro Destri learnt pizza-making in Naples from a third-generation artisan before he plied his trade in Melbourne. The Verona packs mozzarella, mushrooms, goats cheese, fresh roquette, Italian truffle oil and fresh parmigiano scales into a pleasant package. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, it's all dough and none of the woe!

Monumental Ice Creamery blood orange sorbet in a cone, not cup!

4/462 Dean Street, Albury, open Sunday to Thursday, noon to 9pm, Friday and Saturday, 11am to 10pm

While Monumental's whole range of ice cream is divine, their sorbet is second to none. Blood orange sorbet in a cone is my go-to after a swim or movie. It's refreshing for summer and somehow still right for mid-winter too. It also complements my youngest's favourite, chocolate ice cream, especially well. Buy a litre of blood orange sorbet to make light work of dessert for a Halloween party.

Greenstreat Farmers Harvest Bowl

Shop 19, City Walk Arcade, Albury, open 11am to 8pm daily

Nothing says comfort more than a bowl! Greenstreat's original Harvest Bowl never fails with roasted sweet potato, broccoli, beets, cucumber, red onion, crumbled feta, toasted pepitas, sunflower seeds, quinoa, rocket and baby spinach. They pretty it up with Persian beetroot dressing. Delicious!!

Ploughman's Providore Picklery Cafe Reuben's Reuben

118 Hovell Street, Wodonga, open Tuesday to Saturday, 7am to 3pm, and Sunday, 7am to 2pm

Reuben fans should make a beeline for Ploughman's. Reuben's Reuben expertly layers house-cured brisket pastrami, house-made sauerkraut, Maffra vintage cheddar, pickles, house-made Russian dressing on Silver Creek Sourdough rye. Walk, don't run! Fans of fun names may want to order a Good Cluck Club or even a Mother Clucker, with chips on the side.

Nord Bakery Swedish kanelbullar (cinnamon bun)

499 Ebden Street, South Albury, open Tuesday to Friday, 7am to 3pm and Saturday, 7am to noon

While pastries and pretzels are fun, sometimes all you need is a bun. Nord's kanelbullar is the real Swedish deal. Perfect to level up afternoon tea or for a special lunchbox treat. At a pinch one bun serves four but two makes most sense and even one if you're famished or greedy!

Saludos slow roast lamb paella

2/660 Dean Street, Albury, open Tuesday, 5.30pm to 9.30pm and Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 3pm and 5.30pm to 9.30pm

This Spanish rice dish is pure comfort food. The lamb Paella with minted pea pistou and lemon is perfect spring fare. Alternatively, there's a chicken, chorizo and seafood combination or a root vegetable version. Top it off with churros or Burnt Basque chocolate cheesecake for the ultimate Spanish experience. Salud!

Chocolate Labrador chocolate frog

6/501 Olive Street, Albury, open 9.30am to 5pm weekdays and 9.30am to 4pm Saturday

Sometimes you need a sweet hit to get you over the line on your festive shopping. Chocolate Labrador, opposite Hume Bank, offers quality Australian and imported chocolates. There's an extensive range but you can't go wrong with a dark chocolate frog. In winter, a steaming hot chocolate in their window seat is quintessential Albury!

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