Sad to see the end of this year’s Winter Night Markets at Queen Vic? Well fret not!
Returning for a second year, the Hawker 88 Night Markets have taken residency on Wednesday nights from September 18 to October 23.
The markets are full of authentic street food, with more than 20 food stalls for you to sample cuisine from Thailand to India, Vietnam to Korea and Malaysia to Japan. The lineup of food and beverage stalls include a mix of returning favourites as well as brand new street food vendors.
The old favs include Korean twisted potato skewers from Twistto Potato, baos and bao burgers from the Chinese/Vietnamese WonderBao, and Son in Law who are bringing Thai fried chicken ribs, fairy floss, and cartoon mantou skewers.
A few newbies hitting the market include Melbourne favourite Lui Boss, serving up Korean fried chicken and kimchi fries. If you’re after a Japanese grill, Kobe Jones won’t disappoint, while Durasia serve the infamously stinky fruit durian and durian ice-cream for those willing to brave the smell.
And if just thinking about all that food has you craving a beverage, you can hit up Brick Lane Brewing Co. for a seasonal brew – there’s one with fresh raspberries – or grab a Flaming Mai Tai from the Cocktails & Mocktails Bar.
To complete the experience, enjoy live music and entertainment with a traditional Chinese lion dance, martial arts and K-Pop, which will coincide with each week’s theme.
That’s right, there are weekly themes.
Each week will see a different culture come alive under the Market’s iconic sheds. Themes may be dedicated to a region or a country, and there’ll be a matching program of live music and entertainment. The first theme to kick off the market is the Mooncake Festival – feel free to head on down and stuff your face with the delicate red bean or lotus seed paste stuffed cakes. Don’t miss the traditional Chinese and Indonesian bands, along with lion dancing and a mooncake eating competition.
The second theme is a celebration of the ‘Malaysia Durian Festival’ featuring Malay and Dayak dancing, Malaysian music and a durian eating competition – which is not for the faint hearted or those sensitive to pungent scents.
Other themes include Korea and Japan Festival, Bali and Boracay Island Night, Diwali Bollywood and Sri Lankan Night, and the South East Asia Festival.
Any week’s festivities would be worth the visit to the iconic Queen Vic Markets, so pick a week and enjoy the fun – but we dare you to go try the Durian festival.
Check out the Hawker 88 Night Market every Wednesday night until October 23 at Queen Victoria Market. Head to the QVM website for more info.
