From bustling markets that serve as temples to fresh produce, some of the finest Southeast Asian food in Australia, and a month-long festival dedicated to all things laksa, it is fair to say that Darwin has affirmed its place as a destination for food lovers.
Just outside the CBD, as the sun sinks slowly into the Arafura Sea flooding the Darwin sky with deep orange and red light, the white sands of Mindil Beach glow a rich shade of gold. On the other side of the dunes is the Mindil Beach Sunset Market. Every Thursday and Sunday night (from April to October), under palm trees and strings of lights, a busy food and craft market offers street food from around the globe. From souvlaki to sushi, some cheeky local chefs even offer ‘road kill’ – the NT way of saying tasty snacks made with kangaroo, crocodile and emu. Other visitors might be found chowing down on tuna nachos, a chicken bamboo curry or Sri Lankan pan rolls – all while sitting on the warm sand, enjoying a frosty lager fresh from the esky.
While the Mindil market runs through the cooler months, Darwin’s suburban markets operate the entire year and are the go-to for locals looking to get their fast food fix.
Shopping centres at Nightcliff, Rapid Creek and the showground at Freds Pass become packed with people. There, they polish off fresh and tangy green pawpaw salad with hot and crisp stuffed chicken wings. There are scores of stalls with people from around the world cooking dishes from their homeland – from rice paper rolls to empanadas. These markets are very social affairs, with Darwin’s young population coming to eat together at rickety tables and park benches, wearing the requisite shorts, thongs, singlets or hi-vis.
The markets are also temples to the abundance of lush produce grown in the area. Tables and benches at the markets groan under the weight of a dozen varieties of mangoes. Golden Thai nam dok mai mangoes. Fat, aromatic Indian Alphonso mangoes. Next to these sit mangosteens, chocolatey black sapote and the stinky but delicious durian. The diet of many Darwinites leans towards Southeast Asian dishes. They shop at the markets for tropical vegetables, greens and herbs grown by local market gardeners from Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. They fill their baskets with wombok, kangkong, bok choy, fresh ginger, galangal, chillies, okra and snake beans.
The influence of Southeast Asian cuisine and the abundance of tropical produce has seen Darwin become the laksa capital of the nation. This is celebrated each spring during the Darwin International Laksa Festival (1 – 31 October), which sees over 90 restaurants, cafés, pubs, clubs and market stalls vie for prizes. Thousands of hungry laksa lovers go from venue to venue, trying the spicy, coconut-rich broth and then reviewing each dish online.
One of the most acclaimed is made by a woman the locals simply refer to as Mary, who cooks laksa every Saturday at the Parap Village Markets. She says the secret to her success is simple – fresh ingredients. While many eateries claim the title of ‘Best Laksa in Town’, Darwinites take laksa very seriously and very personally. One restaurateur was known to have been deeply insulted when his laksa was described as ‘the second best in Darwin’ by an interstate diner who posted the comment online, thinking they were being complimentary!
Another Darwin institution is Hanuman. Owner Jimmy Shu named this fine dining restaurant after the Hindu monkey god. It has a reputation for serving exceptional dishes from around Southeast Asia, including Malaysian Nyonya dishes and hawker food from Singapore. Classic favourites include sizzling oysters flavoured with lemongrass, sweet basil, ginger, chilli and coriander. And a jackfruit curry, fragrant with the aromas of cumin, mustard, coriander, turmeric and black pepper.
Darwin is also home to a large Greek population, with many of the best food stores and restaurants owned by Greek families. Klimataria in Stuart Park near the Botanic Gardens is known for its succulent shallow-fried octopus balls, traditional dips and pita, and chargrilled French-cut lamb chops served with rich, garlicky tzatziki.
Other notable eateries include Boatshed Café, Lola’s Pergola, Pee Wee’s at the Point, Darwin Sailing Club, Fiddlers Green and Chow.
With its tropical weather, abundant Southeast Asian produce, fresh seafood and the influence of diverse migrant cultures, it was inevitable that Darwin would become a haven for exceptional food. So, it’s no surprise that food enthusiasts flock to Darwin, enticed by this vibrant culinary scene and top-end tucker.
As seen in spring 2024
