It’s officially the dry season come May 1, which means it’s time to eat your way through Darwin’s iconic Mindil Beach Sunset Market.
Don’t be alarmed. That faint noise you can hear in the distance is not the hum of traffic on the Stuart Highway or the buzz of a swarm of dragonflies; it is just the sound of tourists practising their clapping for the sunset at Mindil Beach Market!
That’s right, Mindil is back, baby. This year, the market has over 150 stalls to explore every Thursday and Sunday from 4 pm to 9 pm, which is plenty of time to enjoy an appetiser, an entrée, a main and a dessert (or two), plus a roadie for the way home.
To help you on your culinary way, we’ve rounded up the best food stalls and dishes that are worth a round of applause.
ZZAN KOREAN
At Mindil Beach, KFC stands for Korean Fried Chicken, and it is finger-lickin’ good. Don’t try to choose between the soy garlic fried chicken and the Korean chicken bao buns, just get both. You’ll be glad you did.
CALAMARI KING
Sauce fiends unite! The Calamari King stall at Mindil Market has a truly genius invention: self-serve sauce bottles suspended in the air like cow udders. We’re talking free-flow aioli, tartare sauce, sriracha mayo and wasabi mayo. Oh yeah, they sell calamari too.
PAELLA AT SUNSET
We all know Darwin is famous for its laksa, but it’s a little-known fact that the city also does a mighty good paella. Follow the scent of fresh seafood, spicy chorizo and tangy lemon to find the Paella at Sunset stall for a bowl of Spanish delight.
SRI LANKAN FOODS
You simply cannot go wrong with ordering Asian dishes at Mindil. However, you can go very, very right by making a pit stop at Sri Lankan Foods. This humble stall serves up authentic curries, homemade vegetable pakoras and a delicious green mint sauce you will have dreams about. Must try: the specialty coconut roti with onion and chilli.
NATURALLY YUM
Perusing all these market stalls is thirsty work, so make sure you stop in at Naturally Yum for a freshly blended fruit juice, lassie or smoothie. Go for a local blend of mango, rockmelon, banana and paw paw for a real taste of the tropics.
PETE’S MARKET CAFÉ
If you trust the experts (the members of ‘The Best Vanilla Slices in Australia’ Facebook Page), then you must drop by ‘The Naughty Corner’ to try Pete’s signature vanilla slice. Crispy pastry and gooey custard; name a more iconic duo. We’ll wait.
CHEEKY CHEEKY CHURROS
What’s better than a warm, crunchy churro? A warm, crunchy churro dripping in Belgian chocolate. The Cheeky Cheeky Churros’ slogan is ‘dangerously dough-licious’, and truer words have never been written.
HUMPTY DOO JERKY
One for the road! Grab a bag of beef, buffalo and/or crocodile jerky for the drive home. The hearty snack is made locally in Humpty Doo by Nigel, who has been honing his jerky craft for 14 years and generously shares his talent with punters at Mindil Market.
