Once again Canberra is hosting a 10-day soiree that celebrates Australia’s love affair with multicultural cuisine, and we’ve got the goss on what’s good!

The anticipated Night Noodle Markets will return to Reconciliation Place from 1-10 March, filling the air with spicy, salty and sweet aromas in over twenty sizzling hawker-style stalls. The menus are robust, sizzling with a feast of signature dishes and innovative tastes from Canberra and Australia-wide. Every taste bud will be satisfied – including those who are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan – while the markets are cash-free so guests can spend less time queuing and more time enjoying their evening.

Crowd-favourites Hoy Pinoy, Puffle, POKLOL, and Waffleland will be joined by innovative newcomers such as Chinese Burger Funky Tots by Bao Brothers, ZOMG SANDO, @Roll Up, Churken, May’s Malaysian Hawker, and Wonderbao. For the sweet-toothed, Gelato Messina will be making the trip down to the Capital in their big Filipino Jeepney bus. They’ll bring with them their range of Filipino-inspired desserts, including ‘The Filopeino’.

Canberrans, get your smartphone ready for Insta-worthy dishes because here’s our top twelve list of must-try stalls and dishes.

  • Chinese Burger Funky Tots (by Bao Brothers) – Chinese burger with Salt and pepper eggplant, Sichuan sauce and shallot salad; ‘BBQ Pork Banh Mi Tater Tots’ with BBQ pork, carrot and daikon herb salad, crispy shallots and coriander;
  • Chur Burger – ‘Hoisin Goin Bro’ with grilled beef, cheese, crispy five spiced bacon, butter lettuce, hoisin bbq sauce, rice wine pickles, prawn cracker and aioli; ‘Pepper Pig’ (for the year of the pig!) with salt and pepper crispy pork belly, pickled slaw, chilli black bean mayo and pork cotton candy
  • Hoy Pinoy Cart – ‘Inihaw Na Manok’, BBQ chicken skewers with traditional glaze and ‘Inihaw Na Baboy’ BBQ pork belly skewers with banana ketchup glaze
  • Little Kyoto x Pho Real!?– ‘Phoritto’ pho in a burrito; ‘Takoyaki Towers’ Japanese octopus filled dumplings
  • May’s Malaysian Hawker – ‘Fried radish cake’, a dish unique to May’s and a must try
  • Okonomiyaki – ‘Okonomiyaki’, Japanese style pizza; ‘Teriyaki cheese steak fries’, chips with beef or chicken, cheese and Teriyaki sauce
  • Fusion Paella Del Mar – ‘Paella Bombay’, Caramelised chicken and calamari, Indian curry leaves, cardamom and cinnamon infusion, with brown rice topped with caramelised pineapple and shallots
  • @Roll up – ‘Roti dippers’, Plain roti with homemade peanut sauce, ‘Peking Duck roti roll’ with Peking duck, mixed salad, cucumber, onion and homemade sauce
  • Teppanyaki Noodles – Authentic Yakisoba with sizzling chicken, beef or vegetables
  • Twistto – ‘Original Korean Twist Potato’, fresh potato, hand cut into a tornado shape, twisted on a stick, deep fried and finished with various seasonings
  • Wok Master – Roasted duck stir-fried with Hokkien noodles in XO sauce
  • ZOMG Sando – Japanese deep-fried beef Wagyu cutlet or chicken cutlet done ZOMG Sando style

Now that your savoury tastes are fully satisfied, it’s time to treat your palate with something sweet:

  • Waffleland – ‘Cheeky Monkey’, freshly baked waffle stick served with peanut butter and ice cream topped with fresh bananas, pretzels and drizzled with caramel syrup and wafer sticks.
  • Wonderbao – ‘Nai Wong Bao’ – Sweet golden buttery egg custard
  • Gelato Messina – As well as the ‘The Filopeino’ we discussed before, Gelato Messina is sharing a few other delights, including: ‘Brazo De Messina’ – layers of Pandan gelato, baked meringue and condensed milk custard sandwiched between a Graham Cracker crust; ‘Thrilla from Manila’ – brown sugar banana gelato and banana bread wrapped in filo pastry, deep fried then topped with custard and chocolate peanut butter crumb; and ‘Allo’ Allo!’ – Caramel leche flan, caramel syrup, caramel sauce, toasted milk crumb, caramel shaved ice, evaporated milk and dulce de leche gelato.

We recommend taking public transport to the markets. Who wants to drive home on a full stomach? Not us!