Overview
Next month, the bustling Night Noodle Markets will return to Hyde Park for eight nights of tasty things on sticks, bowls of noodles, bao and extravagant frozen desserts.
Taking over the inner city park from October 11–18, the fifteenth iteration of the fairy light-lit markets will see over 30 of Australia's favourite food stalls set up shop — serving humans and dogs alike. Wait up — dogs? Yep, this year, the NNM have launched the aptly named Night Poodle Markets.
On Saturday, October 12, the NNM will be filled with floofs galore, a roaming dog photographer and dog treats from The Doggie Bakery. Tickets to the one-off event are just $5 — which include a doggy portrait and treat — with 100 percent of profits going to the NSW RSPCA. You can sign-up for this very exciting event from Tuesday, October 1.
In terms of food for humans, the NNM has just unveiled its full menu. And Gelato Messina is preparing to wow Sydneysiders once more with a brand new menu. While last year's frozen treats were inspired by the Philippines, this year, they're an ode to Thai sweets. Choose from the Bangkok Banana, a Thai milk tea cheesecake sandwich with sponge and meringue; the Phuket Bucket, banana fritters served with caramelised banana gelato and peanut crumble; the Coco Phangan, mango sorbet with coconut sticky rice; or the Eye of the Thai-ger, a multi-layered dessert of condensed milk pudding, condensed milk crumble, shaved ice, lychee gelato and jellies. Or don't choose and eat them all — you can spread them out over eight nights, after all.
Eye of the Thai-ger
Elsewhere on the NNM menu, you'll find Bangkok street food snacks, foot-long potato fries, bao, spicy biang biang noodles and paella. Sydney's all-vegan Flyover Fritterie & Chai Bar will also be making an appearance, as will Crows Nest's purveyors of fried chicken Johnny Bird and Redfern's much-loved maker of baked goods Donut Papi.
As all great things must come to an end (of sorts), this'll be the last year the NNM will be held at Hyde Park. Details are scarce for now, but we're being told they'll relocate to "a larger space" in 2020. We'll let you know when more details on that drop.
In the meantime, start scheduling your visits the market — and cross your fingers that this year will be a little less rainy.
The Night Noodle Markets run from October 11–18 at Hyde Park as part of Good Food Month.