A day at the Queen Victoria Market winter night market.
19/08/2019
Queen Victoria Market (Melbourne, Australia) is a typical market like any other in the world during the day. But at night, in both warm and cold seasons, it's also the venue for weekly festivals called the Winter Night Market and the Summer Night Market. As you read this, the lively Wednesday evenings of the Winter Night Market have just ended.
Stories about Australian cuisine
The story goes that, in ancient times when Australia was first recognized by Great Britain as a subordinate nation, the indigenous people living there knew only two foods: bread and meatballs. They seasoned their food with salt and pepper, and that was it. Then, in the 1990s, when the first groups of immigrants arrived in Australia, including Chinese, Thai, Italian, and Vietnamese, the cuisine here began to flourish. After some time passed, Indians, Sri Lankans, Nepalese, and many other Middle Eastern nations continued to immigrate to this multi-ethnic country, and since then, no one remembers what the original Australian-Indigenous people ate…
If you want to explore Australian cuisine now, people recommend visiting a winter night market at Queen Victoria Market (QVM).
While Melbourne residents often choose Woolworths and Coles – Australia's two largest supermarket chains – for their daily shopping due to their convenience, QVM is the choice of merchants and those who appreciate fresh, high-quality food. The market is divided into several sections: meat and seafood, fruits and vegetables, deli (specialty foods such as sausages, cheese, bread, coffee, etc.), souvenirs, clothing and footwear, and even a food court where small eateries are open.
Built in the late 1860s, this is one of the oldest markets in Melbourne. Spanning 7 hectares, it's also the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere. Given its rich history and vast scale, it's no surprise that the Melbourne Metropolitan Market (QVM) proudly ranks among the top 10 must-visit destinations for first-time visitors to Melbourne. Having lived here for 7 years, the QVM is not just a must-visit for me, but one I have to visit every month. Only then can I truly explore the multifaceted nature of this historical landmark.
Once, I went for a walk through a winter night market.
I arrived at QVM at 4 PM on a Wednesday. The morning market was closed, so from the outside, QVM looked eerily quiet. Only those "in the know" would realize that behind that stillness lay the frantic preparations of nearly 40 stalls that would open in an hour.
Half an hour before the market opened, crowds began to pour in from all directions. In Melbourne's winter, the days are short and the nights are long; the sun was already setting. In just a few minutes, the last rays of sunlight would fade, giving way to the deep blue night and the biting cold. From all sides of the market, groups of people gathered, growing larger and larger. Singles, young couples, groups of friends, families with young children, elderly people with their dogs, etc. There were Westerners and Asians; differences in skin color, age, and gender could not mask the shared excitement evident on everyone's faces and in their gestures and movements.
At exactly 5 o'clock, strings of colorful LED lights simultaneously lit up inside the market grounds, a stark contrast to the darkness enveloping the city outside. A brightly lit white sign reading "Winter Night Market" stood in one corner. And from inside, music began to play.
The night market is arranged in a rectangular shape, with food and drink stalls facing inwards along the boundary. The advice is that once you've entered through the gate, immediately turn left (or right) and follow the path to complete the entire loop. This will allow you to experience the entire night market without missing a single stall.
The winter night market attracts thousands of visitors, yet there's always plenty of space, seating, and fireplaces for everyone.
In the heart of the market are souvenir stalls, though few in number, carefully selected from the registration list, often selling interesting items handcrafted by Australian artisans. Alongside these, those curious about their fortune can find answers at the mysterious-looking Tarot card reading booths. And if you have young children, they'll surely be delighted by the circus performers constantly moving and performing at various locations throughout the market. The organizers even set up a painting area with professional and free instruction so children can have fun while their parents take a stroll around.
Tarot card readings from reputable and licensed tarot readers.
Free painting (and childcare) area with professional instructors from the night market organizers.
Entertainment and artistic activities are organized in various locations within the market grounds, creating a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere for visitors.
Even though I seemed to know this place like the back of my hand, once I was swept up in the throngs of people pouring into the market grounds, I always thought I would get lost as I ventured deeper into QVM. But no, just follow one sign... The sign of smoke, of barbecue.
The smoke, carrying warmth, quickly spread throughout the market. It carried the aroma of grilled meat, a rich fragrance carried on the cold winter wind. Just a quick step towards the smoke would leave you stunned and overwhelmed. The smell of food was simply irresistible! The music was so lively and cheerful! And... before your eyes, at least two or three hundred people were huddled around the food stalls! In just a moment, those two or three hundred people would grow to five hundred, even a thousand. There would be no room for the cold to creep in anymore.
Grilled meat is a favorite winter dish among locals and also the main dish at the QVM night market.
Unique culinary delights at the night market.
Food stalls at the winter night market must register with the market management a year in advance. Even after registering, you might still be on a waiting list, because some stalls are so famous, some with a history of 5-10 years, that they've signed long-term contracts to always be present at this festival. Wonderbao is a prime example. Established in 2012, Wonderbao's fragrant, milky steamed buns with incredibly varied fillings—from grilled chicken, crispy roast pork, barbecued pork, tofu with shiitake mushrooms, taro, to egg tarts—have always been a food that drives Westerners crazy. And if you arrive an hour after the night market opens, you're very likely to be behind at least 30 other people in line to buy a pair of buns.
Customers line up at Wonderbao
Steamed buns aren't the only great option here. Look up and find the sign that says "Simple Spanish"... At this stall, expert chefs will serve you plates of paella (a traditional Spanish fried rice dish, often served with seafood) that have won awards for "best outside of Spain".
Paella – the traditional Spanish fried rice dish – is cooked in extremely large, deep pans.
Another name that completely captured my heart was “Turk@QVM,” with “Turk” short for “Turkey.” Stop by and grab a portion of pideli kofte (minced meatballs), and while you wait, don’t forget to film the dapper gentlemen at the stall skillfully brewing their country’s traditional coffee in a large cauldron filled with hot sand!
Turkish coffee is brewed in a hot sand pan at the Turk@QVM booth.
If you're as passionate about Italian food as I am, don't miss the famous "That's Amore Cheese" stall, featuring spaghetti served directly inside massive 40kg blocks of Grana Padano cheese!
The "That's Amore Cheese" stall is famous for its spaghetti mixed directly with melted cheese from 40 kg blocks of Grana Padano.
And just when the exploration of the night market seemed to be over, everyone would be surprised to see the humble "Hot Doughnuts" cart selling strawberry jam-filled donuts waiting for visitors outside the market grounds. This is one of the famous stalls that has existed for a long time at the QVM market, day and night, and it always provides a sweet and satisfying flavor to my culinary journey.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Some things to keep in mind when strolling through the night market:
You can take a free tram from the city center to QVM.
- There are free clean water taps inside the market.
- Not all stalls accept card payments, so bring cash. Although there are ATMs inside the market, during peak hours you may have to queue for a long time if you need to withdraw money.
- If you're in a large group and want to spread out to explore the market freely, look above the numbered archways to agree on a meeting point later.
- There's no need to wear too many layers of clothing because there are plenty of wood and gas heaters inside the market.
- Take a walk around before you start eating! You don't want to be full after only exploring half the stalls.
- The winter night market at QVM takes place from 5 PM to 10 PM every Wednesday, from June 5th to August 28th each year.
Some other dishes worth trying at the night market:
- "Spaghetti gelato," a "bizarre" combination of spaghetti and Italian ice cream at Spago.
- Chicken soup or seafood soup is poured directly into the bread roll at The Soup Factory.
- Pizza Margherita was awarded "World's Best" by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana at 400 Gradi.
- Polish-style dumplings at Pierogi Pierogi
Some other places to visit in Melbourne:
Besides the winter (and summer) night markets at the QVM, Melbourne is also famous for the historic South Melbourne Market, farmers' markets, and flea markets. A list of these markets can be found on the Urban List website.https://www.theurbanlist.com/melbourne/a-list/best-markets-melbourne
- The stunning Great Ocean Road, 243 km long, runs along the coastline surrounding the state of Victoria.
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