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At Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market, a night-market crowd gathers around fire pits in coats and beanies, holding hot food and mugs of mulled wine. On some nights, a group in glowing headphones moves through the market sheds to music only they can hear.
The Winter Night Market has been extended until 9 September, giving visitors three remaining nights after this week.
Held every Wednesday from 5pm to 10pm, the market is free to enter, with food, drinks, shopping and selected activities charged separately.
For visitors used to Malaysia’s pasar malam, the format is familiar in one sense: food stalls, queues, a busy crowd and snacks eaten while standing.
The winter version comes with a different set of essentials: layers, heaters and food designed for cold weather.
The market brings together street-food stalls serving hot dishes and desserts, alongside seasonal drinks.
Offerings included:
- Raclette cheese served over potatoes and sandwiches
- Pasta dishes, including pasta prepared in cheese wheels
- Dumplings, skewers and burgers
- Loaded potatoes and soup in bread bowls
- Churros, cannoli, crème brûlée and hot cakes
- Mulled wine, hot chocolate, spiced Milo and hot cocktails
Alcohol is sold at parts of the market.
Visitors with halal, vegetarian, vegan or other dietary requirements should check directly with individual vendors, as menus and certification may vary.
Headphones, Performers And Live Music
The market’s entertainment programme includes live music, DJs and roving acts across the Queen Victoria Market sheds.
A regular feature is the Guru Dudu Silent Disco, in which participants wear wireless headphones and follow hosts through the market, with published times generally running from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.
The market has also listed entertainment such as:
- Local musicians and DJs
- Roving performers
- Interactive performances and crowd activities
- Seasonal installations and pop-up activations
Programme details can change from week to week; the market’s official schedule is the most reliable guide for a specific Wednesday.
General seating is available across the market, including near the fire-pit areas, but it is first come, first served.
For groups, the market offers reserved tables in a designated area near L Shed and the Queen Street end.
Published booking arrangements have included tables for four or six people, priced per person, with bookings valid for the evening.
A reserved table provides a base for a group carrying food, drinks and winter layers, especially during the busiest period from about 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
Crowds, Queues and More Than Food
Queen Victoria Market is in Melbourne’s CBD, near the corner of Queen and Therry streets.
Trams serve the area, and public transport is generally easier on market nights, as nearby parking can be limited as crowds build.
Arriving early means shorter food queues and a better chance of finding a seat; after dark brings the fuller crowd, lights and entertainment.
At peak times, the main food lanes can become tightly packed, with visitors moving slowly between stalls under the historic market sheds.
The crowds photographed at the market show the scale of the evening rush, particularly around popular food vendors.
Queues form at popular vendors, with offerings ranging from grilled skewers and seafood to Dutch pancakes, panzerotti and pastries (to say the least), while the fire-pit areas are often among the busiest spaces.
Beyond the food, specialty retail stalls offer local art, handmade goods, vintage clothing, jewellery, records, books and winter accessories.
Some stalls also offer live caricatures or portraits, henna and face art, and fortune-telling services.
For Malaysian visitors familiar with a pasar malam, the contrast is in the setting: winter coats, hot drinks, artisan stalls and a dense crowd gathering for warmth rather than shade.
READ MORE: [Photos] At This Australian Farm, The World’s Most Expensive Ingredient Grows Under Your Feet
This article was produced following the Cool Escapes to Melbourne and Beyond familiarisation trip, organised by Visit Victoria. All photographs were taken by the writer.
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Come For The Food, Stay For The Fire Pit: Melbourne’s Winter ‘Pasar Malam’
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