Darwin Restaurants

Darwin’s large Asian population means there’s a good choice of spicy food around. Head to Mindil Beach Sunset Market, held every Thursday, where you’ll find plenty of food stalls, many of them Asian, as well as arts and crafts and street performers.

Local cuisine

The mix of indigenous and Asian people in the population carries over into the culture. Local cuisine is often a unique mix of traditional aboriginal foods and Asian spices, making for dishes that are both delicious and distinctive in flavour.
Local restaurants serve dishes from all over the world, along with authentic Northern Territory cuisine like mud crabs, barramundi, buffalo, kangaroo and crocodile.

Where to eat

Eating out is generally reasonably priced in Darwin. There are a number of cafés, restaurants and takeaways along Mitchell Street which are reasonable and dishes are normally filling. Many of the pubs also serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. As for a trendy eatery precinct, try the Cullen Bay Marina, around a 25-minute walk or a short taxi trip from the city centre.

There is also a wide range of choice at the Smith Street Mall, and several places at the Harry Chan Arcade. At the end of the Wharf Precinct is also a large food centre worth sampling. Most of the hotels also have their own restaurants at varying prices.

A great spot to see Darwin's Technicolor sunsets is the casual Darwin Sailing Club, Atkins Drive on Fannie Bay. Ask the manager to sign you in. Dine on affordable meals al fresco while a family of goannas (monitor lizards) swirls around your feet looking for meaty leftovers.