Sydney’s Noodle Markets at Hyde Park 2016

Last Updated on: 27th October 2024, 04:22 pm

This is an archived post from 2016 with updated content. Some links may not work anymore.

October is Good Food Month in Australia’s capital cities. Good Food events has become a year round thing, and events can be found on their website https://www.goodfoodevents.com.au/.

Sydney’s noodle markets was previously held at Hyde Park, where more than 30 stall holders sell Asian food, from Chinese to Indian to Thai. In 2024 it was held at Prince Alfred Park, and as before, sponsored by CitiBank.

Don’t be fooled by the name, there is a great variety of food to choose from apart from noodles, and lots of seating outdoors in the park under the trees. There are rice, steamed buns, fried buns, xiao long bao, pad thai, roti, curries, waffles, sago pudding… Also available are alcoholic bars (No glass), ice cream, dessert and live entertainment. Entry is free and a great place to get casual dinner with friends after work in the city. The stalls are run by established restaurants so don’t expect the food to be super cheap, but on the plus side, you can browse the variety of food available.

Expect long lines, especially on weekdays as the local workers head to the Noodle Markets for dinner after work.

Know before you go:
Bags will be checked, no BYO glass or alcohol is allowed at the venue. The venue is cashless so bring your EFTPOS/Debit/Credit card or get a card onsite to load with money. There are portable toilet cubicles on site.

Be sure to walk around and visit all the stalls before you buy to get the best deal as many stalls sell the same thing but at different prices!

It’s outdoors, so be prepared to have lots of seeds from the trees blowing into your hair!

Here is a selection of food I tried when I visited.

In 2016, the Peking Duck Potato Waffle with Hoisin Sauce, a little Spicy was $15 (From One Tea Lounge, other stalls sell Peking Duck Fries with fries instead of potato waffles). A few days later, the price rose to $16 per serve.

Chicken Pad See Ew without Chili – $15. Chicken was bit dry but my sister loved it for some reason. (In 2016, it was bought at the stalls on the further end of the venue in Hyde Park from St James station, other stalls, saw Thai Riffic selling it for $12.50 later, near the entry to the venue on the right hand side after you enter).

Crackling Pork Bao, near the entry to the venue. $6 for 1 or $15 for 3. Mr Bao has Pork, Chicken Karage and Tofu, but slightly pricier at $8 for 1 and $20 for 3.

Lychee Waffle stick with sugar syrup and Strawberries. $10 for the lychee waffle + $2 extra for the strawberries.

Raindrop cake, $8 with strawberry sauce and crushed nuts. This one I highly do NOT recommend, I’d discourage you from getting it. It is literally water jelly (water and agar/gelatin) and the strawberry sauce tasted very, very artificial, like medicine or cough syrup, plus the line was huge (stretched half way across the grass) and is pretty expensive for what it is. Not sure why it is even called ‘cake’. Don’t do it. DON’T.

There are vegetarian options available, including:

-Mr Bao’s Tofu Bao

-Din Tai Fung’s vegetarian wontons $6

-Mama Made’s dry vermicelli bowls can probably be made with vege only

I’m sure there are plenty more vegetarian options, but these are just some I discovered walking around.

Benefits for Citi Bank’s customers

If you are a holder of a Citi Bank’s bank card, you get access to their VIP seating area with their own exclusive bar! Show your card to their staff for access, while seats last!