25 Amazing Things To Try At The Brisbane Night Noodle Markets

Noodles and ramen and steamed buns! Oh my!

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South Bank is filled with bright lanterns, tasty smells and loud chatter – the Good Food Month Night Noodle Markets must be back.

At last year's debut, Brisbane's markets smashed all visitor expectations, and so they're back for round two - YAASSS. Head down every night until August 2, and let this be your food bible.

1. Inihaw Na Baboy, Hoy Pinoy

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Melbourne's Hoy Pinoy is charming Brisbane with its flirty smoke signals and delicious scent. Only vegetarians will walk away not having tried the barbecue pork belly skewers with a banana ketchup glaze - a serve of two is available for $12. Hoy Pinoy is also doing chicken sticks with a traditional glaze.

2. Truffle Ramen, Taro's Ramen

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Perhaps it's time to start thinking of the Night Noodle Markets as a personal "Choose Your Own Adventure" degustation. If that's the case, be sure to stop by Taro's Ramen stall for the Truffle Ramen ($20) and watch chefs shave it fresh on top.

3. Lobster Bao, Baotime

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The good people at Baotime packed up the car and drove for 24 hours, straight from Melbourne to Brisbane, and then set up in the rain to bring you gourmet bao. Give thanks by tucking into the Lobster Bao – Moreton Bay bug dress in mayo with a pineapple salad between two bun halves.

4. Fusion Tacos, Poklol

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"Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican – we don't give a damn!" reads Poklol's motto. The Sydney stall creates fusion tacos and stacked fries. The tacos are $15 for two, or three for $20, and packed with goodness. Choose a base of bulgogi beef, chilli chicken or pork to be topped with kimchi slaw, fresh shallots, sweet tangy pickles, crispy shallots, and spicy mayo.

5. Chichi Fries, Poklol

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The fries that top all other fries. Poklol's super crunchy beer-battered fries get topped with your choice of meat plus cheese, kimchi, fresh and fried shallots, mayo, and a sweet Korean chilli sauce. Say hello for $15.

6. Steamed Truffle and Pork Dumplings, New Shanghai

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The dumplings at New Shanghai in the CBD are some of the best to be found in Brisbane. Turn your Noodle Market visit into a truffle fest by starting at Taro's, and ending with four steamed truffle and pork buns ($9.80) at New Shanghai.

7. Salted Caramel Gyoza, Harajuku Gyoza

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Irrashaimase! Get your face around these three piping-hot crispy skin gyoza that, as you take a bite, begin to ooze salted caramel. Use the ice-cream to balance out the heat, and try to resist returning for more. Or you know, go back and order another plate for $8.

8. Pork Belly Pad See Ew, LoNGTIME

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Brisbane's hip new Thai-fusion restaurant LoNGTIME has made a market debut with its Night Noodle stall. Tuck into a fresh pork belly pad see ew ($10), cheesy "cripsy zinger" springrolls ($8) or chicken penang ($12).

9. Warming Welcome Drink, The Welcome Bar

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When all the eating starts to make you thirsty, stop for a drink at The Welcome Bar – the market's very own pop-up cocktail bar. Its signature warm drink is a toasty concoction of scotch, cinnamon syrup, lemon juice, mint, ginger, and hot water, finished with a cinnamon stick and mint. Scotchy scotch scotch... Here it goes... All for $9.

10. Crispy skin dumplings, Fu Manchu

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PERTH. This stall has come ALL the way from PERTH to bring Macau cuisine to Brisbane. Arguably, the island of Macau might be closer. Regardless this is your chance to try a Portuguese-Chinese cultural fusion. Think Portuguese chicken rice with mozzarella, BBQ pork buns, or these crispy skin dumplings. You can get five for $9.

11. Waffle on a Stick

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Things on sticks are always great – chicken kebabs, lollipops, dagwood dogs... and now waffles. The $10 price tag is a little steep, but have yours drizzled with molten nutella, chocolate, maple syrup or caramel, then add lychee, sesame seeds, strawberries and ice-cream, and it's well-worth the price tag.

12. Spicy Pork, Fat Noodle

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Chef Luke Nguyen's Fat Noodle has been taking casual eating a little more seriously lately. The cheap-yet-fancy restaurant in the Treasury Casino first popped up at Eat Street Markets, and now brings the fare to the Night Noodle Markets. Treat yourself to a classic pho, the squid skewer karaage, or order the $12 spicy pork – a warm salad of marinated pork, vermicelli noodles, herbs, cucumber, and bean sprouts.

13. Ocean Catch and Toyko Curry gyoza, Zagyoza

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Last year Brisbane went mental for Zagyoza – and now they're back. Get those mits around a classic pork or chicken teriyaki, or try the "ocean catch" or self-saucing Tokyo curry. You can buy five for $9.50 (one flavour), or eight for $12.50 (two flavours).

14. Duck Buns, Madame Wu

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You thought pork buns were the bee's knees? Try Madame Wu's duck buns. The small but mighty morsels are filled with tender shredded-duck that'll have you wanting more – so order three for $12, or one for $4.50.

15. Pho, Mrs Luu's Vietnamese Canteen

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While real winter feels are rare, Brisbane does get the occasional crisp night. Regardless, winter is a time for soup and Pho fits the brief. Tuck into this steaming bowl for just $10 from Mrs Luu's.

16. Teppanyaki Oz Special, Teppanyaki Noodles

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You can't go wrong at Teppanyaki Noodles. This delicious looking plate of food is pretty much everything good in the world. The stir-fried noodles with chicken and vegetables are covered in Japanese mayo (!!!) and topped with fresh shallots. Try them for $14.

17. Karaage Chicken, Harajuku Gyoza

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Definitely hit up the markets and definitely eat the $8 karaage chicken with Japanese mayo from Harajuku Gyoza. These toasty hot chicken bites will remind you why you love food, and love eating. Following it with the salted caramel gyoza is recommended.

18. Japanese Chicken Udon, Sake

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This is the cheapest meal you'll ever get from Sake – one of Brisbane's premium Japanese restaurants. The chicken, chicken curry or vegetarian udons are just $10 each – and the Sake name guarantees a good feed. Edamame addicts, get you fix here for $5.

19. Sliders, Koma Sliders

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Up until August 2 you can indulge in market favourite Koma Sliders every night of the week. You get three for $16, so pop the Sweet Chick, Holy Cow and Hot Babe on your plate.

20. Chicken Stir-Fried Egg Noodle, Shallot Thai

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You can't really go wrong with noodles at the Night Noodle Market, and Shallot Thai deliver a generous serving that will fill you up for $13.

21. Mini Pancakes

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If you hate mini pancakes, you have no soul. Who could hate tiny little pancake puffs? Get 12 with two toppings for around a tenner. Strawberries and other fruits are an extra $2.

22. Okonomi Pork, Japanese Pizza Okonomi House

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A pancake of a different kind, Eat Street's Okonomi House has set up shop at the Night Noodle Markets. Offering "Japanese pizzas" to the hungry hoards, order the classic pork for $10, and add as many bonito flakes as you can.

23. Assorted, Let's Do Yum Cha

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They brought the bus up from Sydney to share yum cha with the mean streets of Brisbane. The classics are on offer – steamed pork and prawn dumplings, steam buns, dim sum, and spring rolls. The items are bundled into two prices that you can get two for $5/6 or five for $11/$12.50

24. Chicken Curry, Sendok Garpu Indonesian Food

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With Indonesian family links, Sendok Garpu know what they're talking about when they say this is the real deal. Picture is the chicken curry served with a green bean curry on rice.

25. Pad Thai, Nest Restaurant

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Another new Brisbane restaurant making its market debut, Roma Street's Nest is offering up mee goreng, Malaysian vegetable coconut curry, chicken green curry and pad thai with flat rice noodles, chicken, prawns, fish cake, market greens and peanuts ($9).

Bonus tips:

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- The event is cashless with PayWave machines at every stall, but it's wise to take some cash just in case.

- Go early to avoid queues because it gets hectic as the night goes on.

- There is a slightly hidden section, up behind the wheel, with a handful of stalls, so don't you dare miss that.