Night market at the Queen Victoria Market

It's Wednesday night in Melbourne and you're not sure what to do? Why not head to the Queen Victoria Market? For several weeks, both in summer and winter, Melbourne's largest market comes alive after dark, with live music and entertainment, dozens of stalls and pop-up shops, and food from all around the world. An event not to be missed!

The best night market in Melbourne

Summary

The Queen Victoria Market
Summer Night Market
Winter Night Market

The Queen Victoria Market

Did you know that the Queen Victoria Market was the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere? It covers over seven hectares, and you can find literally anything and everything there, from clothing to souvenirs, from pet food to jewellery, without forgetting of course a huge fruit, vegetable, and fresh produce section. There is also an indoor part for meat and seafood, and numerous delis. This is the building where my favourite store is located: Ripe Cheese. This cheese shop offers a wide selection of exclusively Australian cheeses and has won numerous awards. Don't hesitate to ask for samples from the friendly staff! Their toasties are also delicious. In the same building, the coffee from Market Lane is excellent (but a little pricey). I can also highly recommend the gourmet pies from Miss Amelie, a food truck in one of the northernmost alleys of the outdoor part. For the rest, I'll leave you to explore and discover for yourselves!

The Queen Victoria Market officially opened in 1878. There were several markets in Melbourne's CBD at the time, but this is the only one left, and one of the three oldest in the city, along with South Melbourne Market and Prahran Market. It was built partly on the site of the old cemetery. Most of the graves were moved to the current cemetery in Carlton North, but not all. As a result, a number of skeletons remain buried beneath the market! You can even see a section of wall from the old cemetery.

The market is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 6am to 3pm, Saturdays from 6am to 4pm, and Sundays from 9am to 4pm. But also on Wednesday evenings for the seasonal night markets!

Summer Night Market

The Summer Night Markets usually begin in late November and end around mid-March. It's one of Melbourne's biggest summer events. Every Wednesday evening, thousands of people, both locals and tourists, flock to the market's aisles. The program includes shows and performances, live music, and the smoke of grilled food in the air to add to the aroma of these unique late summer evenings. Many shops are also open, but the highlight of the night are the dozens of food stalls offering cuisine from all around the world: Italian arancini, South American empanadas, Filipino barbecue, Spanish paella, Chinese spring rolls and dumplings, fried chicken and Mexican tacos... and an ice cream for dessert!

Winter Night Market

The atmosphere of the Winter Night Markets isn't quite the same. First of all, it's already dark when they begin! While there are many similarities with their summer variants, including the same incredible diversity of food, they also have their own particularities: the smell of mulled wine now floats in the air rather than that of grilled meats, the outdoor shows are replaced by ice sculptures, and soups and hot chocolates are the most popular beverages! The many light decorations even give a hint of Christmas in July. But there is one thing in common between these two markets: the same huge crowds always gather there every week!

Have you been to the night market at the Queen Victoria Market before? Do you prefer the summer or the winter version? Send me a message to let me know!