Eat Street Northshore

Eat Street Northshore is a large weekend night market on the riverbank at Northshore, Hamilton. It brings together more than 60 micro-kitchens, five themed bars, retail stalls and four live music stages on one site, so you can sample a wide range of food in a single evening.

The market began on the site of the former Hamilton Wharf, which had been decommissioned and overshadowed by the newer Portside Wharf nearby. It was conceived as an Asian-style night market, built from dozens of repurposed shipping containers that housed small kitchens, bars, produce stalls and galleries, with a stage for local performers. It has since grown into the much larger precinct of today, with more than 60 kitchens and four stages.

The format is simple: you pay for entry, then wander between the kitchens and choose dishes as you go. It is worth walking a full loop before deciding what to eat, and sharing several smaller plates with friends is the best way to try more of them. Music plays on the stages through the evening, and the bars serve drinks to go with the food. Retail stalls sit alongside the food and drink, and the precinct acknowledges the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which it stands.

The market opens on Friday and Saturday from 4pm to 10pm and on Sunday from 4pm to 9pm. Entry prices are set dynamically according to season and time, and tickets can be bought online in advance, which is worth doing for busy weekends.

Eat Street suits groups of friends, couples and families who want a casual night out with plenty of choice. The market runs family-themed events from time to time, so check the events listing on the website if you are travelling with children.

Getting there is straightforward. The Northshore Hamilton ferry terminal, at the eastern end of the CityCat route, is about a two-minute walk from the market's east entrance, so a CityCat ride from South Bank or the CBD makes a scenic start to the evening. Drivers can use the on-site car park, which has more than 1,400 spaces and is free for guests all night.