Darwin, Northern Territory — Food and Dining
Restaurants in Darwin, Northern Territory
Restaurants
Recommended restaurants
BuzzCafé
Asian-inspired décor, marina views, and an East-meets-West twist to the food make Buzz Café a big hit with the locals and visitors alike. Check out the one-way mirror glass in the men's toilets.
48 Marina Boulevard
Tel: (08) 8941 1141.
Price: $$$
Cornucopia Museum Café
Right next to the museum is this great beachfront café where friendly locals come by for a good morning coffee or business meetings. If you need a healthy start to your morning, try the huge fruit salads.
Conacher Street, Fannie Bay
Tel: (08) 8981 1002.
Website: www.cornucopiadarwin.com.au
Price: $$
Hanuman
You will find some of the best Asian food in the Northern Territory at Hanuman, an elegant, contemporary place with a wide selection of dishes from Thai to Tandoori. The oysters are a must-try, and the wine list is much improved.
93 Mitchell Street
Tel: (08) 8941 3500.
Website: www.hanuman.com.au
Price: $$
PeeWee'sBeachfrontCafé
Darwin's premier beachside eatery, located 4km (2.5 miles) from the city center, is a great place to watch the sunset, with just about every table having a sea view, whether it's inside or out on the terrace.
Alec Fong Lim Drive, East Point
Tel: (08) 8981 6868.
Website: www.peewees.com.au
Price: $$$$
Tim'sSurf&Turf
Huge portions, giant steaks, and no-nonsense fill-up food served in an unpretentious restaurant on the edge of town.
Asti Motel, Smith Street
Tel: (08) 8981 9979.
Price: $
Nightlife
It gets hot up in the Northern Territory - so beers go down very easily indeed. In a drinking culture, it's not hard to find watering holes, and many of them are spread out along Mitchell Street in the city center. As for the best nightclubs, don't expect to get in dressed in the typical Northern Territory dress of thongs (flip-flops), stubbies (shorts), and a singlet (vest). For more information on pubs, bars, nightclubs and music gigs, look up www.whatsondarwin.com.
It's all outdoors at The Tap on Mitchell, 58 Mitchell Street (www.thetap.com.au), and there's a sweet spot under an old melaleuca tree. Plenty of beers are on tap too, as the name suggests. Wisdom Bar & Café, 48 Mitchell Street (www.wisdombar.com.au), is another good-looking venue getting attention on a maturing Mitchell Street.
The Cavenagh bar, 12 Cavenagh Street (www.thecavenagh.com), neighbors backpacker accommodation and has a popular misty-fan outdoor area (the water cools you down).
Darwin's best-known dance spot, voted Australia's best nightclub three years in a row (and then entering the hall of fame), is Discovery Nightclub, 89 Mitchell Street (www.discoverynightclub.com.au). As well as late-night/early-morning dance sounds, it regularly features live bands. Every night's a backpacker night at The Vic, Victoria Hotel, 27 Smith Street, The Mall (www.thevichotel.com), which has two bars and attracts bands as well as some cool DJs.
Irish bars are everywhere and Australia's most northern state capital is no exception. There are resident Irish folk pouring the beers at Shenannigans Irish Pub, 69 Mitchell Street (www.shenannigans.com.au), and Kitty O'Shea's Irish Bar & Café, Herbert Street, corner of Mitchell Street(www.kittyosheas.com). Both have a good atmosphere and offer bands several times a week.
