Rain vs Laksa

Some say that Darwin's best laksas can be found at our amazing markets. But with the weather being so unforgiving during the wet season, some of us are finding it hard to enjoy our traditional weekend morning market laksa without getting drenched.

Luckily for us, Darwin is obsessed with laksa and there are a lot of other places to get our much-needed fix. So, if you're looking for a dry place to enjoy a warm bowl of spicy goodness, this blog is for you!

Food Courts

Trust us on this - food courts are a surprisingly great source to grab a laksa.

City food courts

Right at the heart of Darwin CBD, located in Darwin Central Shopping Plaza is the popular Asian Pot. This hole-in-the wall restaurant is shyly tucked away in the corner, but it's easy to spot. Head to the iconic rainbow crossing, stroll along Smith St and follow the tasty aromas, you won't miss it.

Shopping mall food courts

I don't know about you, but shopping makes me hungry. Thankfully, our shopping centres have fantastic food courts with lots of variety.

If you are shopping in Casuarina Square. Find Sweet Chilli, a newly refreshed shop, located at the central food court. Warong is another option, located at The Quarter, right in front of the playground.

If you are at Palmerston Gateway, head to their contemporary food court and find Saigon Street for your post shop laksa.

Café’s

Café’s are the perfect place to watch the rain.

Yes, Darwin coffee shops have laksas! If you want to satisfy your caffeine and laksa craving at the same time, these options are for you!

Alberto’s Café is a little corner café with a unique location. You can find them perfectly snugged at the post office in Cavenagh St.

If you make your way to the other side of the city, you will find a specialty coffee shop called Kopi Stop. If you’re after a lighter laksa, you can visit them at Harriet Place.

Off the beaten path

These spots are hidden gems and are a little harder to spot. Here is a quick guide on how to find them.

Situated in the industrial area of Darwin are two laksa spots. In Woolner, stumble upon, Angkor Takeaway, specialising in Cambodian cuisine. You can find them behind the towering warehouses near the overpass at Bishop St.

At the neighbouring suburb in Winnellie, right in the middle of the industrial district lies Lisa’s Lunch Bar. This place is home of the giant laksa competition, if you’re up to the challenge, head down to Reichardt Rd and look for the purple shop.

Laksa Galore

Can’t you see? Darwin is laksa obsessed! We haven’t even scratched the surface of the Darwin laksa scene. There are plenty more indoor venues we haven’t talked about where you can enjoy a laksa without getting wet.

We can’t wait to celebrate our laksa obsession at this year’s Darwin International Laksa Festival! The Festival Food Tour will run from 1-31 October, with the Festival Finale held on Sunday 3 November 2024.

Which means you get a full 31 days to try as many laksa and laksa-inspired by dishes as possible.