Toast + Soda (Image: Elisha Veldhuijzen)
Doughnut Fries (Image: The Doughnut Bar)
Marinated Lamb (Image: Eat Street)
Golden Gaytime Conut (Image: The Doughnut Bar)
World Famous Funnel Cakes (Image: World Famous Funnel Cakes)

The round-up: must-try munchies – Brisbane’s quirkiest market foods

Here’s a hot tip for you – some of Brisbane’s most innovative cuisine can’t be found at a cafe or restaurant. You have to head to the markets to find the truly unique fare, and believe us when we say that the market food scene is booming. Vendors across town are making headlines overseas with their goods, so you know that we’re onto something good. We’ve compiled a handy hit list of market bites and products that you must seek out this weekend. Whether you love your early morning produce haul or your late-night dessert crawl, make sure you try as many of these quirky eats as possible.

Doughnut fries from The Doughnut Bar: In case you didn’t hear, there’s a new player in the fries scene – this one is beating savoury with sweet and is setting tongues a talkin’. The mad scientists at Eat Street’s Kombi Lane have come up with doughnut fries – a moreish snack that is made from hand-cut brioche doughnut pastry that is both fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Don’t get these beauties confused with churros – these fries are markedly different from its chewier cousin. Get your hands on some at the Eat Street Markets.

Borage flowers from Zesty Herbs & Salads: Known to many as a great resource for potted herbs and salad greens, Zesty Herbs & Salads from Tweed Valley hand picks the freshest leaves for its weekly visits to Brisbane. In addition to your parsleys, mints and basils, Zesty Herbs & Salads also sells a range of borage flowers, which are edible and a great way to spruce up any home-cooked dish. Find Zesty Herbs & Salads at the Jan Powers Brisbane City Farmers Markets and at the Jan Powers Farmers Markets Powerhouse.

Loaded toast at Toast + Soda: While spending time cooking in Romania, chef Benjamin Veldhuijzen discovered the Swedish smørrebrød – an open faced sandwich that boasted a huge range of toppings. Upon returning to Brisbane Benjamin started making his own interpretation of smørrebrød using toast. Toast + Soda serves up five kinds of loaded toasts stacked with the likes of hot smoked salmon marinated in bourbon and apple juice, pastrami with fried onions and sriracha mayo and dehydrated mushrooms. As for the soda, wash down your bites with sips of lemongrass and ginger soda from Yuzu. Find Toast + Soda at the Carseldine Markets.

Funnel cakes at World Famous Funnel Cakes: When we see the words ‘world famous’ we sometimes jump to scepticism too quickly. ‘World famous’, you say? We’ll see about that! Once you have lined up for these funnel cakes, you can very well believe these bad boys are world-renowned. The incredibly popular desserts feature a sweet, waffle-like base topped with a decadent array of treats. Chocolate, ice-cream, cookie dough, salted caramel, Nutella – if you can dream it, you can have it. World famous or not, once you start tucking into a funnel cake it becomes your world. Find your sugary bliss at Eat Street.

Sushi burrito at Salty Plum Japanese Gourmet: When your tummy is rumbling and thoughts turn to food, we suggest stopping by Salty Plum Japanese Gourmet. Focusing on putting a Japanese spin on some classic favourites, Salty Plum has enticed market wanderers with menu items such as chicken katsu sandwiches and sushi burritos. These rolls are stuffed with the likes of chicken katsu, garlic prawn or vegetables and can be found at the Carseldine and Nundah Markets.

The conut at The Doughnut Bar: Forgive us for double dipping, but Kombi Lane harbours some of the most interesting market treats in town. If you didn’t hear about the arrival of the conut towards the end of 2016, then you’ve officially wasted your summer. This treat made a big splash over the hotter months with its enticing combination of layers of Danish pastry (64 layers to be precise), hand rolled and shaped into a cone, then stuffed with a gelato-infused soft serve. These are drool worthy and are a must-try. Fill your face with conut goodness at Eat Street.

White wine mussels from the Mussel Brothers: It’s not often that you see seafood at the markets beyond battered fish and chips. The Mussel Brothers are responsible for bringing freshly farmed mussels from Port Lincoln in South Australia to Brisbane on a weekly basis. Curious mouths can sample a range of menu items, including tempura-fried popcorn mussels with tangy aioli, mussels with cultured butter and black truffle oil, cider and bacon mussels and the classic white wine and tomato mussels. Get your hands on some at the Mt Gravatt Marketta.

10-hour slow-cooked lamb from Marinade: One of the newest faces to Eat Street cut its teeth in the sprawling surrounds of the Queen Victoria Markets in Melbourne, and it has now brought its succulent lamb to Brisbane. Marinade isn’t just a name – it’s a guarantee. Lamb is marinated for 72 hours in a secret blend before lovingly slow-cooked for ten hours and then caramelised on the barbecue. Helpings of lamb are served in a bamboo cone, topped with homemade garlic and dill sauce with garlic bread and fetta salad with sticky balsamic. If you are keen on some perfectly cooked meat, look for the charming farmhouse-themed vendor at Eat Street.

Lamingtons with a twist from Reid Street Kitchen: If you haven’t had your fill of decadent desserts, here is one more for your list. Liz and Emma from Reid Street Kitchen pride themselves on their baked treats, which include a range of gargantuan lamingtons that are a far cry from your store-bought variety. Scoff down raspberry white chocolate, passionfruit white chocolate, salted caramel and Jaffa varieties and try to resist buying seconds. Find Reid Street Kitchen at Jan Powers Brisbane City Farmers Markets.

The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Brisbane dining guide with more than 2400 places to eat, drink, shop and play.

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