If you’re after an eating market, Ryde Wharf Markets certainly fits the bill. Not only are the seventy or so stalls dominated by ones selling food and sweets designed to be eaten in situ, it also boasts plenty of places to sit and eat them. Low stone walls allow you to dabble in your first (or fiftieth) Taiwanese oyster omelette ($15) swimming in garlic and hoisin-based sauces without fifty per cent of it dripping into your lap. It’s one of two offerings from Canteen Taiwanese, who have permanent digs in the Eastwood Night Market.
Your only problem might be choosing between Malaysian char kway teow ($12) from Wok It and Japanese wagyu curry puffs ($7) or onigiri ($6), neatly packaged rice balls rolled with pickled mustard greens, takuan radish, seeds and sesame oil from the Wa Dining Project. Or weighing up the relative merits of a white bread katsu sando ($14) from That Katsu Guy versus a sea scallop brioche roll ($18) from East Blue Fresh Seafoods. Clutching your carefully chosen selection, take you pick of sitting spots to eat, pause and take in the incredible view, perhaps with your feet dangling off the edge of the wooden pier onto Parramatta River taking in Ryde Bridge or the towers of Rhodes and Wentworth Point.
While traditional beef empanada ($8) from Drummoyne-based Empanadas Che proved a bit sloppy and bland for my taste, the neighbouring, unmarked silver Airstream produced an excellent cinnamon doughnut ($7). While cold rather than warm, it was plucked from an inviting rack of still dripping glazed doughnuts. There was enough interesting food to warrant another visit; including cones of marinated lamb at Lamb Canyon and Bangladeshi street food items from Jompesh! The markets take place every second and fourth Sunday of the month, from 9am – 3pm at Anderson Park in Meadowbank.
