We visited the weekly Night Market in Hamilton Chartwell Shopping Centre, located on the North Island of New Zealand!
Let us introduce you to this local event where you can enjoy street food and an atmosphere reminiscent of festivals!
What is Night Market?
Have you ever heard "Night Market"?
Night Market is common in Taiwan and other parts of Asia.
These events typically feature streets or areas filled with food stalls, shops, and stands, creating a festive atmosphere where people can enjoy street food and a festival-like vibe.
In New Zealand, it's called the "Night Market," and it's held in various locations like Auckland and Hamilton.
Unlike in Asia where these markets are often held on streets, we tend to be set up in shopping center parking lots here.
Hamilton Night Market at Chartwell Shopping Centre
Hamilton Night Market used to be held every Friday at the parking lot of The Base shopping mall.
However, recently it moved to Hamilton CBD and we stopped going :(
The CBD has narrow streets and limited parking, making it stressful to find a spot.
In contrast, The Base has a large parking area and the convenience of shopping at the mall, which made it a popular and bustling event every week.
Since moving to Hamilton CBD, the number of stalls and visitors has noticeably decreased.
But great news! Starting August 4, 2024, the Hamilton Night Market has moved to the parking lot of another shopping mall, Chartwell.
The event day has also changed from every Friday to every Sunday.
Just the other day, we spotted a sign for the Night Market on a nearby street, so we decided to attend the inaugural Night Market at Chartwell (・ω・)ノ
Enjoy a Variety of Food Trucks at Hamilton Night Market!
Hamilton Night Market in Chartwell is held every Sunday at 5:00 PM in the underground parking, Chartwell Shopping Centre.
Note: The Chartwell website lists the start time as 4:30 PM, but the Hamilton Night Market's Facebook page announced it as 5:00 PM.
The parking areas at Chartwell Shopping Centre are spread around the mall, but the Night Market takes place in the underground parking area on the ANZ side.
We arrived around 6:00 PM, and it was incredibly crowded!
It's rare to see such a large gathering in Hamilton outside of rugby events, and we couldn't help but wonder where all these people came from lol
Due to the overwhelming number of people, we couldn't take many photos. We'll definitely try to arrive earlier next time.
By the way, the parking lot in this area is closed from 3:00 PM every Sunday when the Night Market is held.
There are other parking lots on the opposite side, and even at 6:00 PM, we still managed to find a few parking spots.
The Hamilton Night Market was organized with different types of stalls near the entrance and further back.
Near the entrance, there were various shops selling handmade accessories, smartphone cases, and other goods.
There were also bags and small items with Kiwi patterns, offering a unique New Zealand touch making it a great place for tourists to shop for souvenirs and create lasting memories.
In the center, there were tables and chairs... not many, but enough for a quick rest or to sit and enjoy some food.
Towards the back, all the stalls were dedicated to food and the delicious aromas filled the air✨.
In Japan we call it "Yakitori," but in New Zealand it's referred to as "BBQ Stick," "Kebab," or "Skewers."
They had pork, beef, and lamb skewers, as well as squid and oysters!
Grilled over charcoal, they looked incredibly delicious.
There were several other yakitori food trucks as well, so it might be a good idea to try a few and compare!
New Sensation in Sweets!? Waffle × Croissant = Croffle
The first one we tried was a Croffle!
A croffle is a waffle made from croissant dough, and its crispy texture is incredibly addictive ( ;∀;)❤
Plus, it’s only $10 each!
It’s cheaper than ordering at a café, and since there are few places in Hamilton where you can get a croffle, there’s no reason not to try it.
Banoffee features banana, caramel, and cream, while Biscoff has a whole biscuit on top of the cream as a topping.
There are also many other varieties like Nutella and strawberry chocolate, which made choosing a bit challenging. But this time, we decided to go with the Banoffee!
Croffles come with a stick, making them easy to enjoy on the go. (That's kiwi loves!)
The freshly baked dough was wonderfully crispy on the outside and moist and sweet on the inside—absolutely delicious!
We got ours from a place called Skoffles, which apparently operates mainly at night markets around various locations.
The staff were also friendly and had wonderful smiles ✨
Most places accept Eftpos, but this shop only takes cash.
If you plan to visit, I recommend bringing some cash with you!
Chinese Pancakes with delightfully chewy and delicious dough
Next, we bought Chinese Pancakes!
Unlike sweet pancakes, these are savory pancakes filled with ingredients like minced pork and chives.
There are about six different flavors, including Sweet Red Beans and Corn Cheese, and each one costs only $5!
Don't you think it's quite affordable, even for a night market?
This time, we decided to try the Scrambled Eggs, Chives & Kumara Noodles variety!
It had scrambled eggs, chives, and kumara noodles inside and it tasted delicious. Kind of like a dumpling!
Japanese Oden at Night Market in New Zealand?
As we walked further, we discovered Japanese "Oden."
In addition to chikuwa and radish, there were also fish tofu and crab balls.
You get a set of 12 different types for just $10, which is quite a good deal.
It's more like hot pot ingredients rather than traditional Japanese oden, but I think I'll give it a try next time!
Various food options of Hamilton Night Market
There were also other stalls offering a variety of Asian fast foods, including sushi rolls, Taiwanese fried chicken, and fried chicken!
The crispy squid looked delicious.
There were too many people this time so we couldn't stop by, although we'll try it next time.
The night market held at The Base featured mainly pizza, ice cream, hamburgers, yakitori, rice bowls, and popcorn.
However, the Hamilton Chartwell Night Market had more than twice as many stalls and food vendors!
There was also a pink food truck called Smashed STRAWBS selling croffles.
In addition to bubble waffles and ice cream, they also had fresh strawberries!
I wanted to try the Smash Strawberries, but there was a line so I'll order it next time...!
Next, we discovered a New Orleans Chicken stall.
It looked so delicious that we decided to buy some!
We took it home to eat, and the skin was crispy and the sauce was incredibly delicious!
We will definitely buy it again (・ω・)
Other options included:
Fruit skewers
Indian curry
Hot dogs with South African sausage
Chinese buffet (where you can fill a container with various dishes)
Hamburgers
Korean rice bowls
Bulgogi burgers
Filipino sweets like cakes, donuts, and pudding
Bubble tea
Hungarian pizza
Traditional Maori hāngī
Shumai, dumplings, and fried rice
There was a wide variety of food ranging from sweets to hearty meals.
It's interesting to experience the cultures of many different countries, which is something unique to a multicultural nation like New Zealand.
Enjoy Multicultural Food and Festivities at Hamilton Night Market in Chartwell Shopping Centre!
Hamilton can be visited by bus or train from Auckland.
If you're in the area, be sure to check out the Hamilton Night Market!
You can enjoy street food and a festive atmosphere in New Zealand✨
These night markets are also held at multiple locations in Auckland, so I recommend checking if there's one near where you live!
By the way, the Hamilton Chartwell Night Market was extremely crowded this time, possibly because it was the first time it was held on a Sunday.
It's smart to bring a bag for takeout or a container in case you can't finish your food!
We plan to visit again soon!
We're already looking forward to every Sunday from now on :)
See you there(・ω・)ノ
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