Here's what's in store:
- A recipe scavenger hunt at Queen Victoria Market to pick up a delicious haul of ingredients
- A seated bite to eat at ReWine
- Head home to cook Darren Purchese's Thai Chicken Tray Bake and Lemon Posset with Almond Tuile together
Welcome to The Queen Victoria Market!
Trading since 1878, Queen Vic is the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere and one of Melbourne's most loved landmarks. It actually started out as the city's first cemetery and thousands of early settlers are still buried beneath the car park.
Today it's home to generations of traders, fresh produce and delis packed with flavours from around the world. Enjoy it!
Meet Darren, your Recipe Trail co-curator
Pastry chef, Great Australian Bake Off & MasterChef judge and cookbook author
Getting started
Head to the Dairy Produce Hall, entering via the Therry Street entrance.
Follow the stops below to collect everything on Darren's list.
At each stop, let the team know your name and that you’re with AmazingCo. Double-check what to collect and ask the team for anything that's missing.
💡 If you'd like a market map, pick one up at the Information Hub at the corner of F Shed and Queen Street.
📍 Stop 1
The Corner Larder
Heart of Dairy Produce Hall, Shop 33–35
A long-time local and market lover, Kev was such a regular here that he was offered a job as a cheese expert at The French Shop. So when the chance came to open The Corner Larder deli with his family in 2016, it was the obvious next step.
Darren's recommendation
While you're here, taste some of Kev's favourite cheeses at the front of the shop. It's the perfect spot to grab a few extras for a charcuterie board at home.
📍 Stop 2
Bill's Farm
Facing The Corner Larder, shop 17–20 in the Dairy Produce Hall.
Bill's Farm owner Malcolm was once the CEO of Queen Vic Market. In 2017, he traded 30 years of corporate retail for the deli counter, and together with Anna, took over this market favourite. Talk about a career change!
🚶 Head to the Meat & Fish Hall
To orient yourself, reference your map above.
Look for the shop numbers
Highlighted in orange above the storefronts.
📍 Stop 3
Hagen's Organic Meat
Meat and Fish Hall, Shop 16
Royce and Susan Hagen started out selling organic fruit and veg at Prahran Market in the 1980s, until customers kept asking for organic meat. In 1999, Royce became one of Victoria’s first organic butchers, and today the family runs six stores across Melbourne.
🚶 Head back to the Dairy Hall
Retrace your steps through the Dairy Hall before moving on.
Dairy Hall recommendations
Before heading outside to the market sheds, stop by a few more of our favourites.
Swords Wines
Dairy Produce Hall, Shop 47–50
Pick up local and independent drops from organic and low-intervention makers, plus craft beer, cider and Aussie gin.
Gewürzhaus Herb & Spice Merchants
Dairy Produce Hall, Shop 7–9
Browse over 350 single-origin spices, herbs, salts and unique curry blends. Don't forget to ask the team for recipe cards to go with your spices!
Mörk Chocolate
Dairy Produce Hall, Shop 51–54
Time for a sweet treat? Try a signature Campfire Hot Chocolate, topped with a marshmallow blowtorched to order, or grab one of their sticky Swedish cinnamon buns.
🚶 Head to the market sheds
Exit the Dairy Hall the way you entered and walk right up Therry Street.
The sheds are labelled alphabetically from right to left, and you'll find stall numbers marked up in the rafters.
1Find the shed letter
Each shed’s letter is on its front gable, above the entrance.
2Look up
Once inside, stall numbers are marked in the rafters above each stall.
📍 Stop 4
Orchard Wholefoods
A Shed, Stall 109–112
Inspired by traditional Turkish traders, owner Lokman and his wife bring a touch of Turkey to the market with freshly roasted and raw nuts, dried fruits, nougat and hard-to-find Australian spices.
Darren's recommendation
Check out all the native cooking ingredients like Strawberry Gum and Tasmanian Pepperberry (Bush Pepper), some can be hard to come by.
📍 Stop 5
Queen's Harvest
D Shed, Stalls 5–12
Over 60 years ago, shortly after arriving from Calabria, Italy, the family behind Queen's Harvest started selling fruit and veg here. Today, you'll often spot three generations behind the counter, serving up the market's widest range of fresh produce and specialty groceries. Now that's a market family!
Darren's recommendation
Pick up some greens like broccoli or snake beans to serve with dinner.
AmazingCo special
While stocks last, grab the perfect shopping companion: a Queen's Harvest signature tote for a special discounted AmazingCo rate.
Shed recommendations
Before heading for a bite to eat, check out some of our faves.
String Bean Alley
Alongside M Shed
26 independent shops in converted shipping containers, selling everything from vintage and jewellery to art, skincare and books.
It's named after the lane where green beans were once sold! Open Friday to Sunday.
Books for Cooks
115 Victoria St, right of A Shed
One of Darren's favourite sources of culinary inspiration, with over 40,000 books on food, cooking and wine.
Mintstone Candles
K Shed, Stall 101–102
Hand-poured soy candles and reed diffusers, made in Melbourne by founder Saemyi, whose candle-making hobby grew into a business.
📍 Stop 6
Time for a well-earned bite! Sit back and relax at this lovely spot, just across the road from the market. Aim to arrive between 2pm and 4pm, and let them know you have a booking under your name with AmazingCo.
Enjoy pizza and small plates to share, plus a glass of wine each.
Darren's recommendation
Before you head home, grab a bottle filled straight from the barrel to enjoy with dinner tonight. Then bring it back for a discounted refill. Some regulars have refilled theirs over 500 times!
🚶 Head to Elizabeth Street
One last stop before home! Head down Therry St away from the market.
📍 Stop 7
Pacific Asian Grocer
Since 2020, this one-stop grocer has been bringing nearly 10,000 Asian products to Aussie kitchens, sourced directly from across Asia. On arrival, give them your name and order number 2026101309493373.
Got everything? Let's head home
Double-check you've collected all the ingredients listed above before heading home to cook!
Thai Chicken Bake and Lemon Posset
Cook along with Darren to turn your market haul into a delicious dinner and dessert spread. You’ll also find a recipe card in your AmazingCo cooler bag.
⏰ Plan your time
Start 2.5–3 hours before you want to eat. Prep the Lemon Posset and Almond Tuile first, which takes about 30 minutes. Once the Almond Tuile is in the oven, start on dinner. Dinner takes roughly 2 hours to prep and cook. The posset sets in the fridge while you cook and eat.
First things first, set the mood
Upbeat Cooking Hits
Open in Spotify
Jazz in the Kitchen
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Chill Cooking Sessions
Open in Spotify
Step 1: Prep your dessert to chill
Lemon Posset with Almond Tuile
Lemon Posset
- 300 mlThickened cream
- 75 gCaster sugar
- Zest of ¼ lemon, finely grated
- 20 gLemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Extra thickened cream, to serve
- Extra lemon zest, to serve
Almond Tuile
- 30 gUnsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 30 gCaster sugar
- Zest of ½ lemon, finely grated
- 40 gBlanched almond flakes
- 8 gPlain flour
Lemon Posset
- 600 mlThickened cream
- 150 gCaster sugar
- Zest of ½ lemon, finely grated
- 40 gLemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Extra thickened cream, to serve
- Extra lemon zest, to serve
Almond Tuile
- 60 gUnsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 60 gCaster sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
- 80 gBlanched almond flakes
- 15 gPlain flour
- Lemon Posset
- 1
Start the posset: Combine the measured cream, sugar and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Keep the rest of the cream for serving.
- 2
Zest for later: Zest the lemon for the Almond Tuile into a spare bowl and set aside, keeping a little extra zest for serving.
- 3
Over medium heat: Stir the posset mixture continuously until the sugar dissolves, but do not allow it to boil. Remove from heat before it starts to simmer.
- 4
Add lemon: Stir in the lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Then pour the mixture through a sieve.
- 5
Set: Pour into glasses and refrigerate for 2–3 hours until set.
- Almond Tuile
- 6
Tuile mix: Melt butter and combine with sugar, flour, and flaked almonds in the lemon zest bowl. Stir with a spatula until well mixed.
- 7
Flatten: Spoon half the mixture onto a sheet of baking paper and place another sheet on top. Use a rolling pin to roll as thin as possible between the two sheets. Refrigerate for 10 minutes and preheat oven to 180°C.
- 💡 Tip: If you don't want to cook it all, uncooked mix keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. To cook from cold, warm gently in the microwave for 10–20 seconds to loosen, then proceed to roll it out.
- 8
Bake the tuile: Remove from the fridge and peel off the top sheet of paper. Place on an oven tray and bake for 10–12 minutes until golden brown and the nuts are toasted. Leave to cool on the tray.
Step 2: Cook your dinner
Thai Chicken Tray Bake
Marinade
- 1Birdseye chilli (more if you like it hot)
- 2Spring onions, finely sliced
- 2Lime leaves, finely shredded
- 1 tbspPalm sugar, chopped
- 1 stalkLemongrass, finely chopped
- 1½ clovesGarlic, grated or chopped
- ½ knobGinger (approx. 2 cm), grated or chopped
- 1½ tbspFish sauce
- 1½ tbspLight soy sauce
- ¾ tbspSesame oil
Chicken & To Serve
- 4Chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
- 1Lime
- Small bunch Thai basil
- Small bunch coriander
- 1Spring onion, finely sliced
- 1Birdseye chilli, finely sliced
- Brown rice, to serve
- Additional lime wedges, to serve
- Optional greens, to serve (like green beans or broccoli)
Marinade
- 2Birdseye chillies (more if you like it hot)
- 4Spring onions, finely sliced
- 4Lime leaves, finely shredded
- 2 tbspPalm sugar, chopped
- 2 stalksLemongrass, finely chopped
- 3 clovesGarlic, grated or chopped
- 1 knobGinger (approx. 4 cm), grated or chopped
- 3 tbspFish sauce
- 3 tbspLight soy sauce
- 1½ tbspSesame oil
Chicken & To Serve
- 8Chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
- 1–2Limes
- Small bunch Thai basil
- Small bunch coriander
- 2Spring onions, finely sliced
- 1–2Birdseye chillies, finely sliced
- Brown rice, to serve
- Additional lime wedges, to serve
- Optional greens, to serve (like green beans or broccoli)
- 1
Prepare your marinade: Chop palm sugar, bruise and chop lemongrass, chop chilli to taste, shred the lime leaves, and grate the garlic and ginger. Combine all ingredients with fish sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil in your baking dish. Mix well until the palm sugar dissolves completely and the flavours come together.
- 2
Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken and spring onions, keep the bone in for juicier, more deeply flavoured meat. Toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and rest for at least 30 minutes in the fridge, or longer if you have time. The longer the better.
- 3
Preheat oven to 180°C and take the chicken out to room temperature for 15–30 minutes.
- 4
Roast: Arrange the chicken skin-side up in a roasting pan and pour over all the marinade. Roast for 30 minutes, then increase to 220°C and roast for a further 10–15 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden, the meat is cooked through, and the pan is full of fragrant cooking juices.
- 5
Rice: When crisping the skin, get your rice and optional greens cooking so they're ready to serve. Cook as much as you'd like for dinner.
- 6
Prep the garnish: Wash Thai basil and coriander, then dry. Slice your spring onion and additional chilli to taste. And cut lime into wedges.
- 7
Rest: Remove from the oven and squeeze over some lime juice (keep some to serve). Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving to keep it juicy.
- 8
Serve: Spoon the chicken and its aromatic juices over brown rice. Add optional greens if using. Then scatter generously with prepped Thai basil, coriander, spring onion and optional extra chilli. To finish, serve with lime wedges on the side.
Step 3: Assemble your dessert
Lemon Posset with Almond Tuile
- 1
Prep: Whip remaining cream to serve and break tuile into irregular pieces.
- 2
Serve: When ready to serve, top each posset with whipped cream, fresh lemon zest and pieces of almond tuile.
- 3
Store the tuile: Cooked tuile keeps in a sealed container for up to 3 days.