If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’re in for a treat! The first-ever ‘Sweet As’ Festival is coming to Queen Victoria Market, and will feature over 20 dessert traders over two sugary days. Think traditional knafeh, souffle pancakes, Basque cheesecake, churros, halo-halo and more! It’s all happening on Saturday March 29 and Sunday March 30, from 9am to 4pm.
‘Sweet As’ Festival at Queen Victoria Market
This tasty new event is a collaboration with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival and The Bearded Bakers. Known for their famous knafeh, the Bearded Bakers have created a special treat inspired by the Market’s traders. Their Knafeh and Fig dessert blends the sweetness of figs with the richness of knafeh, and is topped with pistachios and sugar syrup.
“We’re excited to bring the ‘Sweet As’ Festival to Queen Victoria Market and share our love of desserts with the whole of Melbourne,” said Joey El-Issa, co-founder of The Bearded Bakers. “Our Market-inspired knafeh is a fusion of cultures and flavours, just like Queen Victoria Market itself. It is a tribute to the incredible traders and their quality fresh produce that make the market so special.”
On top of their delectable treats, you can have fun with their ‘Baking and Shaking’ performances, which include live music, drumming and dancing.
Other traders you can look forward to include:
- Colombiantojos – feast on their Colombian corn cakes, which come in tropical and berry varieties.
- Toyoki Souffle – have fun jiggling some fluffy Japanese souffle pancakes.
- Sticky Date – treat yourself to classic sticky date pudding with a modern twist.
- Il Panzerotto, Taste of Puglia – try sweet and savoury panzerotti filled with Nutella, vanilla custard cream and more.
- La Dolce Vita – tuck into their tiramisu, with traditional flavours as well as chocolate and limoncello.
- Swirle – gaze at the glistening, candied fruit skewers known as Tanghulu.
- Lucky Coin – try Korean cheese coins in Nutella KitKat, which features chocolate and crunchy wafer, or go for their pistachio cream option.
Keen for more? Why don’t you take part in the ‘Sweet As Tour’? Explore the Market with a guide, and indulge in plenty of yummy treats, including pastries, traditional Greek spoon sweets, handmade Sicilian gelato and hot jam donuts. Tickets for this guided experience are $99 per person. It will take place on Saturday March 29, from 10am to 12pm. Learn more about it here.
Entry to the festival itself is free!