Canberrans well and truly embraced the first Enlighten Night Noodle Markets in 2015, and there will be even more to enjoy when they kick off again next month.
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This year's event, which runs alongside the Enlighten Festival over 10 nights from March 4-13, will have more stallholders, more food and more space.
Last year saw large crowds flock to the Night Noodle Markets, causing lengthy queues.
The director of Events and Arts ACT Adam Stankevicius said it was clear the event needed to grow.
"The Enlighten Night Noodle Markets were exceptionally popular in 2015 and proved to Events ACT that an extended food and beverage offering was necessary for 2016," he said.
"We've worked to incorporate both local and interstate vendors at the Enlighten Night Noodle Markets, bringing visitors the very best of Asian-themed food and beverage options."
Ten Canberra restaurants will take part this year, including Lilotang and Chairman & Yip who are collaborating on a stall which will offer street food bites such as lobster rolls, slow cooked pork buns and a surprise dish cooked by a special guest chef from Melbourne.
Chairman Group co-owner Raymond Poon said the markets would build on the casual Japanese bar Lilotang.
"We're doing a few things to be approachable to the mass market. We're known for fine dining but we want to bring a more casual approach as well. We're quite excited."
The surprise dish (and its mystery chef) will be unveiled closer to the date.
Chairman Group founder Josiah Li said he had attended the Night Noodle Markets last year and loved them. "Lilotang is set up as a casual, happy place and that's why we're putting it in [to the markets]," he said.
New Civic eatery Soi Noodle Bar is also on the lineup with co-owner Adam Elchakak having decided to open his permanent Canberra venue after bringing his Sydney restaurant chain Thainabox to the inaugural Canberra Night Noodle Markets.
Those with a sweet tooth will also be looked after by dessert collaborations from Sydney's Black Star Pastry and N2 Extreme Gelato.
The Asian eats street-food markets will again be held on the lawns of Reconciliation Place in the heart of the lights and sounds of the Enlighten Festival.
The markets are a spinoff of the popular Night Noodle Markets in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. They are run by Fairfax Media, the publisher of The Canberra Times.
The Night Noodle Markets run from March 4-13 at Reconciliation Place in Parkes.
