Fairy lights and crescent-shaped decorations illuminate the way as the sun starts to set. Stall-holders chant jingles as they flaunt the foods on offer; stretching cheese, drizzling syrup, throwing dough in the air and whacking it onto a bench.
The sound of Quran recitals travels through the street, past a stand fundraising for victims of the Syria and Türkiye earthquake. Throngs of people start to arrive.
It’s Australia, but as some have never seen it before.
“It's like a different country ... but it's just down the street,” one visitor says.
Lakemba, in Sydney’s southwest, is home to just 17,000 residents, more than 60 per cent of them Muslim. But for the next month, Canterbury-Bankstown Council says it expects to welcome more than 1.2 million people to its global food bazaar known as Ramadan Nights Lakemba.
More than a million people are expected to attend Ramadan Nights Lakemba. Source: AAP / Steven Saphore
“[The markets] are important for everybody, for all communities in Australia,” says local mayor Khal Asfour.
“We are going to celebrate it together.”
Here's a sample of what's on offer.
Camel burger: The iconic one
Event co-founder Abdul Obeid's humble camel burger barbeque was the breeding ground for the night markets 17 years ago. He says his burger is the “most famous thing you’ll find on Haldon Street”.
It’s been described as juicier than a beef burger with a subtle gamey taste, topped with a top-secret sauce.
The camel burger is now a cult item. Source: SBS News / Rayane Tamer
“I was like, ‘[a camel burger? At] 2 o'clock in the morning?’ They're like, ‘yeah!’”
He’s been coming for a feed every year since.
Top tip: The queue gets really busy around 9pm so come early or late. If you want to try something a little different, order the deer burger.
Murtabak: The versatile one
Anwar Shah from Desi Paikari Bazaar says the most popular dish from his stall is murtabak, also known as matabbak and mughla parathai.
Murtabak is a famous flatbread, traditionally filled with chicken, onions and egg, and fried on an iron griddle. Source: SBS News / Rayane Tamer
Anwar is Rohingya, but the dish is also popular in Singapore, Malaysia, Yemen and Bangladesh.
Top tip: Anwar also recommends swapping savoury for sweet; ordering murtabak with the banana filling for dessert.
Knafeh: The viral one
Marketgoers have their phones outstretched, recording Mohammad Zarqa. You’ve probably already seen him on social media. He's theatrically flaunting the stretchy cheese on his specialty dessert known as knafeh.
Mohammad Zarqa calls out "yummy yummy" after he serves his customers. Source: SBS News / Rayane Tamer
Knafeh is a traditional Palestinian dessert. Source: SBS News / Rayane Tamer
Top tip: Eat it while the cheese is hot and stretchy.
Gulab jamun: The sweet one
At the very end of Haldon Street, you’ll find one of India’s most classic desserts, gulab jamun.
They’re warm doughnut balls made of milk dough, fried in front of you and soaked in a sugary syrup.
Gulab jamun is a popular Indian dessert. Source: SBS News / Rayane Tamer
It's served in a small cup, accompanied by vanilla ice cream.
Top tip: If you want to stay on the savoury train, another popular dish here is the chicken tikka.
Kashmiri chai: The pink one
To wash down the food, try a cup of Kashmiri chai - a distinctly sweet, pink-coloured milk tea.
Kashmiri chai is a sweet milk tea. Source: SBS News / Rayane Tamer
As its name suggests, Kashmiri chai originates from Kashmir and is widely consumed by people from India and Pakistan.
Top tip: Don't forget your topping: usually pistachios or rose petals.
Food vendors are preparing for a busy month. Source: AAP / Steven Saphore
She says she and her friends - all of them Muslim and newly arrived migrants - were surprised to see their new home was putting on such a show for Ramadan.
Abou Abdullah, Soukaina and Yasmin arrived in Australia up to four months ago. Source: SBS News / Rayane Tamer
is open from 21 March until 20 April, between 4pm and 3am.
