Stokes Hill Wharf
Stokes Hill Wharf is part of the Darwin Wharf Precinct. It is a short walk or drive from the city and once you are there, the Wharf provides spectacular views. Stokes Hill Wharf offers restaurants (sit down and take away), ice cream shop, bottle shop, live entertainment on the weekends during the dry season and is a favourite spot for the locals to do some fishing. If you want to sit down in a nice restaurant you could try The Jetty Restaurant or Crustaceans on the Wharf. Alternatively, choose from one of the many take away restaurants on the Wharf that offer a variety of International Cuisine. Such cuisine ranges from fish and chips, Thai dishes, classic Australian food such as kangaroo or crocodile, traditional Chinese cuisine, fresh seafood catches and more. Restaurants on Stokes Hill Wharf are open from 11am-3pm and then reopen from 5pm-9pm daily.
The Darwin Wharf Precinct has plenty to do for the locals and visitors. Stokes Hill Wharf and a cruise ship terminal make up the Darwin Wharf Precinct. In the area there is the new Darwin Convention Centre, hotels, apartments, wave pool, a safe swimming area with a sand beach, pearl exhibition, sunset cruises, jet boat adventures, WWII Tunnels and historic site and a cruise ship terminal for national and international cruise lines.
The history of the Wharf showcases the hardships that Darwin once experienced. Darwin was bombed by the Japanese on February 19, 1942. During this invasion, many civilians lost their lives, ships and planes were sunk and servicemen were victim to the attack. Years later, the Wharf took another hit by Cyclone Tracy in 1974.
Overview
I have been to Stokes Hill Wharf on numerous occasions. I have gone for lunch, gone to do some shopping at the pearl shop and grab some ice cream, picked up an early dinner to enjoy on the beach, gone for a night of country dancing on a busy Friday night and gone for a nice quiet meal enjoying the sunset. There is a wide range of food to choose from, which is great for the picky eaters in the group. There is plenty of outdoor seating overlooking the water as well as inside seating. Note, though there is seating inside, it is not fully enclosed and you are still able to enjoy the view of the water and any live entertainment that may be going on that night.
Ambiance
In general, the al fresco dining area is very casual. Tables are very close together so i would not recommend it for a romantic night out, unless you found a table far away from everybody else. It is great for a casual date, for families and for friends to meet up.
Service
Other than the two sit down restaurants, the dining is more of a take away setting. You order your food, wait for it to be made, pick it up when your buzzer goes off and take it to your table. They are usually very speedy with getting orders out, but expect to wait about 15 minutes on a busy night.
Food
The food at Stokes Hill Wharf is good, not great. Most recently, I ordered the steak with chips and salad from Kim’s and I have to admit my steak was mediocre at best. However, I should have known better than to order that because most of the restaurants are more known for their seafood and International dishes. In general, I think most people go for the atmosphere and the cheap food. Most mains are about $12 on average.
Vegetarians Note
Stokes Hill Wharf is generally a place that is favourable for meat eaters with the kangaroo, steaks and seafood, but the Thai place has many options such as curries, pad Thai, noodles, and fresh spring rolls which are more than sufficient. Otherwise, you are destined to be eating fried food such as chips.