There’s no doubt in saying that along with Gungahlin’s population boom came an array of cult-followed eateries fuelled by Gungahlin Marketplace. Forget opening in the city, the suburbs became an enticing place to set up shop and feed hungry locals. From an American-style burger shop, to a fried chicken joint and cafés on every corner to grab a quick bite, Marketplace is well equipped for the days you forget to pack your lunch.
For those days you just feel like a burger, Oscy’s has all the classics and a lot more. We’re talking flavoursome hotdogs, buffalo wings cooked exactly as they are in the USA, and a range of sides such as jalapeno poppers, mac and cheese balls and dirty dog fries. We had the Big Poppa which consisted of 2 x grilled patties 2 x slices of American cheese, crispy bacon rashers, lettuce onion tomato and Oscy’s secret sauce. For us this was plentiful, but the Big Poppa isn’t even the biggest burger on the menu! Burgers up to 4 patties are available for anyone who thinks they can take it on. We went for a side of Dirty Dog fries, because let’s face it the only thing better than fries are loaded fries. Chorizo, spring onion and that special Oscy’s sauce smothered our golden-brown friends which were large enough to share. To complete our diner experience a humble choccy & strawberry milkshake to wash down the days cheat meal.
The type of café you could visit every day for a substantial lunch, plus there’s wine – need we more. Well yes there is more, G Tree arguably has the best location situated next to the Marketplace indoor playground and they have a well-equipped kid’s menu to fuel your children after a seriously tiring play. From a hearty breakfast, seasonal salad or sandwich and Lite Snack menu you can pop into G Tree any time of day. You’ll find a fresh Japanese twist on the burgers and salads which sets this café aside from all the others. We enjoyed the sweet soy flavour balance of the Yakitori chicken salad (also available as a burger), the chicken was juicy, and the Asian slaw had just the right amount of crunch. We had a hard time choosing from G Tree’s Stantung beef cheek and grilled haloumi salad friends. Of course, we opted for a Sav Blanc with our salad, this is the type of café culture we love at Gungahlin Marketplace.
This watering hole brought Gungahlin some Southern soul with their menu which create lots of opportunity to share. There’s a strong focus on the comfort of fried chicken, wings, thighs, drumsticks or a mixed bucket of up to 12 pieces to feed the entire clan, all with promise of a crisp skin. A well throughout sides menu to combat the heat of chicken such as coleslaw, macaroni cheese and pickled vegetables go wing-in-wing with the tender and juicy chicken. For us, the impressive list of housemade sauces to accompany your meal stole the show. We love a joint who appreciates a delicate side sauce. While fried chicken is the star of the show, we recommend grabbing a new addition to the menu of cheese burger loaded waffle fries. Vego’s have not been forgotten at this venue, try cauliflower wings served with pickle spears or the vegan mushroom burger.
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