Darwin is renowned for its technicolour sunsets, but it was dawn, not dusk, that captivated me. Specifically, the dawn of the NT capital’s fledgling dining scene. In the past two years, this former frontier outpost has shrugged off its provincialism with a cluster of urbane eateries. “Eating out here is no longer just about crocodile and barramundi,” says Alana Matthews of PM Eat & Drink, the slick, seafood-focused venue that’s leading the way.

Darwin’s polyglot markets have long been the source of the city’s most electrifying food. Now, there are notable alternatives. “There’s lots of newness,” says Pina Sommerville of Wharf One. “Diners are more educated, too.” Sommerville is excited by the fresh produce sprouting in this remote city on the Timor Sea. “Pumpkins, tomatoes, herbs and chillies,” she says. Meanwhile, Indigenous chefs like Zach Green are showcasing native ingredients in a novel way. “I like to tell a story within the food,” says Green, who has now opened Elijah’s.

Local pioneers include Hanuman, with a 25-year legacy of serving authentic Thai and Indian food, and Pee Wees at the Point, the romantic beachfront restaurant offering its ‘Modern Territorian’ dishes for almost two decades. Joining them is a flock of nascent restaurants, cafes and bars. There are even two local micro-breweries: Six Tanks Brew Co and One Mile Brewing Company. Darwin’s dry season (May-October) is the perfect time to visit this tropical, topical city.

By day, Little Miss Korea (Austin Lane) is a casual venture serving bibimbap bowls and vegetarian pancakes. By night, it morphs into a lively Korean barbecue joint with diners grilling thinly sliced meats, seafood and vegetables.

Chef Chung Jae Lee is a former judo champion who throws himself into creating adventurous dishes with equal gusto; look to his jeyuk-gui, a moreish pork dish seasoned with red pepper paste and cooked on a grill.

Sam Lee, his partner, is a vivacious host. “This was an old loading bay, so we get truckies saying, ‘I used to drive my truck in here!’,” she volunteers. Located on ‘Graffiti Laneway’, the restaurant continues the arty theme with an electric-hued mural and industrial fit-out.

If you’ve ever considered running away with the carnival, you’ll adore Lola’s Pergola (48 Marina Blvd, Larrakeyah). And even if you haven’t, you’ll still be enchanted by this quirky and quixotic bar on the water at Cullen Bay. Decked out with carousel ponies, arcade machines and sideshow flourishes, the al fresco spot has a floating-fun-fair air. Families gather here by day, ordering from its extensive burger list, and merrymakers arrive for the twilight session to soak up the exuberant energy with endless craft beers. Look down and you’ll even see fish darting through the illuminated water below.

Darwin’s heady markets are animated by a cornucopia of globe-trotting food. During the dry season, Mindil Beach Sunset Market operates on Thursdays and Sundays, offering Sri Lankan, Indonesian, Brazilian and Russian delicacies. My preference, though, was for the focused selection at Parap Village Markets on Saturdays (open year-round). Here, people line up for luminous laksa from Mary’s or Yati’s, Cambodian savoury pancakes, buckwheat crepes and mango lassies.

Rapid Creek Markets on weekends is the prime produce source and where many chefs shop. Pick up a quenching cane sugar beverage and launch yourself down the long, narrow space crammed with Asian vegetables, exotic herbs and fragrant spices. We glimpsed green jackfruit, bitter melon, Chinese plums and pea eggplants (ideal for curry) among the dizzying array.

Aboriginal Bush Traders (74 The Esplanade) is a retail store, cultural repository and outdoor cafe in one. The compelling venture carries the vibrant wares of Indigenous artists and artisans, which have been ethically sourced from community art centres. It’s a diverse collection of paintings, carvings, weavings, homewares and native food. At the cafe, explore takes on bush tucker, such as damper with wild rosella and lilly pilly jams, granola with native cranberries and Kakadu plum dust, and quandong lamingtons.

Cynics viewed the 2016 arrival of hipster magnet Sweet Brew & Co (45 Stuart Hwy, Stuart Park) as the beginning of the end – for the Top End. But there is ample room for a venture this good. Sweet Brew combines inventive fare such as pork buns, duck crumpets and brekkie ramen, coffee from Single Origin and Campos, and delectable house-made pastries. Owners Joseph Stock and Brigid Beilby worked in Sydney, and run two other popular spots in town. This is their best one, though, complete with dapper interiors: one wall of the cafe is adorned with a fetching wallpaper of palms and toucans.

Gallery-hopping around Darwin, an epicentre of Indigenous art, is essential. Start at Nomad Art (1/3 Vickers St, Parap, a font of limited-edition prints, small sculptures and textiles. Then head to Outstation Gallery (8 Parap Pl, Parap) for its inspired selection of established and emerging artists. Its director, Matt Ward, is a knowledgeable, agreeable guide.

When it comes to serving exquisite seafood, PM Eat & Drink (cnr of Knuckey St & Austin Ln) casts a wide net. Rock cod, red emperor, Spanish mackerel and jewfish are among the local species on its ever-changing menu.

Painted on a wall of the airy space is an enormous octopus, hinting at the kitchen’s global tentacles. Lunch began with a numus of pickled jewfish, a heavenly blend of citrus and raw fish.

Grilled calamari with pico de gallo and chilli oil evoked both the Mediterranean and Mexico, while a whole snapper with ponzu and togaroshi delivered Japanese drama. Chef Jacob Preece, whose CV includes a stint at Bistro Moncur in Sydney, is adept at infusing pristine produce with exotic flavours. PM is worth anyone’s vote.