Woks Up Alice Springs

Woks Up is a Chinese takeaway and casual dine-in shop at Shop 2, 10 Lindsay Avenue in East Side, right beside the IGA on the residential side of Alice Springs. It opens for dinner only, 4:30pm to 8:30pm Monday to Saturday, and for dog owners it works as a grab-and-go stop rather than a place to linger.

The dog setup

Dogs are not permitted inside, which lines up with standard food safety practice for Northern Territory kitchens, so the routine is simple: one person ducks in while the other waits with the dog in the open-air shopfront area outside. Keep the dog on lead and clear of the doorway while orders move in and out. There is no water bowl setup, so bring your own on hot evenings, and DoorDash delivery is an option when the wait is not worth it.

Pepsi: order ahead by phone and this becomes a two minute stop. The IGA next door keeps the footpath busy at dinner time, so pick a spot up the walkway.

The vibe

The kitchen turns out generous, reliable Chinese-Australian staples: honey king prawns, honey chicken, combination chop suey, special fried rice and pineapple fried rice, with squid for something different. Locals talk more about portion size and speed than anything fancy, and that is exactly the appeal: hot food, quickly, without leaving the east side.

Getting there and parking

Lindsay Avenue runs through the East Side neighbourhood east of the Todd River, with parking at the small group of shops out front, including the IGA bays. It is an easy stop on the drive home from the East Side sports grounds, and the precinct is quiet by town standards once the dinner rush settles.

Pair it with

Ross Park Dog Park is a short drive south for an off-lead run while the order is being cooked, and Page 27 Cafe in the Todd Mall covers the dog-friendly daytime coffee end of town. Alice Motor Inn is nearby if you are staying on this side of town with the dog.

More options are on the Northern Territory dog friendly restaurants guide and the East Side destination page.