Before grocery stores existed, farmers would often drive their bounty into towns and cities and sell meat, dairy and fresh produce off the back of their trucks or from a stall. Farmers’ markets have a long history in the United States and now they're growing in popularity once more, as people embrace the farm-to-table movement and get curious about where their food comes from. To get you inspired, we've chosen 30 of the best markets in America. (Note that these photos were taken prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Always check ahead for local restrictions before you travel.)
This famous market sits right in the heart of LA at 3rd and Fairfax. It was first conceived as a farmers’ market in 1934, with original growers pulling up in their trucks to sell the best of Southern California's produce. Today the market boasts about 100 vendors, ranging from fruit and vegetable grocers and specialty food producers to restaurant stalls and coffee shops. It’s also an excellent place to people watch and try to spot Hollywood stars doing their shopping.
Billed as the largest historic public market district in the US, Detroit’s Eastern Market is a celebration of food and entrepreneurship. Eastern is actually a neighbourhood that includes a wide array of food-centred businesses that are open daily, with the Saturday farmers’ market bringing in 225 vendors and up to 40,000 shoppers each weekend. The site also hosts Sunday artisan markets and a smaller food market on Tuesdays.
Atlanta shoppers have their pick of many excellent markets, including the Municipal Market, affectionately known by locals as “The Curb”. The market dates back to 1918 and its nickname recognises the history of Black vendors being segregated to the sidewalk of the building, selling their wares from the curb. Today everyone is welcome, with a robust community of merchants selling produce, meat, fish, specialties like Georgia pralines and tasty prepared food like fried chicken and BBQ.
In operation since 1999, this Chicago market is dedicated to educating the public about sustainable food and supporting the farmers that grow it. Green City claims to be the first market in the US to have all its farmers certified by a recognised, third-party sustainability organisation. There are two locations, which are both outdoors and open only during the warmer months, with an indoor market typically running over the winter.
A San Antonio institution that’s been operating since 1883, Pearl is a restaurant-laden hub that was initially centred around the historic Pearl brewery (which moved on in 1999) and is also home to a Culinary Institute of America campus. The farmers’ market takes place on Saturdays, winding through the district’s outdoor space, and a makers' market is held every Sunday too. The stalls are filled with Texas-grown specialties like peaches and heirloom tomatoes, with selections changing seasonally.
Davis is a small city in Northern California near Sacramento, right in the heart of California farm country. Davis’ market runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays year-round, selling the best of California's produce, from cheeses and meats to flowers and baked goods. Wednesday afternoons are designated as “Picnic in the Park” events, when visitors can buy a meal from a food vendor and enjoy it on the grass in Davis’ Central Park.
A St. Louis shopping destination since 1779, the classic Soulard Farmer’s Market is one of the oldest operational markets in the entire US. The vast indoor market isn’t flashy, but it features long rows of vendors in a Grand Hall and four separate wings selling wholesome and delicious things to eat and drink. Meat, veggies, fruit, honey and cheese are all up for grabs.
An open-air market with a focus on sustainability and maintaining a tropical vibe, Yellow Green is a vibrant player in Hollywood’s food scene. Live music provides a backdrop as shoppers pick up fresh Florida-grown fruit (yes, there are oranges), artisanal honey and jams, plus tacos and other prepared meals. You'll also find natural beauty products and soaps, and plenty of other goodies geared towards maintaining a healthy, eco-conscious lifestyle.
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New York City may feel fairly removed from any kind of farmland, but four days a week (year-round) Manhattan’s Union Square Greenmarket is all about fresh produce. The Union Square market has been a NYC presence since 1976, attracting growers and small-batch food artisans from the tri-state area and slightly beyond. The market also hosts regular events like cooking demonstrations and book signings.
Boulder County Farmers Markets runs several markets in Colorado, including its namesake in the city of Boulder. The traditional “street” markets are held in warmer months, but once things get snowy in Colorado, customers can switch to a curbside market pickup model, which is available year-round. Either way, shoppers can enjoy goods from over 60 vendors selling both raw ingredients and artisanal products that reflect the laid-back Colorado lifestyle.
Park City is best known as a winter destination, but over the summer locals and visitors can walk down the mountain town’s Main Street to shop for farm-fresh produce, as well as eco-friendly goods, crafts and antiques. As the Park Silly name would suggest, this is not a market that takes itself seriously, which means that visitors will also find beer gardens, a Bloody Mary bar and live entertainment.
There are a total of five markets in Portland operating on different days of the week in different locations under the Portland Farmers Market brand: that means that both regular Portlanders and the city’s many chefs have the ingredients they need to make delicious farm-to-table meals. The various markets are seasonal, save for the Portland State University location, which is open year-round. During the summer months over 30,000 shoppers typically visit the five markets each week.
Minnesota is known for its agriculture, which is why this market in Saint Paul is such a fantastic celebration of harvest bounty. The market first opened in 1854 and all of the produce, meats, cheese and prepared foods for sale is locally grown, allowing urban dwellers to truly connect with the farmers in the area. Organisers run several markets throughout the city during the summer, with the flagship downtown location operating pretty much year-round.
This market in the south part of Wisconsin sits in a park-like setting near Lake Michigan and is home to over 80 al-fresco vendor booths. In addition to food from the farmlands of the Midwest (and plenty of Wisconsin cheese), weekend market visitors are often treated to live music and other entertainment. In November, the site transitions into a winter market, making it a year-round affair.
Open seven days a week with “big” market days on Wednesday and Saturdays, this location is stacked with tropical fruit, flowers and other island delights. Hilo is located on the island of Hawaii and has long been an agricultural centre, which is why the market is able to carry things like locally grown papayas, bananas, lychee and other colourful fruit. Visitors can also buy prepared Hawaiian specialties like spam musubi and poke.
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The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market stands out for its size and dedication to local farmers: there are over 150 vendors selling food that is either grown in northern New Mexico or, in the case of prepared foods and crafts, made with at least 70% local ingredients or materials. Also, vendors can only sell their own goods, be they doughnuts, cherries or pottery, which allows customers to interact directly with the people who grow their food.
It’s not fancy or frilly, but the South of the James Market is beloved in Virginia because of its “producers only” philosophy. If someone sells you something, be it a bottle of kefir, a jar of pickles or a summer squash, it’s because they made or grew it themselves. The market went through some pandemic-related bumps and relocated in 2020 to a new spot in Richmond’s Bryan Park, but is still going strong.
The market at San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building has two parts: there’s the indoor marketplace with permanent merchants that sell crafts, baked goods, prepared meals and much more, as well as an outdoor farmers’ market, delivering a one-two punch of local Bay Area food. The outdoor portion is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with Saturday being the big market day. In all, 40,000 people usually visit the outdoor market every week to buy fruit and veggies, meat, flowers and other fresh goods.
The oldest, continuous open-air market in the United States, Easton Farmers’ Market was established way back in 1752: it’s so old, the market’s location on Centre Square was the site for one of only three public readings of the Declaration of Independence. Today it operates much like it always has, with local farmers and food producers selling directly to customers, and an emphasis on naturally grown food. It's had to move to the more spacious Scott Park over the course of the pandemic.
Held every Saturday in a mixed-use design and entertainment district (which used to be home to the Dr. Pepper syrup plant), the Market at Pepper Place has been a Saturday tradition in Birmingham for 20 years. It hosts dozens of vendors each week, selling fresh Alabama produce, meat, dairy and food products like peanuts and jars of slaw that offer a real taste of the South. The market also offers curbside service for customers who prefer to order ahead.
The South Anchorage Farmers Market may not have the best selection of fresh produce in the country – but the fact that it exists, and is fairly large, is an achievement given that it’s in the state with the harshest growing conditions. It fosters farmers who grow things like onions, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes, as well as small-batch bakers, canners and other local food producers.
In continuous operation since 1873 (it kept going after a significant fire in 2007), DC’s Eastern Market has several streams. The indoor vendors are open Tuesday through Sunday, selling meat and seafood, produce, baked goods, flowers and cheese, while the outdoor market is held on Saturdays and Sundays for arts and crafts merchants. There’s also a “Farmers’ Line” produce market on Tuesdays and weekends featuring growers from Maryland, Pennsylvania and the Virginias.
Held seasonally in historic Marion Square, this market has a beautiful location, offering views of famous Charleston landmarks. The market also provides a great shopping experience, with plenty of produce from the South Carolina Lowcountry, along with local arts and crafts, and ready-to-eat delicacies like pimento cheese, fried chicken sandwiches and seasoned pecans.
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The Old Town Farmers’ Market comes by its name honestly – founded in 1753, it is the oldest farmers’ market in the United States that has continuously operated on the same site. The market intentionally retains a bit of an old-time feel and is designed to connect local shoppers with farmers, just as the markets of the past would have. At the peak of harvest season the market features about 70 vendors.
The Crescent City Farmers Market is a roving market that operates out of three different locations in New Orleans throughout the week, year-round. The markets’ model and philosophy is about celebrating Louisiana’s unique culinary culture through locally grown and produced food. Vendors have to be producers and, with rare exceptions, only offer edible products and plants. Prepared foods must also reflect what grows and is eaten in and around New Orleans.
Another oldie, Lancaster Central Market holds the title as the oldest continuously running public farmers’ market in the United States, having first opened in 1730. The market house dates back to 1889 and allows the market to be open year-round. The standholders offer a nice selection of local fare, attracting customers from Baltimore, Harrisburg and Philadelphia, who come to stock up on raw ingredients and unique prepared foods like Amish pickles and preserves and West African ginger drinks.
This market’s biggest selling point is the spectacular views of Aspen, one of America’s most famous ski areas, which is just as beautiful during summer market season as it is under the cover of snow. The vendors must apply to participate and are judged by committees, ensuring that the market hosts the very best local agricultural products. There are also crafts from artisans, with only items made in Colorado making the cut.
Nashville is a city that loves its food, which is perfectly reflected in its expansive farmers’ market. The proper farmers’ market takes place in outdoor market sheds, where farmers and artisanal producers sell their wares all year – they're open all week during the peak season, with a weekend market during the winter. Over in the market house, visitors can find permanent retail shops as well as a selection of restaurants.
Probably America’s most famous farmers’ market, Pike Place Market is a major tourist destination. The waterfront spot has been open since 1907 and in addition to its famed fish-throwing fishmongers, the market is full of restaurants, retail shops and farmers who are happy to chat with customers, following the market’s “meet the producer” philosophy. This is also where you’ll find the original Starbucks location, with a flagship brew named after the market itself.
Owned and operated by the City of Cleveland since 1912, this historic urban market is as beautiful as it is practical. The market house was designed by Benjamin Hubbell and W. Dominick Benes and stands as a classic piece of Cleveland architecture. The food selection is good too, with over 100 diverse vendors selling snacks, produce, meat and seafood, dairy products, fresh flowers and specialties like deli meat, pierogi and bratwurst.