Best farmers' markets in America

Address: 13th St. (between Canyon and Arapahoe), Boulder, CO

Foursquare rating: 9.1

Boulder residents get a double dose of this market every Saturday in the spring and summer from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Saturday market features live music every week along with nine ranchers, four apiaries—that’s fancy talk for bee-keepers and their local honey—and a plethora of farmers offering everything from locally foraged mushrooms to seasonal cherries. The “Grown to Go” program replaces the trendy meal-box services like Blue Apron by providing pre-selected produce and recipes from a local chef to take the guesswork out of cooking.

Address: 5855 SW 111th St., Pinecrest, FL

Foursquare rating: 9.1

Open year round, Pinecrest Gardens Green Market provides a produce outlet for Miami residents from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday. The Miami New Times named it “Best Farmer’s Market in Miami” in 2010 and 2015. Looking for something more exotic? Goose eggs, dragon fruit, and conch fritters are among the many you’ll encounter.

Address: 1500 20th St. NW (at Massachusetts Ave. NW), Washington, D.C.

Foursquare rating: 9.2

Since 1997, residents of D.C.’s upscale Dupont Circle neighborhood have been hitting this FRESHFARM Market where both organic and conventional fruits and vegetables are found alongside pickles, jams, and all of the Instagram fodder one can handle. Open every Sunday of the year, D.C. residents can stop by for a little produce alongside their politics.

Address: 315 Detroit St., Ann Arbor, MI

Foursquare rating: 9.2

Ann Arbor may be a college town, but that doesn’t mean it’s all pizzas and takeout. The nearly 100-year-old Ann Arbor Farmers Market is open on Saturdays all year long—despite the cold temperatures—and the Wednesday market operates from May until December from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. On the first Wednesday of every month, May through October, hungry shoppers can find Ann Arbor’s best food trucks alongside top farms and producers from Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.

Address: Marion Square Park (Calhoun and King St.), Charleston, SC

Foursquare rating: 9.2

On Saturdays from mid-April through Thanksgiving, the Charleston Farmer's Market displays the best of South Carolina. Don't miss the tasty summer peaches the state is known for alongside more than 100 vendors in gorgeous Marion Square, a six-and-a-half acre green space that dates back to the Colonial days.

Address: 101 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville, NY

Foursquare rating: 9.2

Not to be confused with the Arkansas market of the same name, New York’s Fayetteville Farmers Market provides veggie-lovers in the greater Syracuse area with a plethora of produce. It’s open Thursdays from the onset of warm spring weather through October from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Thursday until October. From Pied Piper’s maple syrup products to locally made Gouda cheese from Jake’s, this market has central New York covered.

Address: 741 Gretna Green Way (at San Vicente), Los Angeles, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.2

California provides a huge percentage of the nation’s agricultural products, so it’s no surprise that a number of Golden State markets made the list—including this one in the tony Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Every Sunday at 9 a.m., the market sells fresh produce straight from farms in San Diego and the Central Coast, even as far as Fresno.

Address: 1940 N. 30th Rd. (at Taft St.), Hollywood, FL

Foursquare rating: 9.2

The largest farmers market in South Florida, the Yellow Green Farmers Market is more of a farmers emporium than a market, with over 300 booths occupying 10,000 square feet of market space. Open year-round and all day on Saturdays and Sundays, the market boasts all kinds of fruits and vegetables in addition to Florida stone crabs—when in season, and a full range of prepared foods. They also offer yoga on Saturday mornings.

Address: 86 Walnut St., Montclair, NJ

Foursquare rating: 9.2

One of the largest and oldest farmers' markets in all of New Jersey is the Montclair Farmers Market, where Garden State residents can choose from a garden’s worth of vegetables in all four seasons. Opened in 1993, the market provides a path for the 9,100 farmers in New Jersey to provide organic vegetables and grass-fed meats straight to the consumer. There’s even locally made wine from Ventimiglia Vineyard.

Address: 430 South California Ave. (between El Camino Real and Ash St.), Palo Alto, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.2

Part of the Urban Village Farmers Market Association, the California Avenue Farmers Market is open rain or shine every Sunday of the year from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market is a hit with Stanford students, Palo Alto residents, and even some major tech giants. There's been the occasional Mark Zuckerberg sighting, and the late Steve Jobs is noted as a former regular. Knife-sharpening is offered the first Sunday of every month, and the waitlist for new vendors is said to be in the triple digits—a strong testament to the popularity of the market.

Address: 2829 2nd Ave. S., Birmingham, AL

Foursquare rating: 9.2

What began as a few tents outside of a revamped industrial area-turned-food hall has grown to more than 100 vendors sprawling across multiple streets, and lots with 10,000 people perusing wares in the middle of summer. The 18-year-old market is now open year-round for hungry Alabamians, with all of the products originating within a 200-mile radius.

Address: 631-641 Union Ave. (between Driggs Ave. and N. 12th St.), Brooklyn, NY

Foursquare rating: 9.2

Brooklyn doesn’t necessarily have the best weather all year long, but that doesn’t deter folks from coming to this Greenpoint market every Saturday of the year. The vendors come from around New York and New Jersey, and there are events almost every weekend, including seasonal fruit bake-offs, and compost giveaways.

Address: 400 E 32nd St (at Barclay St.), Baltimore, MD

Foursquare rating: 9.2

Just down the road from Johns Hopkins University, the 32nd Street Farmers Market was founded in 1980 and now has more than 50 vendors every Saturday from 7 a.m. until noon. Patrons can use their Food Supplement Program cards to buy fresh fruits and veggies; in fact, part of the market’s mission is to provide underserved communities with better access to healthy food.

Address: 104 S. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden, FL

Foursquare rating: 9.2

In 2012, the Winter Garden Farmers Market was named “America’s Favorite Farmers Market,” and for good reason. The city is so invested in the market’s success that it set aside public land for its operation just outside Orlando. Only 10 years old, this farmers market is open every Saturday of the year with all you’d expect from a top-notch operation.

Address: 290 5th St. E. (at Wall St.), Saint Paul, MN

Foursquare rating: 9.2

The Saint Paul Growers Association offers markets around the Twin Cities every day of the week except Monday, but their crown jewel is this downtown market in the heart of Lowertown every Saturday and Sunday from April through November. Amazingly, this market dates back all the way to the 1850s.

Address: 2755 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL

Foursquare rating: 9.2

Every Sunday from mid-May through October, Chicagoans can feast on the bounty of the Midwest at the outdoor version of this market, which includes sweet corn from Illinois and Iowa as well as Michigan cherries and blueberries bursting with flavor. As Chicago’s only year-round market, visitors can also enjoy the indoor market at Emporium Arcade Bar from November through May to stock up on produce while snow is on the ground.

Address: Capitol Square (at Mifflin, Main, Carroll, Pinckney), Madison, WI

Foursquare rating: 9.3

This Madison, Wisconsin market prides itself on being the largest producer-only farmers' market in the nation. With 275 vendors throughout the year, they sell a ton of produce that’s all grown in Wisconsin by the vendors themselves.

Address: Isham St. (between Seaman and Park Terrace West), New York, NY

Foursquare rating: 9.3

Bronx residents know where to head when they need their fresh produce fix: the Inwood Farmers Market—located adjacent to the borough at the northernmost point in Manhattan—where farmers and craftspeople gather every Saturday to sell their wares. As part of the GrowNYC Greenmarket program, shoppers using electronic benefit transfer for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program  benefits receive a $2 bonus for every $5 they spend at the market, which adds up to 40% more health-focused buying power.

Address: 292 Forest St. (Central Ave.), Needham, MA

Foursquare rating: 9.3

At just over 100 years old, Volante Farms has long been a vital part of the Boston suburb of Needham. Less a farmers market and more a market that sells the goods of Volante Farms itself, the farmstand offers fresh produce, ice cream, and a quick-serve restaurant that all pay tribute to the best New England has to offer.

Address: 4256 Magnolia Ave., St Louis, MO

Foursquare rating: 9.3

Two different weekly markets serve St. Louis' Tower Grove Park community. Both the Saturday and Tuesday markets start in mid-April and host more than 70 vendors with fresh fruit, vegetables, and prepared foods for all to enjoy alongside live music and free yoga.

Address: 730 Carroll St. (at 7th Blvd. and Lafayette Ave.), St Louis, MO

Foursquare rating: 9.3

The second St. Louis market to make the list is in Soulard, which holds the title as the oldest farmers market west of the Mississippi. Open since 1779, this market isn’t just a one-day pop-up every week. From Wednesday to Saturday, St. Louis residents can stop by local farm stands and interesting vendors selling everything from spices to bread.

Address: 12052 Ventura Pl. (between Laurel Canyon and Radford Ave.), Studio City, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.3

The Studio City Farmers Market is one of the largest in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, with ultra-fresh fruits and vegetables every Saturday of the year in a family-friendly environment with live music, activities for kids—including a mini-train, and a full roster of hot food vendors supplying pupusas, pizza, lobster rolls, and more.

Address: 280 Union St. N. (Rochester Public Market), Rochester, NY

Foursquare rating: 9.3

The City of Rochester has operated this market since 1905, and three days a week, New Yorkers can stop at the massive marketplace for all of their grocery needs. On the busiest Saturdays, there can be well over 300 vendors drawing in hungry shoppers. More than a farmers market, this is really a central destination in Rochester.

Address: 400 E. Court Ave. (between 5th and 1st St.), Des Moines, IA

Foursquare rating: 9.3

In the Historic Court District, this downtown market comes to life from the first Saturday in May through Halloween. Consistently named one of the best farmers markets in America, the vendors here represent 50 counties across Iowa.

Address: 186 Dekalb Ave. (at Washington Park), Brooklyn, NY

Foursquare rating: 9.3

Another fantastic Brooklyn market, this greenmarket in Fort Greene Park is open to the public every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a wide variety of vendors and activities for the whole family. Like the other GrowNYC markets, people using EBT benefits get extra incentive to use their cards at the market.

Address: 501 Foster St. (at Hunt St.), Durham, NC

Foursquare rating: 9.3

North Carolinians flock to Durham for this year-round market on Saturday mornings, with a Wednesday afternoon market in the summertime. Now 20 years old, the market only accepts vendors who sell what they grow, and those farms are all within a 70-mile radius of the market to ensure that the food is all as local as it can be.

Address: 800 Smith St., Charleston, WV

Foursquare rating: 9.4

This is a true city market, with much more than the standard offering. Open every day of the year, except major holidays, the Capitol Market resides in an old train station with indoor and outdoor space including restaurants, farmer stalls, and regular cooking classes.

Address: E. Saratoga St. & Holliday St. (under the JFX), Baltimore, MD

Foursquare rating: 9.4

The expansive Baltimore Farmers' Market & Bazaar has more than 120 vendors, including 26 new ones for the 2018 season. Running every Sunday from April until Christmas, this combination market-bazaar offers free parking and special themes on the first Sunday of the month, an attraction that began in 2017 to celebrate the market’s 40th anniversary.

Address: 1201 Agriculture St. (at Centennial Pkwy), Raleigh, NC

Foursquare rating: 9.4

The State Farmers' Market truly represents the best of what North Carolina has to offer, since the market is run by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Open every day of the week, this market appeals to home cooks and giant food operations alike, with 30,000 feet of space for farmers to sell directly to the public and more than 15,000 feet of wholesale space. There’s even a full-service restaurant on-site that specializes in biscuits.

Address: 312 E. Lyndale Ave. N. (between Glenwood Ave. and Olson Memorial Hwy.), Minneapolis, MN

Foursquare rating: 9.4

Minnesotans can come to the Minneapolis Farmers Market every day in the summer, and more limited hours in the winter, to enjoy the state's finest produce. The market has been open since 1937, with 230 vendors rotating between 170 available stalls.

Address: 610 1st St. (at McKinstry St.), Napa, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.4

Napa is well-known as a mecca for lovers of good food and wine, and home to the giant food complex that is Oxbow Public Market. Beloved local merchants like Three Twins Ice Cream and Hog Island Oyster Bar exist alongside an organic grocery hub stocked by local farms. Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, Oxbow Public Market is an institution of the town.

Address: 7420 W. Saginaw Hwy. (at Canal Rd.), Lansing, MI

Foursquare rating: 9.4

Horrock’s is a food emporium more than it is a traditional farmers market. In addition to a fully stocked produce department, they also offer a well-curated deli counter and garden, floral, and beer and wine sections. In the summer months, the market hosts a gelato pop-up from local purveyor Iorio’s Gelateria.

Address: 6333 W. 3rd St. (at Fairfax Ave.), Los Angeles, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.5

Since 1934, Angelenos have been flocking to the corner of 3rd Street and Fairfax to visit this hybrid produce market and food court. Multiple fruit and vegetable vendors work alongside butchers, fishmongers, and all manners of prepared food stalls, from a Cajun gumbo specialist to a Brazilian churrascaria. On Friday evenings, the market offers free live music concerts. Afterward, shoppers can head next door to The Grove outdoor mall to get their fix of retail therapy.

Address: 3960 Normal St., San Diego, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.5

One of San Diego’s biggest markets, Hillcrest Farmers Market is open every Sunday of the year, including holidays. They started with fewer than 30 stalls in 1997 and have since grown to more than 180 vendors taking up two full city blocks.

Address: 1801 Race St. (at Elder St.), Cincinnati, OH

Foursquare rating: 9.5

Bright and colorful Findlay Market is a full-on foodie destination. The market is Ohio's oldest municipal market house, and has operated continuously in the same building since 1855. The space currently holds outdoor stalls for farmers, artisanal food vendors, and a popular biergarten.

Address: Ivar Ave. (between Sunset Blvd. and Hollywood Blvd.), Los Angeles, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.5

The Hollywood Farmers' Market takes place over a huge area of Hollywood every Sunday morning. There, food lovers can stroll through a plethora of booths in every direction to find perfectly ripe tomatoes, handcrafted sausages, fresh squeezed juices, and bluegrass music. The market attracts people from all walks of L.A. life, and one can find lots of specialty produce—like mulberries and heirloom plum varieties—that is not available at smaller markets.

Address: 2934 Russell St. (between I-75 and Mack), Detroit, MI

Foursquare rating: 9.5

During the summer, 40,000 people a day might cross through Detroit’s Eastern Market, a huge food complex that offers a traditional farmers market experience within large sheds. With four markets a week, there’s plenty to choose from. Activity programming includes cooking classes, live music, and Detroit-made goods and craft workshops.

Address: 1 Grand Army Plz., Brooklyn, NY

Foursquare rating: 9.5

For nearly 30 years, the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket has brought fresh food to the people of Brooklyn. Located at the gateway to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, this central spoke of the borough’s access to tri-state farms is open every Saturday of the year with cooking demos, shopping, and special events like their popular “Strawberry Shortcake Extravaganza.”

Address: 5330 Ballard Ave. NW (at 22nd Ave. NW), Seattle, WA

Foursquare rating: 9.5

Sustainable food culture has deep roots in the Pacific Northwest, and the Ballard Farmers Market is a prime example with a wide range of local, sustainably grown produce. Part of the Seattle Farmers Market Association, the Ballard market is open every Sunday of the year, except Christmas Day, and boasts up to 100 vendors at a time.

Address: 1875 SW Park Ave. (on South Park Blocks), Portland, OR

Foursquare rating: 9.5

The Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University is a big deal to residents of this famously eco-friendly town. Set on the college campus of PSU, this 20-year-old, 140-vendor market is open every Saturday of the year, with the exception of late December. Specialty berries abound in the summertime, and the "Chef in the Market" booth brings in big-name chefs to show off their skills each week during the warmer months.

Address: 1790 N. Clark St. (between Dickens Ave. and LaSalle Dr.), Chicago, IL

Foursquare rating: 9.5

Chicago’s cold weather and frequent snow keep people indoors for most of the winter, but when the ground thaws, the Green City Market in Lincoln Park really heats up. The Green City Market actually operates three different markets, but this location is the most popular, with two weekly editions—Wednesday and Saturday mornings—pulling in chefs and food-lovers from around the area. Every July, the market holds its much-anticipated Chef BBQ fundraiser, where more than 100 of Chicago’s best restaurants offer tasting portions of their signature dishes.

Address: 600 W. Date St., San Diego, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.5

More than 200 tents set up every Saturday morning in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood for a celebrazione dei prodotti, as the Italians say. Oysters, eggs, orchids, and apricots are all ripe for the picking in the same California sunshine that helps grow the goods on offer here. The Little Italy Mercato is so expansive that it’s known as #6blocksofawesome.

Address: 85 Pike St., Seattle, WA

Foursquare rating: 9.5

If Seattle is ever mentioned on a food TV show, there’s a good chance they’re using footage of the famous Pike Place Market, a marketplace and dining destination that catches everyone’s attention. The market is particularly famous for its fishmongers, who throw whole fish to each other across incredible distances. The market offers its very own Community Supported Agriculture box filled with the best of what the farmers of Pike Place have to sell each week.

Address: 2914 Sandy Ridge Rd., Colfax, NC

Foursquare rating: 9.5

Like the State Farmers Market (slide #22), this North Carolina market is state-run and intended to provide a direct line between the North Carolina farmers and the community. As their website states, “The goal of the farmers' markets is to furnish facilities where our farmers can provide fresh, locally grown produce and plants to NC consumers with reduced handling costs.” That means produce hounds can grab any of the 21 agricultural commodities cultivated in the state for a reasonable price Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Address: 20 E. 5th St. (at Main St.), Kansas City, MO

Foursquare rating: 9.5

Open since 1857, this public market has 30 full-time vendors. On Saturdays and Sundays every weekend of the year when the full-fledged farmers' market goes into effect, there are an additional 120 stalls to explore. On summer Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there's a "mini-market" aimed at office workers to provide fresh vegetables and fruits in lieu of a grab-and-go meal at a fast food restaurant.

Address: Splash Pad Park (at Grand Ave. and Lake Park), Oakland, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.5

Northern California is well-represented on this list, and Grand Lake Farmers Market is one of the best in Oakland’s East Bay. On Saturday mornings, Oaklanders flock here for the roster of 40 nearby farmers expertly peddling their bounty along with 30 specialty food-crafters that range from fancy nut butter to local honey. If you think that combination would make a great sandwich on local bread, you’re in luck: sandwiches are also offered at the market.

Address: 1 Ferry Building (Market Street and The Embarcadero), San Francisco, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.5

The Ferry Market is a San Francisco institution for food-lovers. Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, up to 40,000 people swarm the grounds to pick up zucchini, peaches, and much more from local farmers. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is a full-on celebration of California’s growing prowess, and Thursday nights are especially fun with a robust line-up of artisanal street food vendors.

Address: Civic Center Dr (at Memorial Dr.), San Rafael, CA

Foursquare rating: 9.5

The San Rafael Farmers Market is the highest-rated California market and takes place on Sundays—there’s a separate San Rafael market on Thursdays in a different location. First opened more than 30 years ago, this market has the honorable distinction of being named as a featured stop in Marin County by The New York Times. That’s thanks to the almost 200 farmers that show up every week to sell their mostly organic goods and, of course, free parking.

Address: 225 7th St. SE, Washington, DC

Foursquare rating: 9.5

Not to be confused with the Eastern Market in Detroit (#14), D.C.’s Eastern Market has called Capitol Hill its home since 1873. The beautiful brick building houses an indoor market with full-time merchants selling produce and prepared foods, a Tuesday farmers' market for a more expansive offering of produce, and an outdoor weekend “farmers line” where local farmers set up shop to dispense their harvest.

Address: 1 Union Sq. W. (between 15th and 17th St.), New York, NY

Foursquare rating: 9.6

It's a good rule of thumb to shop where the chefs go and in New York City, that place is definitely the Union Square Greenmarket, the flagship of New York's Greenmarket program. For the majority of the week—Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays—140 local farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and bakers offer their wares directly to the public alongside chef demonstrations, cookbook signings, and other exciting activities. For those who like to plan ahead, the market even has an app that informs shoppers which products will be available each week.