Any solid farmers market is better than no farmers market, am I right? The North Berkeley Farmers' Market is a medium sized farmers market. I was there on the early side, so not all stands were fully set up but seems as if there is a few bakeries with fruit forward desserts and baguettes, lots of fruit, flowers, rotisserie chicken, tamales, empanadas and a fish vendor. Parking is seemingly mostly in the CVS parking lot and some street parking. Overall, Thursdays, if you need some local NorCal fruits and veggies and eats, this is a great little farmers' market. read more

North Berkeley Farmers' Market - Rotisserie chicken truck - Farmers Market Near Me - Berkeley, California

How and why would this fabulous all-organic farmers market in the heart of Berkeley's historic foodie district be anything but 5 stars across the board? What's not to love about this petite farmers' market every Thursday from 3-7pm? It's compact yet still packed with abundance & variety, especially when I visited at the tail end of summer/early fall produce season. I made a beeline directly to the famed Frog Hollow Farms stand that was overflowing with assorted stone fruit (their specialty) and berry tarts, hand pies, and galettes. But right next door you can buy the actual fruit or local honey from other vendors and head home to make your own pastry. Or maybe you want veggies? They've got stall after stall of the season's best. I picked up a ton of basil for pesto. Need to rest? There are shaded tables and chairs for kids to seniors to disabled folks to catch a break while listening to live music. Don't feel like cooking dinner? There's always a vendor, like Roadside Rotisserie, where you can pickup a juicy rotisserie chicken, or pork loin, with sides like red potatoes or broccoli roasted in chicken fat. And if the plethora of organic goodies and vendors galore aren't enough, just turn around and realize that you're surrounded by some of the best food destinations IN THE WORLD: Cheese Board Collective & Cheese Board Pizza, Saul's Deli, Andronico's Grocery, the ORIGINAL Peets Coffee & Tea, and of course Chez Panisse is just 8 doors down! And if you need to wipe the tears of foodie joy and happiness from your eyes, there's a CVS just behind the farmers market with tissues galore. Again, solid 5 stars every time! read more

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We love the North Berkeley Farmers' Market -- it's such a great mix of local produce and community vibes. It's especially nice having a weekday market just a short stroll from home. Perfect for picking up fresh, seasonal goods mid-week and connecting with neighbors. A true neighborhood gem! read more

North Berkeley Farmers' Market is a distant memory from a singular experience years or a decade+ ago. it's a small gathering of organic fruits & veggie vendors. didn't remember many ready to eat food vendors. while i like eating organic goods, i'm not a consistent buyer of them. i prefer to buy edibles for the moment, not having the patience to store and later cook them. i would go again if in the area. i wouldn't make it a destination. Berkeley Bowl is always available without the added hassle of looking for parking. read more

A small but quality farmers market. There are a few well known venders that had excellent produce last week. Unfortunately it's pretty miserable if it's sunny and hot though - absolutely zero shade and it's Berkeley so parking can be a hassle (especially in late afternoon). read more

I went to Berkeley Thursday Farmer Market after walking from Downtown Berkeley to the FM - it's about 1mi or so (15-20 min). It's from 3-7pm year-round on Shattuck & Rose near the CVS in North Berkeley Gourmet Ghetto. They have lights so even though it gets dark earlier now you can still shop. That's GREAT! Lots of Fall items now: Butternut squash pears Fuyu persimmons Frog Hollow Farms was selling their pastries for 1/2 off at 6:15pm. It depends if they have lots & trying to get rid of their stuff. I got a large chocolate cherry cookie $1 (reg. $2) and a bag of the mini cherry chocolate chip cookies for $2 (reg. $4 i guess). Galettes were on sale too. Ici ice cream has a cart selling ice cream. That's very cool. I got a pumpkin ice cream sandwich on gingersnap cookies for $4.25. Ice cream was very mild, but cookies were good. Hodo Soy Beanery was there. I can't wait to do their tour of their new facility in Dec!! Organic Gravenstein Apple Cider - Looks good. Will get another time. Flacos - Unique vegetarian Mexican food. Will try another time. Saint Benoit Yogurt has a stand. Hog Island Oyster Company was there Highland Hills Farm - grassfed beef, lamb & goat Happy Boy Farms - certified organic produce OctoberFeast from SF has breads & pretzels ($2). Didn't get anything, next time. I hope to go back one day. read more

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Small market. No more than a dozen vendors. Good for what it is....a local market with familiar offerings.

This Farmer's Market is nicely located along North Shattuck and offers you the convenient chance to hang out in the Gourmet Ghetto area before, during, and after. And the Thursday timing fits my schedule and commute just right. As Toni mentions, this place is a bit on the small side, but the selection is good enough for me, and I enjoy the variety and the friendly neighbourhood vibe. Parking is also fairly straightforward if you know where to look. read more

Super convenient and well organized farmer's market - lots of neighborhood parking, easy to reach by public transit and loads of places to stash your bicycle. The vendors that compel me to return to this market - though it is not the closest weekend farmer's market for me - are RawDaddy (super delicious savory cones o'vegan goodness!), Phoenix Pastaficcio and the nice Asian ladies who sell piles of delicious mushrooms. I also adore the musicians who play there - there are usually 2-3 groups of musicians playing along this market with amazingly little auditory overlap - just proving you don't have to be obnoxiously amplified (*ahem* Temescal market!) to provide an enjoyable entertainment experience. read more

This is a small but lovely organic farmer's market. I might be wrong, but somehow I got the impression that their produce is slightly more expensive than the Tuesday market at Derby and MLK, and the Saturday main market at Center and MLK. Perhaps it's because they are CERTIFIED organic produce, and certification costs money, which falls upon the consumers. Or perhaps it's because of the undeniably exceptional, first-rate quality of their produce. I don't know. Nonetheless, this market has the MOST chill, relaxing and lovely ambience among all three in Berkeley. The North Berkeley Gourmet Ghetto location is wonderful - very tranquil, comforting and peaceful. I especially love to stroll here on a breezy, sunny spring or summer afternoon to buy veggies. It's got a warm neighborly vibe, and there are always toddlers and dogs playing on the grassy strip, musicians playing and people reading or chatting under the sun. Nice people, good vibes... So stop eating canned food and TV dinners and come here! Buy organic veggies. Soak in the lively atmosphere. Cook the vegetable as simply as possible to retain the original organic taste. For example, cook zucchini simply in a hot pan, and dress with just olive oil and vinegar (as opposed to smothering them in batter, deep frying them, and dunking them in heavy sauces). You won't know how DIVINE good-quality organic food taste until you try it. read more

North Berkeley Farmers' Market - Farmers Market Near Me - Berkeley, California

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OMG. I went fruit-bat-shit crazy at this farmers' market in Berkeley. I literally met fruits and veggies I never knew existed. Pluot? What _is_ that? I was flabbergasted. Peaches and pears and plums, oh my. So many varieties. There are tonnes of certified organic and local produce, baked goods, preserves, seafood, honey and more. I had a cross between a pretzel and a croissant. What is this place? The farmers market of Dr. Moreau? I love it. It's an amazing way to spend a sunny afternoon. Obligatory Title Pun: Catch some rays at this BERK du soleil. Menu Readability: No menus. Need to mention: Free samples! What this place teaches me about myself: I'm a simple man that is blown away by fruit hybrids. read more

Higher prices and less selection than the Farmer's Markets in Oakland and San Francisco, and those Farmer's Markets are already overpriced compared to the ones in other communities. I guess because most people who own homes in Berkeley are rich, they figure they can jack up the prices without anybody noticing. You can get practically anything you'd get here for quite a bit less about 10 minutes away at Berkeley Bowl West. read more

This is basically in front of my office. I come downstairs after work on Thursday and -poof- farmer's market. Unfortunately, I have a problem with too many choices and a distinct inability to tell one Peach from another, so farmer's markets to me are often brief exercises in absolute overwhelm. This market is small, but pretty complete. You can get fruit, veggies, baked goods, seafood, organic meats, the occasional jam or honey and there is always a tent with some yummy prepared food. The thing I like best is, well, everyone is happy. This is nothing like walking down a dark aisle of a grocery store pushing a cart full of canned goods. People are happier, perhaps because they are healthier, perhaps because they eat well, perhaps because they shop at a farmer's market! read more

This farmers' market is all organic, which means it can be a little more expensive. A large heirloom tomato can easily run you $6+, which for our family means that this is just an occasional treat. But if you've got the spare funds, that sun-ripened goodness is worth it! And there are deals to be had. Zucchini and squash tend to be a good price at most booths. At the end of the day, you can often get strawberries two-for-one or some other discount. The market's info stand boasts a fair lot of space for event fliers as well as reusable bags, canteens/water bottles, and t-shirts for sale. The friendly booth staff inform me that for people on food stamps, they have a match program where for every regular dollar token you buy up to $10 (the regular dollar tokens can be spent on anything), you get a free dollar token that can only be spent on fruits and veggies. What a great way to help nourish people! It's a laid-back atmosphere and there's a real sense of community. There's often a fiddler whose music fills the space with a lighthearted, hometown feel. Families eat together on a small plot of grass. We'll keep coming back as long as this market is around, which I hope will be for many, many years to come. read more

The perfect way to spend a Thursday afternoon: groping vegetables, sniffing fruit, sampling citrus and strawberries and convincing yourself that because it's a Farmer's Market the taquito and pastry you ate do not break your diet. I'm a HUGE fan of this particular market because it feel way more intimate tucked away at the foothill of the Berkeley hills and I feel like (personally) the veggie selection is fresher, albeit more expensive, than the Saturday markets. Located close to ATMs, really fun to chat with people here and learn about how lemons are supposed to be greenish and not fully yellow because that's Monsanto for ya. Also nice to see a million varieties of peaches and make important decision on which ones you'd want to spend close to 6 dollars a pound for. #lifechoices So yep. This is my market. read more

Picked up some potatoes, a head of cabbage, and lettuce for my upcoming meals and paid $3. Also grabbed a pint of chocolate Ici for $10. Will have to fit this into my Thursday routine so I can try some of the seafood, beef and poultry here. Yes, smaller than other farmers' markets but everything I needed today! read more

Just a small block of locally grown organic products! Wholesome goodness! There's this yogurt place there that makes REALLY good yogurt! There's a bakery there that's also super YUMMY! The fruits and veggies are all excellent! You can smell it's freshness a mile away! Life of a starving college student: if it wasn't so expensive, I would buy this stuff more often! read more

I LOVE this market. Love the location, the vibes, and the quality of food. The vendors all carry high-quality products and goodies. The sorbet people are amazing - they let you try every flavor :0) The best part is that there is butt-parking on the grassy knoll in the middle aisle of the market - perfect for people-watching and snacking. Check out Frog Hollow farms and the apple cider man! read more

My favorite farmers' market because of all the organic stuff. Never mind that this and many other farmers' markets are overpriced - why oh why should things cost so much more here? Is it what the market will bear? In spite of that I can find pesticide free gai lon and other asian veggies; fantastic real strawberries and other fantastic stuff. I usually walk though once and check what is available and the prices. I try to prioritize getting what is the most fresh and unavailable at the Bowl or other stores. read more

This is my tribe, this is where we go as a family to buy our veggies for the weekend ( Thursday a a very useful day for a farmers market). This is where we see our friends and build community and this is what I believe in. Plus its nestled between the drug store, the supermarket, the cheeseboard and the wine store, so you can really get everything you need walking. And its all organic, which is pretty good. Highland Hills meats, Hudson fish, Morells Breads, Bernies Cider..... and most important to me RIverdog and Catalan farms. There arent a lot of farms here, but I only need these two to follow the seasons and nourish my family. Lest I forget the kids always want to eat at Flaco's tacos. One interesting thing is that Michael Pollen - the national promoter of famers market eating, walks through the market each week, probably on his way from home to campus. Mysteriously he doesnt appear to buy anything except Eduardo Morells bed - which actually worth the visit because this is the only place to get it. read more

I love getting my fresh cow milk and yogurt here! You have to place a $1.50 deposit for the ceramic bottle and container though. If you come back frequently, you can the deposit back. I have never tasted anything better than the fresh ingredients that I can get here. I also love how it's so convenient to get cash from the CVS by using the cash back option if you forgot to bring cash. read more

This the best farmers market in the Bay Area because you get to meet real farmers and honest vendors. I will never go to another market because they are bringing the stuff from the Oakland distribution center and selling it as if they are growing the produce. I trust the Ecology Center and all the markets they manage. They are the very best! read more

From fresh Himalayan food to homemade jams, this farmer's market has it going on! I went here during a Saturday afternoon with a friend and had a great time walking around. The best part are the bakeries. There's so many of them and they have all these delicious pastries to choose from. One major plus: a lot of the baked goods are gluten free! Great for those who may have an allergy. This farmer's market is very generous with it's sampling as well. All of the produce stands that we went to offered "help yourself" samplings of the fruit the merchants were selling. During our visit, we got to taste test some cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, and a whole variety of peaches! Delicious. This farmer's market is a party in the mouth. The only downside is it's too small! I wish it had continued on for at least another block! What a great use of street space! read more

Just fantastic. Prezeled croissants, vegetarian mexican food, bagged mixed greens that cost the same as trader joe's, but last TEN DAYS and have so much flavor. Ici ice cream, fruit samples, kalamata olive bread, the most amazing jam you've ever had... and cheeseboard pizza down the street. I am SO THANKFUL I found this place. Lastly, local farmers selling their high quality, organic stuff. Fantastic. read more

This farmer's market is fairly small, but has a wonderfully cozy and welcoming environment. I do think that the prices for produce are very steep, though it's nice to be able to buy produce without having to make the trek down to Berkeley Bowl. Aside from produce, there's lots of local artisan treats, such as varying breads, yogurt, vegan Mexican cuisine, and jams/honey. Plus one star for Ici setting up a stand here. They don't carry all the flavors that they have in the store that day, so you just have to take your chances. But I've never encountered a bad flavor at Ici, so that's not really a problem. read more

This is the closest market to where I live, but I often get home from work too late to make it before they pack up. It is indeed much smaller than the other Berkeley markets, but most of my favorite farms from the Saturday market are at this one, too, so I try to come on Thursday if I know I'll be too busy on the weekend. There's a grassy strip in the middle of the section of the street that's closed off for this market, and there are often families sitting there, eating or playing with their little kids. Because it is smaller, and maybe also because it's toward the end of the week, this one also tends to be more low-key and slower-paced than the other markets. read more

As a devoted Saturday-morning farmer's market enthusiast, imagine my surprise upon stumbling into this wonderful evening market, and only days before I left the Bay for the season! The only thing better than a Berkeley Farmer's Market is TWO Berkeley Farmer's Markets, and the only thing better than two Farmer's Markets is two Farmer's Markets when THE SECOND ONE OFFERS ICE CREAM BY ICI. See you next Thursday- I'll be the one passed out from bliss-overload in a melting pool of Ici butter pecan. read more

The North Berkeley Farmers Market is an ALL organic market. Wonderful selection of offerings. All-star cast of farmers and vendors. As always, my go-to is RiverDog Farm! Best! read more

This is our first time at this farmers market, though it's been going for a few years now. I've never felt comfortable at the Saturday farmers market on Center Street and I figured I wouldn't here either. A couple of weeks ago we happened on Lone Oak Ranch at the Kaiser Oakland Friday farmers market and picked up a 10 lb bag of oranges for $7. We have one orange left and I decided to check whether Lone Oak was at this farmers market. It was, so we drove over shortly after they opened. It was smaller than I had expected, but a nice size. We went first to Lone Oak and bought a bag of navels (this one was $10, probably because there's a charge for the stall here) plus a few blood oranges and Cara Caras. They also had grapefruit, pomelos and tangerines. To our surprise they accepted credit cards. We wandered through the market. I bought a couple of artichokes to cook tomorrow night and tasted some strawberries that aren't yet sweet enough. OctoberFeast had a stall and we picked up a couple of pretzels and a couple of croissants. Frog Hollow Farms sold a variety of preserves and conserves, $8 apiece or 3 for $20. We bought 3 (I'm looking forward to the Meyer lemon marmalade) plus a pastry filled w/ a sweet risotto w/ currants. There was someone selling yogurt and several other bakeries. It was a nicely varied market and I think we'll shop there again. We lucked into an excellent parking space too. All in all a nice afternoon's outing. read more

North Berkeley Farmers Market on Thursdays is my favorite farmers market by far! It's from 3pm - 7pm, so it's perfect for no-early morning person like me. It's held in the gourmet grotto with Chez Panisse, Cheese Board and other great restaurants/shops. The organic produce and fruits at the market are of very high quality and fresher than the best grocery stores in Berkeley like Berkeley Bowl, Monterey Market, Whole Foods and Andronicos. Check it out to see it for yourself :) read more

I'm always amazed by oddly colored naturally occurring fruits and vegetables. I'm constantly asking questions like "what is this?" (i know it's a carrot, but a purple carrot? Are we in Oz? Do the snozberries taste like snozberries?) It gives me a comfort knowing that there is still variety that haven't been tampered with by geneticists in our food system. At this market, you can see this and more. Snacking galore! It's a great outing to stock up on things that are good for you and be out in the sun! read more

This is a review for the best organic sheep, cow, and goat cheese available locally--a regular at the market. I am from France, and so I grew up eating delicious cheese. Even by French standards, I'm a bit of a cheese snob. Upon moving to California ten years ago, I began my search for truly delicious local cheese. It took me years, but I eventually found ONE cheesemaker who makes cheese that tastes as delicious as I expect: Weirauch Farm & Creamery. Joel and Carleen, the cheesemaker and shepherdess, are the nicest people too, and they follow the highest standards for humanely raised animals (Animal Welfare Institute). I had a chance to visit their farm and was so pleased to see how happy and well cared for their sheep are. These sheep live on gorgeous free-range pasture, and they get to keep their lambs with them (unusual for farming). They get their organic cow and goat milk from small family dairies in Sonoma and Marin County. Also, if you like meat, be sure to try their lamb--it's the most tender lamb I have ever had the pleasure of tasting, and also the most mild-flavored, like an extra-tender extra-mild veal. Their produces are also available at the Saturday Berkeley's Farmers' Market on Center St. & MLK. read more

After watching Food, Inc., reading Michael Pollan's books, and listening to Michael Pollan speak, I've decided to give the whole Farmers' Market deal a try. I would have to say that this is the perfect place to start for any newbie. It's pretty small, but I got all that I needed for the weekend. I picked up a lot of gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, bread (vital vittles) and a crossiant from Ocktoberfest. I wish I had gotten some cheese, but the variety was very limited (only downer). The people are so friendly, helpful, and generous with their samples. Although my favorite is still the one at Lake Merritt every Saturday, this is the perfect place to make some friends, grab a bite of Ici, and run into my professors. Awkward!! read more

I love farmers' markets. I like buying straight from the grower, I love fresh fruits and veggies. This is a tricky location, however. The parking isn't great, and it is crawling with homeless people asking you to buy a 'Street Spirit.' --I don't want to be non-P.C. here, but being asked for spare change 5 times in 15 minutes makes me go to Andronicos, you know? I'm still giving a 4 stars, as I root for famers' markets in general, but the large one in Berkeley and esp. the one in S.F. are better managed. read more

This is a wonderful place to wander and laze around on a beautiful Thursday afternoon. I've attended a couple of times, and as a college student it might seem a little pricey, but there are definitely quality foods to be found! Nowadays, there aren't just fruit and veggie stalls, there are bakeries, fresh meats, seafood, and always a tent where you can grab a bite. I love the familial vibe and get ready to see some cute kids running around! Don't forget to bring a reuseable bag. They are always greatly appreciated. read more

Living in SF, i can easily go to the farmers markets out here, but for some reason i would rather go to this one! It is easy hop on bart, and you are there. I like this one better as opposed to the sf one because less crowded, usually nice and sunny, eco-friendly (come prepared with your own bags esp for your veggies and fruit). Some good food, and good people around. Great choice of organic foods, fruits and veggies! read more

I came across the farmers' market last Thursday and felt like I walked into a medieval festival. There were people playing music on the grass, and a small but sufficient selection of stands selling strawberries, peaches, cherries, avocadoes, jams, cheeses, meats. Got my daily dose of Vitamin C by eating samples. There was even a stand selling Ici's ice cream! Love this place. Even though it's walking distance from campus, being here is a nice getaway from the college-town feel. read more

Could you please provide a restroom? I have to ask several retail and grocery stores if they let me use their restroom. This is a hassle! They usually don't. I park in their space and I'm not even a customer. read more

Thursdays. It's a small market but all the basics are covered. The prices are not cheap but at least it's fresh and the people are friendly. About 20 produce stands, mostly all organic. Fresh fruits and greens, avocados, onions, herbs, fresh flowers. There are 2 or 3 bakery stalls, seafood, fresh eggs, local meats, greenpeace activists and a knife sharpener. There are only 2 stalls with prepared hot food; they both seem to be vegetarian but I never ordered so not sure exactly. Also, an Ici ice cream stand with a long line, just like the College Ave store. read more

I love Farmer's Markets. This is a great market to find a variety of stuff like pasta and breads too. I bought some stinging nettle tortellini and meyer lemon pasta. So Good! also got a couple of loaves of olive bread, it barely made it home. So fresh. Can't wait to come back. read more