Heading off to a farmers market in Los Angeles is a surefire way to get local-grown produce at great prices. If you’re looking for a Saturday farmers market that will help you find quality produce, start the search in your own neighborhood. Many local neighborhoods have their own cultures, as well as their own farmers market, which is an important thing to consider when you move to LA.
Want to find a Los Angeles farmers market to browse, shop, and even sell at? Check out these tips, locations, and more.
The Best Los Angeles Farmers Markets
Every Los Angeles farmers market is filled with high-quality produce, vibrant flowers, fresh-baked pastries, and plenty of other surprises around every corner. Here’s a list of popular Los Angeles farmers markets in the area’s key neighborhoods.
The Original Farmers Market
You can find the Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax. Monday through Saturday, it’s open from 9 a.m .to 6 p.m. On Sunday, it’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Can’t make it out yourself? This farmers market offers delivery options that will bring gourmet food items directly to your door.
Here, you’ll find everything from specialty artisan pastries to poultry, pies, nuts, and more. Check out local businesses while you’re there. There’s an amazing barbershop where you can get a haircut. Also, kick back and relax while you take in the incredible local scene. Want to learn more? Visit the website to check out the incredible array of vendors.
- Farmers Market Website: Original Farmers Market
Hollywood Farmers Market
Hollywood Farmers Market is located on NE Hancock between 44th and 45th Avenues. It’s open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The vendors offer a wide array of booths with fruits and vegetables, honey, nuts, herbs, plants, baked goods, and poultry and seafood items. You can even find hot breakfast and lunch items offered by many of the vendors.
- Farmers Market Website: Hollywood Farmers Market
Lloyd Farmers Market
Lloyd Farmers Market is open year-round on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Here, you’ll find fantastic produce and fresh local meat at any time of the year. You’ll also find cheese, milk, eggs, and a host of unique products.
Online preorders make it possible for you to shop this bustling farmers market ahead of time. Then you can pick up your goods quickly when the day arrives. Lloyd Farmers Market focuses on making healthy, high-quality foods available to shoppers direct from local farmers and businesses.
- Farmers Market Website: Lloyd Farmers Market
Santa Monica Farmers Market
Santa Monica Farmers Market offers an array of entertainment opportunities as well as a great shopping experience. Every market day, you can find vendors offering plenty of fresh produce, meat, and dairy products. Also, you’ll find plenty of special events, including cooking demonstrations and “ask the chef” sessions complete with professional chefs. This farmers market is a great way to spend a day with your family. Shop near the ocean and take in the incredible atmosphere of the area.
- Farmers Market Website: Santa Monica Farmers Market
Brentwood Village Farmers Market
Located at 741 S. Gretna Green Way, the Brentwood Village Farmers Market takes place on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. At this exciting market, you’ll find yogurt, fresh fish, cheese, dips and broth, and even an array of pantry staples on top of the usual meat and produce options. For many Los Angeles residents, this is a one-stop shopping trip that makes it easy to take an incredible array of vendors. The Brentwood Village Farmers Market has an amazing atmosphere, making it a great place for your weekly shopping run.
- Farmers Market Website: Brentwood Village Farmers Market
Venice Farmers Market
At the Venice Farmers Market, located at Venice Boulevard and Venice Way, you’ll find a smaller community of vendors eager to come together and share information with shoppers. Vendors will engage with you in conversation, sharing recipes, gardening tips, and more in this incredible little farmers market. It’s open on Fridays from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Farmers Market Website: Venice Farmers Market
Century City Farmers Market
If you’re looking for a mid-week opportunity to pick up the produce you didn’t get over the weekend, the Century City Farmers Market delivers. This Los Angeles farmers market is also a great choice if you’re eager to get out and let someone else take care of the cooking for you. Visit food vendors who use fresh produce and other fantastic local items to cook up incredible local dishes. Check it out on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1800 Avenue of the Stars.
- Farmers Market Website: Century City Farmers Market
Echo Park Farmers Market
Echo Park Farmers Market, located at 1125 Logan Street, runs on Fridays between 3 and 7 p.m. There, you’ll find a greater focus on produce alone than you’ll usually find in a farmers market. Eco Park focuses on providing visitors with a wide array of produce instead of the crafts and other items you often find in other farmers markets.
- Farmers Market Website: Echo Park Farmers Market
Pro Tip: Call to confirm the schedule near the holidays.
If you’re planning to visit a farmers market in Los Angeles, especially around a holiday or if you suspect there’s some reason for it to be closed, call ahead to find out! Farmers market hours are subject to change, and you want to be sure you arrive at a great time to take advantage of local-grown items.
Throughout the Los Angeles area, you’ll find farmers markets in many different neighborhoods. Ask for local recommendations! You never know when you’ll find a new favorite place to take care of your shopping, or even just a great new place to spend a few hours each week.
How Do You Become a Los Angeles Farmers Market Vendor?
The first step to becoming a Los Angeles farmers market vendor is knowing if your hobbies or your side hustle align with the venues. Do you have amazing produce that you want to sell? What about incredible baked goods, which you regularly make in bulk, that you’re ready to start selling in the community? Do you make incredible crafts or put together stunning homemade jams, relishes, or dips? If so, follow these key steps to get started:
1. Gain Access to a Certified Commercial Kitchen to Make Your Food Products
If you’re going to sell food items in California, you need to make them in a certified commercial kitchen. This includes any food items sold at a farmers market.
2. Do Your Research on the Los Angeles Farmers Markets You Prefer
You want to make sure you’re choosing a Los Angeles farmers market where your line will thrive. Take the time to visit each market you’re considering. Choose the one where the atmosphere, shoppers, and price range best fit your needs. If you’re selling luxury jams and jellies, for example, you may want to choose a farmers market geared toward a wealthier population than if you’re selling basic pastries on weekday mornings. You also want to know about any rules specific to individual farmers markets. This could determine where, when, and what you can sell.
3. Apply to the California Farmers Market Association
The California Farmers Market Association (CFMA) governs who can apply as a vendor to many California farmers markets. The CFMA may assign you to a specific market or give you markets to choose from, based on your preferences. You can ask for acceptance to a specific market, but the CFMA will not guarantee your acceptance.
4. Apply for Necessary Health Permits
To sell food items, you must have health permits and food handling certifications.
5. Purchase Auxiliary Items
Remember, you’ll need to set up an attractive stall to entice visitors and encourage them to try the items you have to offer. Do not purchase tables, chairs, awnings, or other equipment until you get your acceptance. But do the research ahead of time so that you know what items you want to buy when you’re ready to get moving.
It can take time to get approved as a vendor for a California farmers market. But it’s well worth the time and effort, especially if you’re looking to expand your reach or sell the products you’re already making in a new way. Take the time to do your research, and then dive in! You’ll find that a Los Angeles farmers market is a great place to work and interact with new customers.
Tips for Making the Most of Your Los Angeles Farmers Market Trip
Are you heading out for an incredible day of shopping at a local farmers market? Follow these tips to ensure that you’re able to make the most of your trip.
1. Plan Ahead
No, you can’t know what amazing things you’re going to find as you browse the stalls or stroll through the stores. But just as with any grocery shopping trip, you should think ahead to what you plan to buy. Make sure you consider:
What Do You Plan to Cook This Week?
The great thing about fresh produce is that it’s fresh, healthy, and ready to cook! The not-so-great thing about fresh produce is that it won’t last forever. Take a look at the week ahead and plan some of your meals ahead of time, whether you’re in the mood for mini grilled chicken taco bowls or you’re thinking about making farmers market fritters or a lovely farmers market salad.
By planning ahead, you can go and pick up fresh food that you and your family will be sure to consume throughout the week.
How Do You Carry Your Purchases at a Farmers Market?
Taking your own bags or baskets with you can help you cut down on waste as you pick up the items you need during your Los Angeles farmers market excursion. Be sure to take along separate bags for meat and produce. If you’re planning to buy items that bruise easily, you may want to make sure that you bring along an extra, more structured bag just for them.
Also, consider how you’re going to get all that gorgeous, fresh food home. Those bags can get heavy quickly, so consider a wheeled cart if you know you’ve got a long walk ahead of you with numerous items.
How Do You Avoid Buying Too Much at a Farmers Market?
You just couldn’t resist those gorgeous tomatoes or that fantastic-looking bag of peaches. Unfortunately, those items won’t last forever. Do your research ahead of time and choose a few recipes, including salads, pies, and soups, that will allow you to use up any produce left over at the end of the week.
Should I Shop for Seasonal Produce at a Farmers Market?
Farmers market produce changes along with the seasons. You may also notice seasonal shifts in other types of wares. The meat and fish that are available change from month to month, as will the pastries made by your favorite chef. Get to know your growing seasons in Los Angeles, including when you can expect to see an influx in certain types of produce, and plan your shopping accordingly. By eating seasonal produce, you’ll get to try out a wide array of different food options and experiment with new recipes. Not only that, but you may also just notice that your shopping trips become far less expensive when you focus on local-grown, seasonal items.
How Can You Pay at a Farmers Market?
Most farmers market vendors take credit cards, but not all of them do! If you want to make the most of your Los Angels farmers market trip, make sure you take along cash for your shopping. You may want to take small bills to reduce the time needed to make change, especially on a busy market day.
2. Choose Your Timing
What time of day should you head to the farmers market? The answer is, it depends. If you’re looking for the best selection of produce, fresh meats, and other products, make sure you go early. Then, you won’t have to worry that other shoppers have already picked over the available products before you get there.
If you’re looking for the best deals, on the other hand, think about wandering by at the end of the day. The best time for haggling is when many of the vendors are packing up their wares. Most vendors are eager to avoid taking perishables home at the end of the market, so they’ll be more willing to make you a good deal!
3. Check out What Each Vendor Has to Offer, Especially in Terms of Pricing
You don’t have to make a purchase as soon as you walk up to a stall. If you’re on a tight budget or trying to plan a meal based on what’s available around the farmers market, you may want to consider shopping around before you decide on a purchase. On the other hand, if you see a perfect product, whether it’s a gorgeous pastry you just can’t resist or a specific produce deal that you can’t turn down, snatch it up! Someone else may think it’s an irresistible deal, too.
4. Try Something New
Do you really want to make the most out of your farmers market trip? Commit to trying out something new each time you visit, especially when you visit a new farmers market for the first time. Check out that produce item that you don’t recognize or have been wary about trying in the past. Visit a vendor’s stand and try out a new kind of jam or jelly. Explore the meal options available.
You never know when you’ll find a new farmers market staple to fall in love with! Even better, since the available produce at the farmers market will change by the seasons, you’ll find an ever-changing array of options every time you go.
Pro Tip: Talk to the Vendors
If you don’t know how to prepare a specific item or aren’t sure what it will go well with, ask! Most vendors are very well-informed about their wares, and they’ll be eager to teach you exactly what to do with them. Also, they might provide samples of unfamiliar items.
5. Take Your Time
If you’re planning to run in, grab the items you need, and run right back out again, a traditional grocery store run might be your best bet. A farmers market trip is an experience. You’re not just there to shop! You can:
- Chat with the vendors
- Pick up new skills through demonstrations
- Try out samples
- Have a meal at a vendor cart
- Explore the entertainment available at a specific market
- Soak in the atmosphere
- Explore new food opportunities
Los Angeles offers a rich cultural arena where you can learn about new types of cooking and foods and try them out. If you’ve got time to enjoy your local farmers market, you’ll find that you can do so much more than just grabbing your produce and leaving. In many cases, it’s an opportunity to learn or try something new that you might never have explored before.
6. Think Outside the (Produce) Box
Each Los Angeles farmers market has much more than just produce. Farmers markets are an amazing place to find the freshest seasonal produce from local farmers, but they offer so much more than produce alone. As you’re putting together your shopping list or thinking about your meals for the week, think about other purchases you need to make. Take into consideration the other things that your farmers market may have to offer and how you can incorporate them into your meal planning. You may want to consider things like:
Bread
Almost every Los Angeles farmers market has sandwich bread, breakfast pastries, muffins, and more. Look for a Los Angeles farmers market with vendors who are eager to sell those bakery products.
Meats
Often, you’ll find meat straight from local farms. You can buy meat by the cut and pound, just like you would in the grocery store. Alternatively, you can make arrangements with the farmer to buy an entire animal so that you can fill your freezer and enjoy that meat all season long.
Fish
Locally sourced, fresh-caught fish straight from a Los Angeles farmers market is a great way to fill up your fridge and enjoy a tasty treat.
Dairy
Yogurt, cheese, and milk can all be found at the occasional Los Angeles farmers market, often at better deals than you can find in your grocery store. Not only that, but it’s also fresher. You may even get a chance to try out some cheeses that you would never have tried on your own.
Eggs
Farm-fresh eggs add an extra depth of flavor to many of your favorite dishes. So try them first in meals that feature eggs as the primary ingredient, like when you scramble up a few eggs, make an omelet, or put together a farm-fresh casserole.
Herbs
You find vendors who will sell you fresh herbs, adding that great fresh flavor to all of your dishes. You might just be able to find vendors selling organic herb plants that you can grow for regular use in your own kitchen.
Flowers
Brighten your own home or bring something home for that special someone in your life.
7. If You Have the Storage Space, Buy Ahead!
If you have empty storage space, including a deep freezer or a place to keep canned products, consider buying ahead and preserving your food (and if you need more space, rent a cheap storage space nearby). By buying in bulk at your local Los Angeles farmers market during peak seasons, you can find a great selection of produce at a lower price than you can usually buy many of those items. Take a look at when peak season for your favorite fruits and vegetables occurs. Then set aside a few days for canning and preserving. You’ll get to keep enjoying those fruits and vegetables all year long — and get a deal on them in the process!
Each Los Angeles farmers market is an important part of the local culture and history. If you’re living in the Los Angeles area or you’re just there to visit, then take the time to check out some fresh local foods, connect with local farmers, and soak in the atmosphere. You’ll be amazed by the options available, and it could just become a regular part of your routine.
