Farmer’s Markets

San Francisco Ferry Building

Whether you live in the Bay Area or are visiting, there are few better ways to sample and savor the terroir of Central California than visiting the farmer’s market held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at the San Francisco Ferry Building. Once you have sampled fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat and other foods that have been harvested in the last few hours rather than the last few days or weeks, you will realize how much flavor, texture and nutritional value are lost by the time most food makes it to supermarket shelves. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is a California-certified farmer’s market operated by the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA,) a non-profit organization.

It is widely regarded as one of the best farmer’s markets in the country and local chefs can be seen shopping for the freshest ingredients for their menus. Around 25,000 people shop at this market when it is open, buying a wide range of different goods, including:

  • Fruits and vegetables from area farms and orchards
  • Fresh herbs
  • Flowers
  • Organically and ethically raised meats
  • Fresh eggs (once you’ve had fresh eggs for breakfast, it will be difficult to eat mass produced eggs again)
  • Artisanal cheeses, baked goods, jams and preserves
  • A world of authentic ethnic cuisines from area restaurants

In addition, shoppers can also attend and/or participate in educational programs, such as:

  • Cooking demonstrations using fresh ingredients from the market
  • Farm tours, so that shoppers know precisely where their food comes from and how it was made/raised.
  • Cooking classes
  • Panel discussions
  • Teacher resources for educating the next generation of savvy shoppers about proper nutrition and the importance of buying and eating local foods
  • Other useful, practical and cool demonstrations

The Ferry Building is located on San Francisco’s Embarcadero on the waterfront of San Francisco Bay. If you’re visiting the Bay Area, you’re probably going to end up down here anyway, as there are lots of cool things to see and do in addition to the more kitschy touristy stuff. Market hours run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Bring walking shoes, an extra layer or two and reusable shopping bags but don’t bring the dog unless it is a service animal, as state law prohibits dogs where food is made and sold. So get down there, support local farmers and artisans and get ready to have a great time and eat well. Bon appétit!