Jan Power’s Farmers Markets

Hump Day markets, now there’s a fun idea! Every Wednesday this pocket of the Brisbane CBD transforms into a marketplace — brimming with fresh fruit, breads, meats, cheeses and hot food vendors.
There’s loads of fresh colours, smells and flavours to tempt your taste buds — so take a moment to do some solid scouting before committing to what you want to eat to avoid FOMO. There’s some really interesting vendors like a ‘goat pie guy’ (definitely would have been in on this if they had some hot ones when coming through), a fruit vendor that specialises in gorgeous raspberries and a deli serving up wonderful sheep’s milk feta.
I opted for chilli braised beef dumplings with sriarcha for breakfast… because I couldn’t think of a reason not to.
This market would be the perfect way to break up a work week and if you have the day off and can take a lazy look around, I’d highly recommend it.

You really can’t go wrong. Great selection of fruit, vege, and yummy treats to eat.
I haven’t actually had a bagel yet from Bagel Boys — but you better believe it’s on my list. I. Miss. Bagels. In my life. They look relish, but get there early — so popular they sell out! I went to get a bagel sandwich and missed out cuz it was late afternoon :(
There’s a little stand that does cinnamon sugar nuts (I got the almonds) and my goodness are they addictive! If they have the machine there to make them the scent alone will lasso you in and drag you over — that’s how they got me!
There are two fruit/​veg stands I typically check out towards the back. I’ve learned that if you go there reaaal close to closing they start dropping prices so they have less to pack up at the end of the night — so if you’re looking for some good deals, go later… but the selection of course isn’t as great as going earlier.
I’ve been here several times, and still feel like there’s heaps to try. Smoothies, teas, popcorn, chocolates, meats… I even bought coconut oil here!

We stopped by Jan Power’s Farmers Markets for breakfast this week.
It’s a wonderful food market. Lot’s of fresh fruit and veg. A smoked salmon stall, a couple of bakeries, some health food stalls. I recommended the stall that sells only raspberries.
There’s also a lot of ready to eat options — dumplings, fresh juices, a bagel stall. A great place to go for lunch as well as buy your weekly groceries.

A fresh food market right in the CBD? what could go wrong!
…Admittedly a lot
This market is one giant clusterfuck and I now avoid walking to/​from the city on Wednesdays because of it. Sure, it’s a great opportunity for city workers to chow down on fresh delicacies from around the world, but for anyone merely trying to get to point A and B it’s bascially a run of the gauntlet through a sea of inconsiderate people stopping in the middle of path, browsing with little sense of direction. ugh
Ps. chef Shun at Hanzo Japanese is sexy

Anyone on the budget?
I shopped at this markets for fruits and vegetables for every Wednesday. However, there are many other things you can check and there is a diversity of food cultures to offer in the heart of Brisbane City.
The store attendants are very friendly and they offer food tastings too!
Here is a good tip. If you are looking for great discounts, come around 4pm-​5pm for vegetables or fruits on sales. A bag of vegetables or fruits can be just for $ 1.
Jan Power’s Farmers Markets has become part of my weekly life. What a great thing!

I am so happy to be working back in the city and be able to frequent the Farmer’s Markets once again. I was super happy to find that the smoked salmon vendor is still there and couldn’t wait to tuck in. Staying true to my traditions of the past I grabbed a freshly baked brezel from the German Bakery and cup of Vintage Lemon Iced Tea to wash it all down.
I can’t wait till next Wednesday now that my old tradition is rebirthed thanks to a recent work relocation.

Gourmet salads, popcorn, goat pies oh my! Every time Wednesday rolls around, I get excited because I know that the Jan Power markets are going to be happening right around the corner from my office!
Situated very conveniently in the plaza across from Treasury Casino, the markets offer up an abundance of different fresh and prepared food items. My favorite stall has to be the gourmet salad stand which seems to be a regular at all of the major markets. For $ 10, you get a mixture of the 3 salads they have on hand that are chock-​full of nutritious ingredients topped off with a bit of hummus and chili. It’s called the «Energy Box» and boy let me tell ya it’s like getting a B12 shot straight to the gut. This fresh tasting salad is the ultimate pick me up for the afternoon doldrums.
Another office favorite is the Popcorn Man who serves up gluten free, butter free kettle corn. This addicting substance perfectly toes the fine line between salty and sweet. Every time I bring a bag back to the office, it’s gone within minutes. Sad to say though that cost pressures have had to drive the prices up on these things so the popcorn breaks have become rarer and rarer.
All in all, the markets provide a welcome respite from the normal daily work lunch. Come rain or shine (though mostly shine in Brisbane), the markets always prove to be something to look forward to in the middle of the work week.

I love a good market, and while I enjoyed this market it paled in comparison to the one I went to in Melbourne. Still, lots of samples and good eats. I had a chicken avocado and sun dried tomato sandwich on a bagel for $ 8. Not bad for Australia.

Well, its Wednesday at 4:22 pm. I’m not going to lie, I’m sitting at work thinking «Hell, if I need to sit here and clock in another half hour before I leave for the market, what else can I be doing? I know! I can write a review about the market!» Firstly, I love that this market is open until 6 pm or so. It gives me just enough time to rush over Wednesday evenings just in time to grab the last bits of Missy Mae’s produce, the last packet of salmon, a giant Turkish Pide bread, and maaaaaaaaaaybe some caramelized nuts from the roaster. Whether you’re in the mood for fresh ingredients to play around with in your own kitchen, or a quick snack or lunch midday, I highly recommend checking this place out. Freshly squeezed cane juice? Kettle corn? Assortment of fungi? Bagels? Organic coconut oil? They have it! All you need is a wallet of cash and your largest tote bag.

Not bad for markets in the city but I mainly come here for two reasons: (1) King of Cakes. Best German bakery I have found outside of Adelaide and (2) MyBerries — freshest and yummiest raspberries and strawberries you will ever taste. Expensive — but worth every cent and they last for well over a week (if I do not use them all that is!). Markets can be very crowded around lunchtime so try going before or after the rush.

absolutely love these markets. From the hand made miniature cakes to fruit and veges, there is a little bit of something for everyone here. Get here early to avoid the disappointment of coming back and realizing that those yummy macaroons or cakes have been sold out. The smell wafting from these markets are worth the visit, i’m yet to try the Paella but it always looks and smells great. the fresh baked breads and pastries are a must as well.

Legitimate awesomeness served up in the middle of the CBD every Wednesday, this market sits firmly at the top of the «why it would be awesome to live in Brisbane» list. Not only can you stock up on fresh local produce, herbs, bread, pasta, seafood, meat, and ahem, brownies, that you can take home and enjoy later, but there’s a splattering of food stalls serving up deliciousness all around you.
In the past I’ve been a sucker for the mushroom+avocado glory (you’ll know it when you see it) but this time we sauntered over to a stall called Nom Noms (for good reason) and tucked into some amazing fresh salads involving beetroot, quinoa, celery, walnuts, hummus, sweet potato cakes and more. City workers, you’re truly spoiled on a Wednesdayly basis and I, for one, am completely jealous.

A fantastic market in the middle of the CBD. A lot of the same stalls, with a few that pop in and out on occasion. Highlights are the German Bakery, the Bagel guys (try a poppyseed Reuben), the fresh pasta and of course the fresh fruit and vegetables.
The only cons I can think of are the double ups of stalls (sometimes four different vegetable stalls, all selling the same things) and the crowds at lunch time.
If you’re in the city on a Wednesday and you’re not going here for lunch, then you’re doing yourself a great disservice.

In one arm I am cradling three bagels — one Reuben, two B.R.A.Ts — and clasping a litre of apple cider. In the other hand I am clutching at two paper bags filled to bursting with jam donuts and another full of the life-​giving substance now known as meat bread. This is the inevitable outcome of our weekly office excursions to the Jan Power Farmer’s Markets in Reddacliff Place.
On Mondays and Tuesdays my colleagues and I umm and ahh. Will it be sushi, again, or dirty burgers from up the road? By Thursday and Friday we are generally broke and opting for the slightly squashed salad we’ve brought in from home. But on Wednesday there is no debate. Wednesday is market day.
The worst thing about the market is you are spoiled for choice. Will it be bagels, felafels, fresh baked organic breads or will you throw sensibility out the window and opt for a desert-​only lunch time feast, filled with cupcakes and French pastries?
The good thing is whatever you choose you can be assured that it will be fresh and delicious and have you coming back week after week for more.

Call me ironic, call me a hippy, call me whatever you want but I for one find immense enjoyment shopping at farmers markets. Usually with my tote bag over my shoulder, a camera (yes! I’m on of THOSE people) and a coffee I’m blissfully happy wandering through market stalls and left to my own devices to discover farm fresh produce, baked goods, fresh flowers and more. The wares for sale have a story and I’m keen to listen. Jan Power’s, a name synonomus in Brisbane for the quality of their farmers markets, newest addition in Brisbane’s Raddacliff place on a Wednesday is no exception. For one, it was the first place I was able to find Kale. Amongst the many urban workers who flock to this market weekly you can find a trove of market treasures including $ 10 bunches of flowers, $ 2 pots of herbs to plant, steaming fresh bagels and more. If you seek an escape from the cubicle farm make this one you mark on your diary!

This market is a great idea! They should’ve started doing this years ago. Squares like the one this market is held in are really designed for community events and happenings, and yet so often they stand empty and tend to look a little desolate. On Wednesdays, the grey expanse at the top of the Queen Street Mall becomes home to the Queen Street Farmers Market and you can just see the business crowd loving the opportunity to buy something fresh and different for lunch. If you eat dinner early they’ll still be open when you’re after an after-​work meal and you’ll be in for a bargain.
There is lots of fresh produce at these markets and it’s wonderful to be able to get your hands on some decent fruit in the city without breaking the bank or ending up with a container of soggy fruit salad. As well as fruit and vegetables, there are snack foods like cakes, pies, pretzels, and juice. The atmosphere here is very pleasant and adds a buzz to this often very corporate-​feeling end of the city. Between these markets and the Suitcase Rummage that is also held here, this square is beginning to get a bit of soul. These markets are very popular and I think that’s a sign of their quality and how much the people of Brisbane want to see events like this in our city.

By rights this should be an over priced touristy nightmare. Somehow it’s managed to avoid that, and instead is a great little ‘farmers market’. I’ve added the ‘inverted commas’ because there’s not just fresh produce for sale. You can also buy some great prepared food options (try and resist the smell of German bratwurst, just try!) and take home little sweet treats for sugar addicted husbands (surely I’m not the only person with one of those?)
I’ve stopped packing my lunch on a Wednesday and just given in to reality. I’m going to buy something tasty and probably fatty and enjoy the crap out of it. Oh, and I’ll also buy some great fruit that’s heaps fresher and half the price of those dinky little fruit vans that are everywhere.

Years ago, back when I was a young girl living in the Brisbane Western suburbs, I would visit the Farmer’s markets that were held at a local school. These markets were held once a month and my father and I hardly missed one. So you can imagine how sad I was when we herd the news that the market got cancelled! Luckily for me, I now have the Queen Street Markets to go every Wednesday!
The Queen Street Markets are a gourmet food lovers dream! Here, you can buy all kinds of things like French patisserie, fine cheese, smocked meats, dips and so on. Like every good market, you will find stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetable produce too. There are also plenty of hot food stalls such as the German Sausage and Cornish Pasties stall which makes coming to these markets a great alternative to eating lunch at the food court. You have to come here with extra cash though as these markets are not the cheapest and there will always be something that you HAVE to buy.
The only downside to these markets would be the times, not everyone can head to the markets on a Wednesday, I am assuming there are complications to holding the markets on a weekend.
The Queen Street markets are a godsend and I hope they never leave.

If I worked in the city, I would look forward to Wednesdays with almost feverish anticipation. That’s when the Jan Power’s Farmers Markets move into Brisbane Square for the day. The square becomes a hive of activity– people from all over the 4000 seem to gravitate there. It’s quite a big market that’s been stuffed into a fairly small space and so it’s always overflowing with people trying to get to the food stuffs in the inner quadrants of the market maze.
You’ll find a yummy lunch here for a variety of places, maybe the German Sausage hut, maybe from French Sin– the ridiculously tasty looking bakery selling, you guessed it, french bakery treats. You might want to pick up some exquisitely fresh looking fruit and vegetables. You might want to try pâté’ for the first time. If you’re over all this healthy stuff, you could hit up the popcorn man, or the sweets man just behind him. Cheese? Sure! They’ve got it all.
This is strictly a food market, and it’s all the better for it. Because a lot of the food sold is packaged, preserved or processed (not in the bad way), the prices for food stuffs can be higher than you’d expect. The raw stuff, your fruit and veggies, are usually of a reasonable price. You can graze through these markets quite happily in a lunch break and then get back to your business. The Jan Power’s Farmers Markets put the Brisbane Square to excellent use here and give the city a much needed boost of fun and excitement.
The Jan Power’s Farmers Markets always at Brisbane Square on a Wednesday, and then they travel out to the Powerhouse, Mitchelton, and Stones Corner on the weekends on a rotating calendar (see website for details).

If you’re into your food, then every Wednesday at the top of the Queen Street Mall is a beyond-​delicious Farmer’s Market.
I’m not a massive foodie (I only eat ‘cos I’d die if I didn’t) but this market is seriously impressive. First of all my nostrils were assaulted (in the nicest way possible) by the smell of German sausages cooking, then it was the divine scent of stall selling fresh, juicy mangoes.
I walked past stalls selling local produce like fruit and veg; seafood; bunches of colourful, fresh gerberas for $ 5; gourmet pizzas; freshly squeezed orange juice and organic yoghurts — to name a handful. Oh, and something called a «Potato Slinky». And it is exactly what it sounds like — a potato somehow sliced into a shape like a slinky, and stuck on a stick for you to eat.
And while I was there, I sampled everything from melt-​in-​your-​mouth brownies, to yoghurt, and macadamia nuts that were being cooked right in front of me (I had to buy a large tub — steep at $ 12 but worth it).
It was such a fun experience, it almost made me want to learn to cook. I said almost.