Horsefeathers Building & Winter Market

Much has changed since I first reviewed this place back in 02/​13, great things have happened. Since my first visit Martin Cooks has taken over the front space, where the market was first contained and some permanent vendors have moved in, including Michelle’s Carbbiean Cusine which I have heard great things about but have yet to try. Just today I heard another permanent vendor is moving in, the small room right next to Martin Cooks.
Many more vendors have joined this market, many that were not part of it when I first went and since then I am now frequently visiting the market and getting a few goods.
As previously indicated the market is very similar to the Elmwood-​Bidwell Market so I am still not sure what happens in the summer. However that being the case means the vendors are small/​local and put great care into their products.
A few of my favorites are the Biscotti Everybotti, the Bread Hive, Public Espresso. Blue Table Chocolates and the Betty Crockski food truck and of course love Arrowhead Vineyards. I do like that a variety of the vendors seem to rotate in and our periodically as I have seen a few different liquor vendors come in and out as Buffalo goes through its distillery renaissance.
I don’t want to give it a full 5 stars till I see what happens this summer. I’m still curious to see what vendors remain or if it even operates in the warmer months.

If you’re sick of being yelled at by birds, this is the place to come. The only birds allowed inside and within the vicinity, are birds who are «all yelled out» and whose voices have been affected by aforementioned yelling. Which is exactly why they call it «Hoarse Feathers».
There’s some fun stuff in here, but yes it is mostly overpriced. However there is a gem in here and that gem is named Michelle’s Caribbean Cuisine. The Doubles are absolutely incredible, and they will set you back a whopping… er… $ 2. One of them is fairly filling, 2 would fill you up even when hungry, three would busy your bellito. You must try Michelle’s because otherwise they will eventually disappear and I will have to drive 7 hours to eat f***ing Doubles again (Brooklyn).
I used to enjoy being tickled during playtime but lately it seems like all the girls (and especially guys) in the area are using «Coarse Feathers» for the tickling. And that’s just irritating. Literally. As in a rash develops. It must be because of this place. They’re famous for selling aforementioned Coarse Feathers.
What is also inside here is Martin Cooks. I’ve never tried it because I’m priced out of everything other than the grilled cheese, and I’ve heard awful things about the grilled cheese, and I don’t even like grilled cheese. One thing I will say though is that you should enter from the side door unless you are heading to Martin Cooks. Otherwise the Cookies at Marties tend to stare at you in a way that says «if you’re not coming to my place, you’re not welcome in this building.»
If you want to be arrested for public indecency, this is the place to make it happen. That’s why they call it «Intercourse Feathers.»
Also I should tell you the place looks really cute. It’s rustic and old and brown (I’m probably using those words wrong, except for brown), and it’s a nice alternative to the Walden Galleria. Except it’s nothing like the Walden Galleria in any way whatsoever. Except for being overpriced. And in WNY. And with lots of people being arrested for the kind of PDA that would make your Tablet turn into a SatNav.
Dash. Dash. Dot dot dot. Beep beep. Dash dash. Feather. Dash dot dash. Feather. Beep beep.
What was that, you’re asking?
Morse Feathers.

Horsefeather’s Market provided a pleasant reprieve from the winter doldrums as I enjoyed the drive into the city each Saturday to visit and support my favorite vendors including Plato Dale Farm, Alpine Made, Boston Valley Gourmet Mushrooms, Arrowhead Springs Vineyards and many more! It offers a vibrant atmosphere and a true gem amid the renaissance taking place on the West Side of Buffalo.

Well, I hate to admit it but apparently I was living under a rock this winter because it was just this past week (first weekend in April) that I finally ventured to this fabulous «winter» market!
I honestly was not too sure what to expect but it was pretty darn cool! I have been wanting to explore this part of town a bit more and alas, I was able to do just that! Horsefeathers is a cool destination — my favorite thing at the market was Public Espresso and Coffee. I was a little foolish though and jumped the gun, buying coffee at the first place I saw coffee available: Chow Chocolat. I walked a little further and saw Public Espresso! Well, being the coffee addict I am, I thought to myself (as I often do) there is no such thing as too much coffee and got a cup of Joe at Public! I am excited to head back to the market soon to grab more Public coffee!
Other features included baked goods, soup, Chinese food, apples, beer, soap, cheese, and a goat — plus more! I look forward to eating at Martin Cooks and for other vendors to come in as well. Great spot, I recommend people check it out for great local vendors!

This place gets 5 stars simply because it there’s no other place to find all my favorite farmers at once! Plato Dale is serving up some great beef, and organic fruit and vegetables you don’t often even see in organic, let alone in Buffalo.
T Meadow is of course there with pork and eggs, Green Heron with their famous mushrooms and beef, the list goes on and that’s not even considering the folks that call Horsefeathers their home all year round.
I’m so excited Buffalo has embraced making space for our farmers in the cold winter months and it’s been a regular stop for me ever since «farmers market season» ended in the fall!

Going in I thought it would be bigger with more fresh produce, kind of like as if you took a summer farmers market street and transported it inside. Actually, I don’t know why I expected lots of fresh produce as crazy snow was coming down outside. I also expected more places to sit, so you could enjoy your fancy coffee and muffins. Overall how can you complain it is way better then staying home.

The Good: lively atmosphere. local vendors. vegan /​organic /​grass fed options. friendly staff. varied stands (food, wine, soaps). couple restaurants upstairs. rehabilitated venue.
The Bad: On the smaller side, slightly cramped.
Bottom Line: Nice venue to check out some local farmers /​vendors and grab a bite to eat at the same time.

A bit of a lazy morning… so we didn’t get over to the Winter Market until a few minutes after 1pm. Most of the seasonal vendors were shutting down, but no fear… the few small in residence storefronts had plenty for us to taste and buy. We started at Jolie’s, where we purchased two dozen homemade Chinese dumplings, and then 2 shrimp egg rolls, which were made just that morning. We sat at a high table just outside of the store and ate the egg rolls. Yum! Then over to the Pasta Peddler… scored a pound of spinach raviolis, and a small taste of a chocolate cherry cupcake… just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. The cupcakes in the case looked great. Our last stop was at Martin Cook’s take away store. The woman behind the counter was great, explaining in delicious detail all the things the store offered. We ended up with some black truffle salt… which they were featuring on popcorn, some interesting bacon, cashew, chili bark, a little chub of lemon white chocolate cookie dough that we can slice and bake at home, a little jar of encapsulated olive oil, can’t wait to try a spoon of this on some goat cheese crostini… and last but not least a savory cheesecake with blood orange marmalade which are just about to enjoy with some crackers and wine. They had other homemade soups and stews, which I’ll be back to try. Great way to spend a lazy Saturday in Buffalo with my love.

*Revising since the snow has largely melted. But beware if you drive here after a snowfall that the snow may be pushed into the street making it all very dicey walking.
Get the street plowed in front of your building. Your sidewalk plows seems to put it in the street making the parking even harder than it usually is. It’s been a few days since the major snowfall. It’s very dangerous.

Horsefeathers market brings a number of specialty cafes and restaurants together, and even provides indoor space for local growers and producers to sell their products — whether it be organic eggs, or organic apple cider, you can find the best of the best — and healthier choices in this marketplace.
The restaurants and cafes are also very niche and specialized, providing high quality choices at a gourmet level.
Spend a few hours investigating the West Side Resurgence, and make Horsefeathers part of your must visit list!

Super cool concept and a plus for the area. I cant wait to see what comes in next!

If I could rate with letter ratings rather than number ratings, Horsefeathers Winter Market would receive a capital M for, «MEH!» In describing itself, HWM alludes to the now-​closed Elmwood-​Bidwell Market, not explicitly but certainly implicitly billing itself as an up-​and-​coming seasonal replacement capable of carrying Buffalonians through inclement weather.
In one respect, it certainly does resemble Elmwood-​Bidwell. That is, prices do certainly veer towards the ridiculous. Organic vegetables to make Danny Wegman blush. $ 8 a pound for bacon. $ 1.50/pound bacon clogs my arteries just fine, thank you.
In another aspect, it doesn’t much resemble Elmwood-​Bidwell at all. While E-​B and even the midday market on Main Street Thursdays in the summer boast all manner of veggies in addition to bakeries, butcheries, cheese mongers, and so forth, HWB’s significant space constraints have imposed limits on the number of each of these merchants and the variety and quantity of products they can offer. In the case of produce in particular, availability of lettuce, apples, carrots, berries, beans, etc., the low margin-​type items you would certainly find in abundance at E-​B or on Main Street, were absent while likely high margin items like baby pumpkins, turnips of crazy colors, and so forth were well represented. As was ludicrously expensive bacon.
Despite space constraints, the number of zany item peddlers was high. As soon as you walk past Martin Cooks, the first table of the whole market belonged to a lady selling gourmet dog treats. Woof. Lined adjacent to her was a biscotti specialists. Elsewhere were all-​natural soaps, WNY wines, and so forth. I would sum up the total bunch of products as ranging from merely expensively unnecessary to utterly frivolous, to virtually useless. In other words, I don’t think that anyone, regardless of income, could accomplish any amount of shopping that would allow them to eat like a human over the ensuing week.
Then what use the Horsefeathers Winter Market? Well, I guess that it’s better to have it than to not have it. I do suppose that it is something someone could point at and say, «Ah-​ha!» in a suitably snobby way. I speculate that the Horsefeathers Winter Market is a device for the building owners to drive the brand of their building, to help drive up interest in the building, prices for apartments therein.
My advice? Give us some more veggies, fruits. Exchange your biscotti maker for a baker or two. Heck, since it’s a winter market, get a maple syrup salesman or two in there. But as is, I can’t fathom a reason to return.

Whoa. I heard about this market last year and never made it, but finally visited this past weekend. Walking up to the building I thought it resembeled Chelsea Market in NYC. When I got inside it was the perfect Buffalo version of it!
I haven’t been to Martin Cooks yet but the restaurant space was beautiful. The permanent stores in the market are nicely organized and display their products nicely. It’s a bit crowded everywhere, but there is just so much good stuff!
The vegetable vendors were great. I bought some GORGEOUS tuscan kale, only $ 3! I also sampled a dumpling at Jolie’s and bought a frozen package to take home. Downstairs is similarly crowded but packed to the brim with goodies. The goat milk soaps have an amazing scent. I can’t wait to try them out. The owner told me they are so moisturizing you don’t have to use lotion after a shower… even in winter!
Downstairs there were also a few meat vendors along with Chow Chocolat and some folks making espresso and pour over coffees… Public, I believe.
Market is just like the Elmwood market, but indoors for winter-​long enjoyment!

I’m seriously proud of the planning and progress at 346 Connecticut Street.
What was formerly a vacant, blighted 5-​story, 30,000 sq. ft. historic warehouse building, built in 1896, will soon be, thanks to many contributors, a state-​of-​the-​art, energy efficient, green building with commercial and residential units serving the neighborhood. [ECIDA].
Saturday marked the re-​opening of the Horsefeathers Winter Market which will run through May, 2014. The 3.7 million dollar project is still underway but the ground floor anchor (Martin Cooks restaurant) as well as permanent shops (Jolie’s, Blackbird Sweets, The Pasta Peddler, etc.) have created a fresh and exciting place to dine, shop and explore. On Saturdays there are a variety of visiting growers and suppliers of produce, organic proteins and specialty shops set up for the day. It’s a great place to have breakfast at Martin Cooks and shop at local owned and produced businesses.
The word of the day today is FRESH! From the cabbage kimchee and dumplings at Jolie’s to the Coconut biscotti at Biscotti Everybotti; the fresh produce from Native Offerings Farm to the absolutely delicious mushrooms of Boston Valley Gourmet Mushrooms — it was alive with flavor. It’s a fun destination on a Saturday morning to eat, visit, shop and explore the New West Side.
My fifth star is for not tearing down, and for the beautiful conversion of, the building.
Go Buffalo — Go!

Definitely was really small but I’m glad they changed it up and now it hosts a bunch of small little restaurants :) check out Martin Cooks and Jolie’s dumplings!

Handmade dumplings straight from a Chinese grandmother’s frying pan, sweet baked treats, fresh local produce, shortbread, organic dog treats, soaps, and more, all in a gorgeously renovated industrial space. Now there’s even a full-​service restaurant– Martin Cooks, slinging up inventive food and killer cocktails with fresh squeezed juices. What’s not to love?

Don’t miss the Biscotti for Everybotti. I think I’m not a biscotti fan, but I loved the espresso and vegan ginger. The samples are plentiful and the packaging is lovely, too.

Whoa, a winter market on the west side? Sign me up!
Find everything from:
— artisan cheeses, soaps, dog treats
— food from the various restaurants that plan to open up in the same building
— local Buffalo musical talent who come and perform here
— nearby farms selling eggs and meats
…and that just scratches the surface. It changes every week as well, so expect some changes when you visit.
I absolutely loved spending my Saturday morning here. My hunch is that you will too.

I love this place. I prefer buying from the farmer. One of the reasons I continue going he is for the great quality products. Blackbird Sweets sue knows how to make the dang best cupcakes EVER! There were many choices to be made at Pasta Peddler. Took home a Plain Jersey Cow made yogurt… cream on top. The flavors of biscotti were endless. Want fresh meat this is the place to get it. There were also vendors with: kale, onions, eggs, milk, soap, dog treats, cookies, bread, veggie burgers, spices and more. One can see that this is going to be the place to be. Enjoy the music while your there. Already planing my next trip. Most vendors take credit/​debit.

I don’t know about you, but I find Buffalo winters just a bit too l-​o-​n-​g! I miss the warm days and the sunshine. And, I also miss my Saturday mornings at the Farmers’ Market (Williamsville Market at the Water Mill for me… it’s close to my house). Sure I love supporting local businesses and eating the freshest locally grown food… but I also love the vibe. I love the sense of community. Sure, I shop at supermarkets… But while they have groceries, they just don’t have soul. I’m a Farmers’ Market kinda gal!
Well… No longer do I have to count the days until springtime to get my market fix (42 or less, thanks to Punxsutawney Phil). I can now go to the «Horse-​feathers Community Market every Saturday until May. Yay! I can listen to music… buy vegetables and baked goods and juice and soap and cheese… and know that I’m supporting REAL people selling REAL products locally made with soul (and a whole lot if love!)
Many of my favorites were there (Arden Farms, The Pasta Peddler, First Light Farm and Creamery, Château Buffalo, Singer Farms, and Elm Street Bakery) as well as a few places that I’d never been to before, but was so happy to discover (welcome to my world Blackbird Sweets, Fetch! All Natural Dog Treats, Buffalo Cookie Company, Alpine Made Soaps, Biscotti for Everybotti, and Spices by Milly).
I sampled cupcakes and cheeses and cookies and biscotti and tart cherry juice and bread. I smelled wonderfully (naturally scented) soaps and fabulous imported spices. I listened to terrific live music. And, I left the market on a snowy, blowy Buffalo Saturday morning with a little bit of springtime happiness in my soul. THANK YOU!