Santa Monica Farmers Market – Downtown

This farmer’s market is really good, especially when compared to other local ones. However, the selection is much more limited than the Wednesday market.
It opens at 8:30, so arrive as early as possible. If you come later on, you might miss out on the best stuff.
Parking is pretty simple if you get here early. Just park in one of the nearby city-​owned parking structures.
As with other farmer’s markets, most tables don’t accept credit card, so make sure to visit an ATM beforehand.
However, a word of warning. Avoid «Dates by Davall.» The dates are mediocre, and the woman working there is very rude. She practically slapped my hand, then purposely tried (twice) to chastise and embarrass me in front of the other customers. All of this because I wasn’t aware that some dates require to you ask for a sample, while others are self-​serve.
Anyway, head over to Santa Monica, pick up some delicious goods, and enjoy your Saturday at the beach!

What a neat experience to walk the street and see the outstanding selection of products. You will even be surprise to learn and taste new items you never had before. Many people come ever week because of the outstanding quality and taste of the goods displayed. Expect to see many restaurant chief buying their products for the week.
Weather you are shopping for yourself or just a tourist this is an event you must see. Open Wednesday and Saturday morning.
Have fun and enjoy

One of the best Farmers Markets in SoCal. Be sure to get here as it opens at 8:30am. You will be in competition with chefs from some of the best restaurants in LA for amazing produce.
In particular, I seek out Harry’s Berrys. I don’t know what is in the soil but it must be crack or sugar because I have never had strawberries at sweet and tasty as theirs. The Seascape and Gaviotas are the best but they have a tiny treasure that most resembles wild strawberries I’ve had in France. They’re called Mara De Bois. Don’t question the $ 6 price, just buy them. Mine are usually eaten before I’ve left the Farmers Market.
The tomatoes are perfect now. Check out the mushroom guru, his selection is always great.

Always look forward to the farmer markets! The freshest produce in town! Love sampling all the different produce from vendors. Quite a crowd in this narrow alley so you will have to slowly make your way through. Bought a few jams and some baked breads here. Quality is so fresh and good! I came back the following week to pick up more! Come early in the morning so you get first dibs!

This is my Saturday ritual, be there by 8:30AM or you can miss a lot. The farmers only bring the best of what they have each week and you have a pick of the lot if you are early.
I start with the shiitake mushroom dude. He will more than likely be out of mushrooms by 12:30. They are a treat because he grows them in wood boards so they don’t need cleaning, no dirt, cool!
When in season off to the strawberry chick they carry 7 types of delicious berries. Then the potato dude for the best fingerlings. Then pick up an orchid for $ 10-​$ 15 bucks. At that price you can buy one a week. Now pick some herbs. Then avocados again 4 to 6 different types to choose from. Don’t forget to get broccoli with the flowers still intact. At the end of the street find some of the best organic grapefruit in California.
This of course is just the beginning. My biggest problem is not bringing enough bags to carry everything in. There are a few ATMs just off fourth street. You need cash baby!

I knew that not all strawberries are the same, and that fresh strawberries purchased on the street in Southern California are a special incarnation of the fruit. I did not know, however, that even at the Santa Monica Farmers Market the variance between different vendors could be so high.
On a friend’s recommendation I bought some Gaviotas at Harry’s Berries, and they were delicious. But being a skeptical, trust-​but-​verify sort, I also bought another box from the vendor across the street that was half the price. They were so inferior to Harry’s Berries that I didn’t even bother to finish them, threw them away, and went back to Harry’s for a second box.
For my second box at Harry’s I learned they had a single flat of Seascapes and I had to try them. These strawberries put the previous ones to shame. Barely sweet, dense, and intense, these are the strawberries I’m still thinking about more than 24 hours later. So trust me, go to Harry’s, ask for Seascapes. (I know this whole episode sounds excessive, but life is too short to pass up the perfect strawberries.)

Lots of great vendors
I tend to come here just to replenish some of the veggies I use on a daily bases
and pick up some free breakfast sample bites hahahaha

Hands down the best Farmers market in SOCal. The Wednesday market is bigger and better than Saturday. I drive all the way from Long Beach just to shop this market if I am putting together a special meal where I really want to express seasonality. You should always go early, as the good stuff gets snapped up quickly by the restaurant chefs who shop here. Been going to this market for as long as I can remember, and will always be a fan and advocate.

So I was once told by local food-​celeb Amelia Saltsman herself that I was «going to the wrong farmers markets». I had just told her that I prefer the Brentwood market to the Santa Monica editions. Well, I hate to say it, but I just don’t agree. I think it comes down to two things:
1) Variety. Sure, the SM markets are renowned for their variety, but maybe it’s just not the variety I’m looking for. The Brentwood market has all the basic seasonal veggies that I would use normally and then some bonus treats like green peanuts (I’m from the Georgia, so green peanuts for boiling are so much fun to find!). I’m not looking for anything crazy unusual and Brentwood gives me what I’m looking for just fine. The SM markets, however, especially the Saturday Arizona one, seem to never have what I’m looking for and I don’t come across anything that seems like a treat to me.
2) Price. The SM markets just seem outrageously priced to me! I get that an heirloom tomato is worth more than a hothouse tomato but trying to charge me over $ 6 for a single tomato was the biggest turn off ever. Who can afford this stuff? Versus Brentwood where I’m always impressed at how much I can come away with for just $ 20.
So, yes, the SM farmers markets are fun and can be a great shopping source for local restaurants and those people with lots of money to spare, but I just can’t fall in love with them.
My one favorite find, though: Valerie Confections is not to be missed! The berry-​cream handpie is just incredible.

Great product, baked goods, fruit. It just makes your mouth water walking around seeing the things

I love Farmers’ Markets! I love supporting local growers, looking at fresh flowers, and sampling peak-​season produce.
The SM Saturday market is surprisingly small. There are probably 50 stalls selling everything from herbs, dried fruits, Asian vegetables, honey sticks, lotions, jams, grass-​fed meats, Petaluma (? a little far away…) cheese, and of course, lots of seasonal produce. The themes of this visit seemed to be peaches and heirloom tomatoes. Many of the farms are certified organic and most of the others just aren’t certified yet.
Surprisingly, there aren’t many prepared food vendors (maybe one) and I haven’t noticed any seafood stalls. I’ve never seen any mushrooms on Saturday (except for the truffle salt guy… what a ripoff) but overall it’s still quite a good variety of vendors.
Park at any of the local, city-​owned garages (#3 is the closest, I think) — the first 90 minutes are free, so then you can stroll through the promenade at your leisure!

4.5 stars
My family treks from Southbay to this Farmer’s Market. We always have a great time and stock up on many goods. It isn’t as big as the Wednesday Farmer’s Market (my favorite), but this fits our schedule better.
We bought zucchinis the size of a baby last time we were there. They were delicious. I also stock up on dates. The cheese place is very good and has a large variety of organic cheeses.
They have great oranges and strawberries.
The prices are not the cheapest as other reviewers have mentioned. Still, the quality of goods is very high.

its the same people as the ones on Wednesday :). looking forward to the one today :)
There’s a guy that sells walnut oil for $ 30, just saw the same brand inside WF for $ 13 :)

Who knew produce can have flavor. I didn’t until I started frequenting my neighborhood farmers markets.
It’s true on Saturday there are less vendors compared to Wednesday. You can still find all the essentials and have the time to stroll at your leisure without any pressure to get back to the workweek.

Really, it’s a 4.5 star market…
However, as compared to the Wednesday market, this one is tiny.
They do have some vendors (e.g. Bill’s Bees– they make my favorite crunchy wildflower honey) who are not at the Wednesday market.
As compared to many markets around town, this one is better than most if you are seeking organic produce. What you will not find here is prepared foods or entertainment for the kids — this is strictly for food.

So. Many. Fruits.
Best market ever.

Love the market here. It’s so lively. Always have all varieties, from seasonal produce, jams, meat, olives, baked goods, flowers, body products, plants, bugs, and dates.
The farmers that don’t say they’re certified organic don’t use pesticides. It just costs a lot of $$ for them to certify to be organic. If I don’t know if the produce is organic, I always ask and they tell me straight up and that is okay. Always ask if in doubt!

This one is a lot smaller than the Wednesday one, but cool vendors nonetheless. I highly recommend trying a tomato from Shady Lady, or any other tomato vendor as organic tomatoes taste 2 093 482 098 0384x better than any one you can buy at the grocery store. Seriously, these tomatoes will change your life.
The produce here is more expensive than what you’ll get at the supermarkets, but you can taste the difference, and you can meet the people who grew them! Don’t believe me, take a stroll down the Farmers Market, and try the samples.
Things that you can also buy here: herb plants to grow your own, seafood, incense, meat, organic eggs, cheese and A LOT of fruits and veggies.
Also, I love to see local chefs pushing around huge carts to use these ingredients in their restaurants. love love love!

My favorite market to go!
There are the guys who sell fresh and good value veggies, where I always go to visit.
And there are great tomatoes and sweetest grapes, all the apricots and pluto. So delicious.
It’s my Sat morning routine

Lots of fresh produce. Not too big of a farmer’s market. About the same size as the one in Westchester and Playa Vista.
What’s nice about this one is that there’s lots of parking lots in Santa Monica and most of those lots give you 90 minutes free.
There wasn’t too many vendors here selling ready made foods. There was about two selling pastries. Some selling flowers.
Not one I would go out of my way to attend, but it isn’t a bad farmer’s market.