Market at the Square

Cool farmers market my friends took me to while visiting. It is one of the bigger markets I have been to. A nice selection of locally grown vegetables and fruits. They have some local meat vendors selling items such as locally made jerky to bison patties. Pricey but your directly supporting a local business. Bakers seeling cookies and breads. Other vendors seeling jams and spreads. The cookies are the bomb. I would go back weekly just to pick up some the week. A definite must stop by if your town on a Saturday.

The «derelict» Lincoln Square includes one of the most successful food co=ops in the country, Common Ground.
I have been a Market patron almost from the beginning. It simply doesn’t get any better. You pay a bit more but what you get is fresh & won’t start going bad a few days after you bring it home like some of grocery store produce. And you can buy products you simply can’t buy any where else. It’s why I wake up early on Saturday morning.

You can find me at the Urbana Farmer’s Market every Saturday! I LOVE it! Here’s some tips…
Too expensive?
This market is one of those markets where the vendor has to grow or make what it’s selling. That means that things are higher quality than other markets where a lot of vendors buy fruit and vegetables in bulk from distributors and resell it. Want to save money? Check out the «seconds» bins underneath the table tops. This is where you can get produce like tomatoes for sometimes half the price!
Too crowded?
SHOW UP EARLY! The retired folks do it right. Get there before 9am, and you’ll avoid the strollers and impatient crowds.
Not finding what you’re looking for?
This goes back to the fact that the vendor has to grow what it sells. Obviously, you’re probably not going to find cucumbers in August. They just don’t typically grow around that time around here. Although, it all depends on the year. A warm spring means you might find tomatoes as early as May. A cool summer means you might find cucumbers in August. Also, SHOW UP EARLY! The good stuff always goes fast!

This is actually one of the best farmers markets I’ve ever been to! Tons of fresh produce, eggs (even the duck variety), meats, and crafts vendors. Young and talented musicians on very corner. Lots of great places to grab something to eat as well. I saw everything from tacos, to chicken and waffles, to empanadas, to donuts, to barbecue. I will recommend the Popsicle stand in the very back that sells creative Popsicles. Creative flavors like pineapple habenero, and very refreshing! I hope to come back to this market some time!

Great market for the size of Champaign/​Urbana. Great variety of local meat, veggies, fresh cut/​live flowers, cheese’s, hand crafts, and jewelry. I like the influx of the food trucks, but Fryer Tucks was first and I find myself falling back to wanting a egg, cheese, and sausage on a wheat english muffin with onions. They use eggs and sausage from the local vendors. I think Cracked might also use local eggs, but not sure.
There are your mainstay vendors, but every year there is some turn over with new farmers or artisans that help to make every year a little different.
The live music provided by good and not so good musicians also lends to the character of the market. It is also nice to peruse the various community groups whom are out there. Art mart, Lincoln Square Mall, Common Ground Co-​op and downtown Urbana are all right there also.
Several veggie vendors have seconds available to help save a few $ as the market is not as cheap as the grocery store. Garlic in particular seems $$ to me, but the varieties have been fun to explore and I hear tell its not as easy to grow and prep for market as onions.
I will also be quite honest it’s not just about the food and crafts. For me the market is very much part of my social life. I see so many people I know there every Saturday morning from co-​workers, to neighbors, to random friends I have not seen in months. I’ve made friends with many of the vendors and look forward to talking to them about their grandkids, their hogs not liking the left over broccoli, growing conditions, recipes, and food policy. The community I have found on the corner of Illinois and Vine is lively, generally friendly, and safe.

In one word: Overrated. (well, and overpriced). The prices are outrageous. Even if this was in NYC or the West Coast, the prices would still be high. Music is a mixed bag to put it nicely. Great place for kids to practice their violin lessons and make some good money. The arts and crafts vendors tend to have marketable but highly predictable, tame and cliched work. Yet many people think it’s fine art. That being said, there are a few surprises worth noting, mainly in specialty food products. But honestly, it’s not stuff that you can only get there. Also the crowds and parking is a drag. And it seems like the prices just keep getting higher yet people race back there even faster. I think I’ll just stick to buying my unglamorous but cheap produce at Meijer…

Sorry to say it, but the Urbana Farmers Market is overpriced. I cannot imagine spending $ 3.00 a pound for string beans, for example. Tomatoes are also priced at $ 3.00 a pound even when the vendors’ tables groan with them in August. New York’s Union Square greenmarket is cheaper! Of course there’s that airfare…
I go once in a while to buy zucchini, onions, and garlic and to get tomatoes from vendors who sell the ones with blemishes for $ 2.00 a pound or less. If you poke around you can find some bargains, but this is the most expensive farmers market I’ve ever been to unfortunately.

A nice place to go in the morning even if you don’t buy anything. A lot of local farms from nearby. Some of them accept debit card but it is best to bring cash. Plenty of baked goods and items that are gluten free as well. Loads of fresh veg and meats as well.

Of all the farmer’s markets I have visited, this is by far my favorite. I really enjoy talking with the merchants, whom are all extremely knowledgeable and friendly. It’s a very fun experience and something we look forward to every week. They have fun games for kids that help them learn about local farmers and produce also. You can use debit cards if you stop at the entry tent and receive tokens. They also accept Link/​food stamps.

I cannot for the life of my understand why this market, in the middle of (and close driving distance from) farmland, is priced on average higher than my local Beverly Hills, CA farmer’s market. Why would I pay more for local crops in Champaign than irrigated stuff driven more than an hour in to LA?
Blah.
Aside from that, this is actually a pretty great farmers market. Big (bigger than most where I live, though we have multiple throughout the city every day of the week, so I suppose that’s why) and with a great selection. We bought two dozen tuberose that made the house smell like Hawaii for days, fantastic sweet potatoes and the obligatory crate of sweet corn. The ice cream truck sold us a pint of lemon that was, dare I say, BETTER THAN CUSTARD CUP.
It’s always a must whenever I visit Champaign-​Urbana, and rarely disappoints.

I love farmer’s markets, but I especially love this farmer’s market because it fosters so many great habits from me. First off, lately I’ve found myself biking there. Second, when I go there, I make it a goal to buy at least one vegetable to incorporate into my cooking. This week I am going to bake some zucchini. Mmm…
Some of my favorite items here:
Pumpkins. I bought a pumpkin with some serious «personality» for $ 5. It was tri-​colored and oddly shaped. It makes for a great doorstep decoration.
Apple butter and pumpkin butter from the amish stand. Delicious and only made with natural ingredients.
Fresh herbs like basil, except they go bad if you don’t use them immediately.
Cherry tomatoes, especially the heirloom variety that come in unusual colors. I had the privilege of trying a purple — yes, purple — variety that was savory. Mmm…
Additional favorites:
— Live folk and clarinet music
— Fresh kettle corn
— The waffle truck! (I will write a separate review for this).

I just moved here from up north and this is by far the best Farmer’s Market I have ever been to. There is a little something for everyone. Fruits, veggies, dairy, meat, fresh cut flowers, jewlery, baked goods.
I go every Saturday now. I buy everything I need for the week at the market. My favorites are the cupcakes and cheesecakes… oh it’s soooo yummy.

Organic produce, meats and herbs.
Arts and crafts.
Local community clubs.
Local music.
Two food trucks.

I get very excited about going to the Market at the Square but not excited enough to get there before 10 o’clock. That’s not a knock on the Market, but is more a function of my love for sleep.
Though today (mid-​May), they only had asparagus, the selection rounds out toward the end of the summer. I particularly enjoy sweet corn around late August.
Prices are a little bit higher here but it feels good to buy locally and I really like how, in my experience, everything’s been super fresh. I also like how there’s a lot of non-​produce stuff like meat, cheese, bread, etc.
All in all, Market at the Square is a great place to go.

Considering the area in which this is held it is not bad as far as farmer’s markets go. I suspect this could be why there are so many 5 star reviews. I can say that when I suggest a trip to the farmer’s market, this is the only one I think of. I once went to another one in Champaign. It was three pick-​up trucks in a parking lot.
This is slightly better. There are more vendors, but I wouldn’t call it «large». There are enough vendors selling vegetables that it is in your benefit to walk around first and compare prices and freshness. Although, if you can suggest that people walk around the whole market before purchasing vegetables that pretty much makes it hard to argue that the market is «large».
Initially my husband and I went to this market just to get fresh vegetables that we could not grow ourselves (green beans, peaches). Over time we have branched out and tried some of the other products such as the cheeses and baked products. We have always been pleased with our purchases.
If you go here with the intention to buy all your groceries for the week, you will probably be hungry by Tuesday. However, if you go here intending to supplement your weekly shopping trip, you will probably be happy.

Forget negative nifty, the Market at the Square definitely deserves 5 stars. I have gone to many different farmer’s markets and this is the biggest and best by far. If you think the prices are high, make sure that you walk the whole market before you buy anything. Also, and this is a no-​brainer, the best stuff goes first. You can always look online for what produce they expect to have each time, so if you are smarter than I usually am, you can bring your recipes with you.
This is a great place to take your (well-​mannered) dog for a nice walk.

You’ve got to be kidding me. As I write this every single review is five stars. Let’s get a grip here. Early in the season this market is a small gathering of people selling root vegetables in an empty lot. «Plenty of parking,» Bailey B. writes. That’s one way to put it.
It’s fine if you need beets.
The produce is often better and always cheaper at Meijer (but it isn’t local). The produce is sometimes better at the Food Co-​Op (but more expensive).

There are very few things in life that I consider worth getting out of bed before 8:00 on a Saturday morning. Market at the Square is probably at the top of that list.
The market is an abundance of local and organic produce, meats, and baked goods. There are artisan goat cheeses from a local farm, lots of grass feed meat and poultry, and all sorts of goodies baked by small home bakers and Amish families from the communities south of here. There are all sorts of unique arts and crafts that make the Market a great place to go if you need to get a special gift for someone difficult to buy for. There’s a wonderful upbeat vibe that is largely due to a delightful one man band who has turned singing the alphabet into an art form. And let’s not forget the kettle corn!
I would recommend getting to the Market as early as possible so as not to miss out on anything. I’ve had some very sad mornings where I’ve succumbed to the snooze alarm and just missed getting the last quart of plump, sweet-​smelling berries. Don’t let this happen to you! Get to the market by 8:30 or 9:00 and you’ll be treated to a wide selection of whatever local produce happens to be ripe and a variety of other wonderful items. Be sure to bring cash, as some vendors don’t accept checks or credit cards.
One word of warning: There are a lot of political and religious organizations with booths along the north edge of the Market, where you will likely be approached to sign a petition, offered flyers, and the like. Generally, no one is too pushy and a polite «no thank you» is all it will take if you don’t wish to partake. Be particularly wary of the guy offering free stress tests; He’s a scientology recruiter.

It says something good about what people like that the farmer’s market flourishes alongside the derelict Lincoln Square Mall. I look forward to coming here early every Saturday morning for produce, artisan breads, and other assorted surprises.
Whatever fruits and vegetables that are in season can be found here and some of them are surprising– gooseberries, currants, kohlrabi, rainbow kale, and more. A wide variety of animal products can also be found: from buffalo meat to honey to farm-​fresh eggs. It’s not always expensive either– my kohlrabi was a mere 75 cents and a bundle of arugala can be had for a dollar.
There are random stalls that sell assorted prepared foods, such as artisan bread and kettle corn. Recently the Papa George Greek food truck Justine mentioned has been popular. I love their creamy hummus and sweet baklava. I also saw a new smoothie stand this Saturday.
The Farmer’s Market, when it is open, is the best place to buy produce. It’s fresher and you can converse with the farmer’s to learn about local food. Come early for the best selection and bring cash!

Lincoln Square Mall’s greatest redeeming quality is the Farmers’ Market. Every Saturday morning from mid-​May until mid-​November people flock to the Southeast parking lot at the mall at around 7 am to find handmade candles & clothing, baked goods, political info, artwork, jams, coffee, potted herbs, lemon shakeups, meats, locally grown produce, jewelry, music, desserts, voter registration… the list goes on and on!
Some vendors accept credit cards, however, bring a wad of cash if you’re planning on shopping.
One of the newest additions to Market at the Square is Papa George’s truck. Greek food finally makes it to Champaign Urbana! (Don’t call Pasha Greek food.) The dolmades & baklawa are mouthwatering! He sold out of almost everything by the end of the day. Rumor has it that he’s opening a restaurant very soon.