Farmers Market - Wednesday/Saturday Downtown Santa Monica

In A Nutshell: -I really like the Santa Monica Farmer's Market in downtown on Saturday's. -The prices aren't too crazy which is what makes it attractive. -The veggies are very bright in color & plentiful. -When you buy produce in a California farmer's market you are definitely getting a fresh product. -I really liked the seafood stand, where you can purchase Santa Barbara uni for $16. Overall, this is one of my favorite farmer's markets I've ever been to, truly farm-to-your table every weekend!

Visiting from Australia and just love all the fresh produce, organic and amazing citrus. We have so many farmers markets in Melbourne and great to visit in Santa Monica. Worth the visit to meet local growers and sample the amazing quality of produce.

One of the best farmer’s markets in LA. A large selection of produce and you can even find rare gems.

My review is for the Wednesday farmer’s market from 8 am to 1 pm. This market is one of the best in Los Angeles because 1) it features a few vendors that you won’t see at other LA markets; 2) it’s in downtown Santa Monica just a couple blocks from the ocean; 3) it’s easy to find metered street parking nearby (2-3 hours); 4) it’s far less crowded than, say, the Sunday Hollywood farmer’s market, at least before noon (but the Hollywood market is great, too); 5) walking up and down the rows of vendors, you’re likely to see at least one or two vegetables and herbs you’ve never seen in your life, or at least only read about; and special varieties of fruits and vegetables you’ve never heard of. It’s always said that this is where many top restaurant chefs come to buy their produce. I believe this, but since I know few living top chefs by sight, I can’t be certain. I’m sure they probably come as early as possible to have the best selection. It is fun to take pictures here, but I was quickly told “No pictures, please” last week by a well-known vendor as I was about to snap a photo of some particularly appealing dusky-skinned grapes. First time that’s happened to me. Note: unlike most markets, there are few to no prepared-food vendors at the Wed market, but you can buy raw meat and poultry, cheeses, bread, dried fruits, nuts, olive oil, and flower. In March and April you can get lilacs brought in by farms far enough north, though beware some of the pricing (actually, for beautiful lilacs at a less dear price, go to Ha’s Apple Farm’s stand at the Sunday Hollywood market). The earlier you can go the better. At certain times of year, popular vendors can sell out of things well before closing. It’s also more peaceful. As it gets towards noon, particularly in the summer, there are not only more people but also more street corner musical performances of the bad-karaoke variety and the effects can get cacophonous.

I recently visited the Santa Monica Farmers Market, situated right near the picturesque shoreline, and it was a delightful experience. The market’s location is unbeatable, offering stunning ocean views and a refreshing sea breeze that enhances the entire visit.

Such a cool experience in Santa Monica! So many wonderful and kind vendors; a lot of citrus samples everywhere- definitely left with some bags of delicious oranges!

For Wednesday. Possibly the best Farmer's Market in the area. It spans across 7 blocks in the Santa Monica area. Although there were no prepared food vendors, it had a wide variety of produce as well as flower and meat vendors. The items here are extremely fresh and there are many organic choices

Best in class farmers market. Such a wide selection, super helpful vendors - and a great spot to watch people. A quintessential Santa Monica experience!

In A Nutshell: -I really like the Santa Monica Farmer's Market in downtown on Saturday's. -The prices aren't too crazy which is what makes it attractive. -The veggies are very bright in color & plentiful. -When you buy produce in a California farmer's market you are definitely getting a fresh product. -I really liked the seafood stand, where you can purchase Santa Barbara uni for $16. Overall, this is one of my favorite farmer's markets I've ever been to, truly farm-to-your table every weekend!

Visiting from Australia and just love all the fresh produce, organic and amazing citrus. We have so many farmers markets in Melbourne and great to visit in Santa Monica. Worth the visit to meet local growers and sample the amazing quality of produce.

One of the best farmer’s markets in LA. A large selection of produce and you can even find rare gems.

My review is for the Wednesday farmer’s market from 8 am to 1 pm. This market is one of the best in Los Angeles because 1) it features a few vendors that you won’t see at other LA markets; 2) it’s in downtown Santa Monica just a couple blocks from the ocean; 3) it’s easy to find metered street parking nearby (2-3 hours); 4) it’s far less crowded than, say, the Sunday Hollywood farmer’s market, at least before noon (but the Hollywood market is great, too); 5) walking up and down the rows of vendors, you’re likely to see at least one or two vegetables and herbs you’ve never seen in your life, or at least only read about; and special varieties of fruits and vegetables you’ve never heard of. It’s always said that this is where many top restaurant chefs come to buy their produce. I believe this, but since I know few living top chefs by sight, I can’t be certain. I’m sure they probably come as early as possible to have the best selection. It is fun to take pictures here, but I was quickly told “No pictures, please” last week by a well-known vendor as I was about to snap a photo of some particularly appealing dusky-skinned grapes. First time that’s happened to me. Note: unlike most markets, there are few to no prepared-food vendors at the Wed market, but you can buy raw meat and poultry, cheeses, bread, dried fruits, nuts, olive oil, and flower. In March and April you can get lilacs brought in by farms far enough north, though beware some of the pricing (actually, for beautiful lilacs at a less dear price, go to Ha’s Apple Farm’s stand at the Sunday Hollywood market). The earlier you can go the better. At certain times of year, popular vendors can sell out of things well before closing. It’s also more peaceful. As it gets towards noon, particularly in the summer, there are not only more people but also more street corner musical performances of the bad-karaoke variety and the effects can get cacophonous.

I recently visited the Santa Monica Farmers Market, situated right near the picturesque shoreline, and it was a delightful experience. The market’s location is unbeatable, offering stunning ocean views and a refreshing sea breeze that enhances the entire visit.

Such a cool experience in Santa Monica! So many wonderful and kind vendors; a lot of citrus samples everywhere- definitely left with some bags of delicious oranges!

For Wednesday. Possibly the best Farmer's Market in the area. It spans across 7 blocks in the Santa Monica area. Although there were no prepared food vendors, it had a wide variety of produce as well as flower and meat vendors. The items here are extremely fresh and there are many organic choices

Best in class farmers market. Such a wide selection, super helpful vendors - and a great spot to watch people. A quintessential Santa Monica experience!

Cute little farmers market! Loved the music and all the venders. I was a little nervous as previous reviews mentioned there was just produce but I felt like there was something for everyone today. Clothes, candles, dips, pastries, steamed buns and jewelry to name a few. The crepes are delicious!

I finally had a chance to return here after probably not going in 4-6 years, if taking my best guess. They're not as good as they used to be. They appear just as large, but it's pretty much all produce vendors, not as much variety of other vendor types. I used to get dried persimmons, but I didn't see any of that. Also, there used to be a pesto vendor, but the brand they sold can be found at a couple of grocery stores (Whoe Foods, probably Bristol Farms, and I think Sprouts now), so I guess they stopped selling here too. I'm way too far a drive just to come here just to get fruits and vegetables, so I'm afraid I'll never be back.

Come here for fresh produce and flowers from local farms! If you're hungry, there aren't really any hot/prepared food options here except for usually two bakeries. Most of the vendors are local farmers selling their produce. There's homemade jams and juices as well.

An incredible array of local, fresh produce, as well as fruit, bread, eggs, meat, jam, honey, dried goods, and more. I often leave with a fruit variety I've never tried before, or flowers I can't find anywhere else!

Love the flowers here! The prices are a little higher than my last hometown farmer's market but there are a lot of options and the quality is ridiculously good. My last trip I got sunflowers, these awesome deep purple flowers, strawberries, milk, and a tomato plant. The plant was only $5!! Worth a walk through to people watch and say hi to all the nice vendors, even if you aren't buying anything.

Love coming here on Wednesdays. Today was an extra special day because of all the great selection on pretty much everything. Summer fruits and vegetable. Edible flowers and fresh flowers. I bought so much. So excited to cook for the next few days.

It's a nice place to stroll around if you live close by. We enjoy venturing out to different farmer's markets to see different parts of LA/OC. At least on Wed, they mainly have different produce and fruit stands, fresh cheeses, fresh meats, nuts, flowers, and a surprising amount of mushroom vendors. There are no hot food or fresh popcorn stalls. 45 min in traffic is too long just to visit the market, but at least SM has more to see, shop, and eat. While maybe smaller, we like the greater variety at our neighborhood Farmer's Market. Apart from ours, Torrance and Irvine still seem the best and biggest.

For Wednesday. Possibly the best Farmer's Market in the area. It spans across 7 blocks in the Santa Monica area. Although there were no prepared food vendors, it had a wide variety of produce as well as flower and meat vendors. The items here are extremely fresh and there are many organic choices

A technicolor farmers market! Whether you want prepared foods, baked goods, flowers ir fresh produce this is an absolutely delightful place to spend a morning.

Nice farmer's market. It's got a ton of interesting ingredients and it's fun to wander around.

The Wednesday farmers markets in Santa Monica are epic. Ask for a farmer named Peter. He is the nicest guy. He and his family have been selling organic produce here for decades. His produce is super flavorful and fresh. It makes cooking delicious meals so easy because the quality and freshness. The overall quality and selection of this farmer's markets make it one of the best in Los Angeles.

Finally made it out to the Wednesday market and it definitely lived up to the hype! A huge selection of Cali's freshest produce. I wanted to get so many things lol. Some vendors take Apple Pay/Venmo which was convenient, but some were cash only. Free 90 minute parking lots nearby as well.

Wanna eat the best quality fruits and veggies ever? Just get up early on a Wednesday, arrive at Santa Monica Farmers' Market between 8 and 8:30 am and be amazed! Oh yes- the early bird definitely catches the worm here. See for yourself...

Ah farmers markets.. I love exploring farmers markets! SMFM is one of the most famous ones in the area so I definitely wanted to take advantage of my proximity to it while I can. Excellent variety of vendors and produce. However, you really have to come early coz restaurants really do buy up a lot of the choice products very early on. Tip: Municipal parking lots nearby all have free parking for the first 90 minutes.

Very charming local farmers market with a convenient parking facility( free 2 hours, no need to validate) right next to the market entry. Vendors are friendly and many have regular clients and local restaurants chefs) so some produce are sold out early on( especially fresh fish and meat) bring your own recyclable bags and please support local farmers

Such a fun place to buy fresh groceries! I'm so happy to check here out before I left Santa Monica. I bought some fresh figs, dried dates, mini apples and tomatoes. All are so fresh and delicious. I highly recommend the place selling tons of jujube dates. The seller is super friendly and patient.

My favorite farmers market! They also hold a smaller version on Saturday's but I love how they have so many more vendors on Wednesday. Parking is free for 90 minutes in the garages so plenty of time to look through all the vendors. I especially love all the summer peaches and have a good time getting fresh veggies every week. There's also flower vendors, some meats and plants and I found a delicious boysenberry jam on my last visit.

WARNING: MAGGIE'S FARM IS A FRAUD !!! I'm a former employee of several years with Maggie's Farm owned by Nate Peitso. I think everyone should be aware that they do not grow approximately 90% of their produce. They purchase it in bulk from Kenter Canyon Farms who supplies both Whole Foods and Bristol Farms. Do yourself a favor and purchase the same product for less at those stores or purchase from a more reliable vendor at the farmer's market.

From fresh produce to fresh herbs and flowers! This farmers market tops any farmers market I've been to in NYC. The selection is huge for Wednesday's. My favorite part is that so many locals and regulars from afar know the community & sellers so well. I always love seeing so many locals with cart fulls all around Santa Monica throughout the day on Wednesdays. Line goes fast and longest I've had to wait is about 20min. Definitely bring cash for any first timers but a handful of spots accept credit card. Prices range throughout the market so definitely do a walkthrough first as you May spot a better deal!

This place is good for produce products. I was hoping for some hot & ready food but yeah. If you want lettuce, beans, honey, & random veggies you'll like this place.

Whent Wednesday and it was pretty happenin' quite a few vendors, tons of fruits and veggies.

Probably the largest and most expansive farmer's market I've ever seen. Bread, fruit, fish, nuts, seeds, plants, and so many other things. But there aren't any food stands. Eat before (or after) you come, unless you can fill up on fruit samples.

Stroll around and get some fresh fruit and vegetables, end up in a chef's documentary! (I mean pretty much. I've seen Massimo Botura and Nyesha Arrington here) It's a sprawling farmers' market with friendly vendors, fresh flowers and the odd papaya / cheremoya stand. I like the oro blancos and grapefruits from Murray Family Farms and I do indeed stand in that line to get a flat of brown eggs for like... a month.

The best farmer's market, hands down. None of that bougie "go to the farmers market and get an organic avocado toast" bs happens here. No, you come to the Wednesday SaMo Farmers Market to buy your produce and goods for cooking. The variety of vendors and food is second to none-- at least 4 different meat vendors, 6+ egg sellers, 2 bread guys, and let's not even get started on produce. Want raw milk? You can find it here. Wild-caught King Salmon? It's here. Bok Choy? Come and get it. The vendors are all pretty friendly and parking is free for 90 minutes at the public structures nearby. The market technically opens at 8:30 am and lasts until sometime around 1 pm. Special shoutout to Harry's Berries-- the gaviota strawberries will blow your mind. Once you try them, you can never go back to store-bought again.

Love this farmers market! It is my favorite from all westside ones. You can get raw dairy here, grassfed meat/bones, pastured eggs (Mike & Sons Egg Ranch omega eggs have the darkest yolks of all, and priced more reasonably than most), seeded grapes (much more flavorful than seedless varieties, which taste plainly sweet), truly raw almonds, and of course-lots of choices of fruits and vegetables. Parking in the parking lost around the market are free for the first 90 minutes, and usually have plenty of spaces available, if you go before 10.

Wednesdays at the SM farmer's market is the best out of all the farmers markets for produce. The bread guy is also a must visit. He seems a bit pretentious but I think its because he's been trying to fight to stay at this market for soo long because the market is making it hard for him. He's at the end of Arizona past 2nd street towards Ocean AVE. You should go and just taste his stuff, its supposed to be gluten friendly. Anyway, this wasn't an ad for Bezian Baker, but I digress. So, there are a few booths that I should mention. The citrus stand on the corner of 3rd and Arizona is worthy of visiting. Also, there is an egg booth on the corner of 2nd and Arizona, I don't go there because I can't eat that many eggs in a week, but its always packed and Im told it is great deal and quality. That is on the cross street of 2nd and Arizona, the booth next to it is great for STRAWBERRIES!!! They also have awesome tomatoes when they are in season and the have cheap herbs and the best priced beets and kale. Don't miss this stand. There are so many booths here and I just love eveything about it. Compare to Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and the Sunday SM market, this, like I said, is the very best for your produce. Now, if you want the yummy made to order foods? You should go to the other ones.

This is one of things that I would actually miss if I left LA. This farmer's market has mostly organic fare, everything produced close by. Great selection of cheeses, mushrooms, all sorts of fruits and vegetables, flowers, meats, honey, nuts.. I love how the varieties change each season. It is not cheap, sometimes even Whole Foods have it cheaper but you are supporting the local producers and the community. Also you can find fruits and vegetables that you would rarely see anywhere else, like guava, loganberries, persian limes, zucchini blossoms.. It doesn't have a "food court" section, which makes it less of a tourist place and more of a chef''s place. Every time I go, I see lots of restaurant chefs choosing their weekly farmer's selection there. So glad I live close by..

Grateful for all the farmers who care, grow, drive all the way to us locally here in Santa Monica farmers market helping us maintain our true health as we might forget food, plants, herbs are our "medicine". Thank you for all you do!

I happened to be vacationing in Santa Monica during the week and was surprised to find something like this during the week, perfect! They sell jams, cheese, flowers too! And it's right next to 3rd street Promenade where all the shopping is at! Parking is expensive! I parked in a lot.. try to find street parking or a cheaper lot a bit futher away to save some $$

This farmer's market is LEGIT! This is a certified farmer's market. This means that the farmers selling their stuff in this market are the farmers that grew the produce AND they have been checked by the government. The cool thing about this particular farmer's market is that there is a seafood vendor and a meat vendor! It's a REAL market! Less of the crafts and retail food vendors and more of the actual "farmers".

I've been counting my blessings for about 20 years' worth of Wednesdays: never have I seen a better market in the US. Incredible variety, quality and value outside in the year-round Santa Monica sunshine had me at hello. This market has so fully supported my enthusiasm for health and straight-up love of vegetables that it's a significant factor in my lifestyle and schedule. I tend to leave town just after the market and return the day prior to be sure I don't miss out on fresh Thai basil, new squash varieties and whatever's seasonal at the moment. This market does a mind and body good.

I've been to many farmers markets and this is pretty large. This market has tons of fresh fruit with tastings. You can find flowers, fruits and vegetables of all kinds. I only saw 1 place to grab something to eat inside the market but there a lot of fruits you can eat if you're hungry.

I work around the area and the Farmers Market makes my regular work day extra special. On my way to the office, I pass by tubs of various flowers and plants. The smell of fresh fruits and vegetables stir up a sense of simplicity. I smile at happy people as they set up their tents and the excited locals rushing their way to get first dibs on the freshest bread from Santa Barbara. It's such a beautiful sight to see and experience.

I absolutely love this farmers market! It's such a fun experience wandering around, trying samples, buying whatever fruits and veggies catch your eye, and cooking all week with that fresh and delicious produce. The selection is much better than the Saturday and Sunday SaMo farmers markets and way more vendors! I never pay attention to which farmer I buy things from as I feel like it adds to the experience to buy what I'm drawn to rather than look for a specific vendor. Here are recent favorite finds: -big juicy crispy red grapes (we go through a giant bag weekly) -dried strawberries (omg tastes like candy. I had to stop buying them because I was developing an addiction) -big huge bunch of sunflowers for only $4 (and lasted all week!) -squash galore! -juicy sweet strawberries -pepper jack cheese -dragon fruit (pitaya) -crispy, juicy pears -super sweet plums My husband and I seriously look forward all week to attending this farmers market and stocking our pantry and fridge. My only complaint is WHY ON WEDNESDAY??!! Such a hard day to consistently attend, but we love it so much we do our best! Oh, go early! By like 10am all the good stuff is gone.

Get to market early, you can't buy until the horn sounds at 8:30am on Wednesday, but you will miss seeing and buying hard to find organic fresh wonderful fruit, veggies, jams, flowers, plants, seeds, nuts, cheese, bread, and sprouts if you get there after 10am. I'm serious, the rare cool hard to find gems are gone early by the chefs and those in the know to get there early. Parking structures are free for 1.5 hours (or something close to that) which is enough time. Make sure to go to the last stand on each street... you will miss out on gems if you don't. Bring a rolling cart if your not strong enough to carry heavy bags. Support your organic and biodynamic farmers... buy your produce at the market on Wednesday and Saturday. Produce from supermarkets have a refrigerated smell- not so with fresh picked market produce. Be respectful- these farmers work hard. Ask questions... if you don't know, ask! I've found in the tents not only do the farmers have great preparing suggestions, but you may just have a prominent chef standing next to you willing to share a recipe suggestion. Bring a camera... the colors and textures at this farmers market are exquisite.

Best farmers market I have ever been to! Lots of organic fruit and veggie options, nuts, flowers etc. Get there early as the area can get crowded. Few of my fav places- -The bezian bread stand (stand close to the Ocean) has fantastic bread for gluten sensitivity. -Finley farms for produce

This is the real deal. I recommend arriving around 9 and parking in the structure on 2nd St. and Arizona, which is accessible from Wilshire and 2nd. The entrance is just at the barricade, across the street from the Presbyterian church. Two hours of parking is free. At this time, the market is full of cooks and their staff, pushing big flatbed carts around piled with crates and boxes. Eavesdrop on their conversations with vendors to see what is best and in season. Some of the neat things I saw today were Rainier cherries, squash blossoms, rhubarb, fresh flagolet beans, and blooming lavender. Apricots are definitely in season. Such raucous agricultural abundance. I love California. The Santa Monica Wednesday market is definitely not as boisterous as the Sunday Hollywood Farmers' Market. It's a weekday/mid-day market, so there are fewer prepared-food vendors. (Although Rockenwagner has some pretty awesome pretzel bread.) But the produce is really the best you will find in L.A., from varsity-team farmers like Weiser and Maggie's Farm. Only bring the cash you want to spend...because you probably will.

I feel lucky to live so close to this fantastic market. It's my favorite out of the neighboring farmers markets, and much better than the Saturday market at the same location. I think it says everything that this is where you'll find many chefs shopping for their restaurants! I like to do a full walk-around before purchasing anything. It's amazing how quality and price can fluctuate between vendors. I always leave with several bags full of produce for much less than I'd pay at Whole Foods, and the experience of shopping at the farmers market is always much more pleasurable and interesting. One tip: Ask the vendors if they grow pesticide free and use organic growing practices. Getting the organic certification is tedious and expensive, so it pays to know which folks are growing organically but don't have the official signage. And at least in my experience, they're honest - I've had someone tell me they do use pesticides.

One of my all-time fave's for local goods! I scored three of THE BIGGEST artichokes I've ever seen here a few weeks back, along with some yummy fresh (and Organic) Strawberries, Oranges, Honey, Red Carrots and a beautiful container of edible flowers to boot! As Nicole M. pointed out they do have a stellar selection of Real Organic produce and in case you are confused about which is which they have a pretty yellow sign that says NOW ENTERING THE ORGANIC ZONE and then the twillight theme starts to play. Okay I made that up, but all kidding aside, it's a great way to start your Saturday morning and I only wish I lived closer cuz it's one of the best around!

The reason why Wednesday is now my favorite day of the week! I grew up in Ukraine and miss the farm to table days and lifestyle. Now I can get my fix and dabble in nostalgia a little. There is always amazing produce available and many local restaurants will buy them by bulk. I love interacting with the vendors and learning about the produce. Coleman Farms is always a standout. I'm always on the look out for known chefs and sometimes I like to daydream and pretend that we'll become best friends over a Japanese cucumber.

This, my friends, is the heavy hitter of westside farmers markets. I'm a fan of most markets but this just happens to be the one market to rule them all. The same location has a market on Saturday as well but it's really the Wednesday morning which steals the show. Probably the most interesting clue pointing out this market's greatness is realizing it's the stomping grounds of professional westside chefs. At 9am on Wednesdays the crowd is bustling with chefs and restaurant staff, carting around pallets of gorgeous produce that are destined for fancy plates. Average local home cooks are always welcome but it's fun to watch actual chefs haggle for deals and run away with boxes of select produce that vendors stash special just for them and their restaurants. And man, that produce... Twelve varieties of eggplant? No problem. Ten kinds of baby potatoes? Sure. Six types of Asian pears? Of course. Baby corn still in the husk on the cob? Obviously. I could go on. The selection is simply unmatched in comparison to other markets. I really like the Sunday markets in Mar Vista, Palisades, and Malibu but where those three will have unique fruit or vegetable finds once in awhile this Wednesday Santa Monica market has crazy things every time. It's a learning experience to walk through with new melons, beans fresh in the pod, heirloom gourds and whatever other seasonal goodies are ripe that week. It's a place for adventurous culinary thinking. Last but definitely not least, I love the strictly business attitude. Other markets can be more like "experiences," designed for family fun or a place to stop by for lunch while grabbing some groceries. Sure, they all have farmers market goods too but a lot of space is dedicated to "other" things. If I want to eat Chinese dumplings and sip a latte while a DJ is dropping beats I'll go to the Mar Vista market. If I want fresh made little vegan pies and to be creeped out by a clown I'll go to the Culver City market. If I want a vegan chocolate croissant with the occasional celeb spotting I'll go to the Hollywood market. And If I want to sit on the grass watching a band play while kids enjoy pony rides (which I don't enjoy at all because pony rides are animal cruelty) I'll go to the Santa Monica market down on Main St. Prepared food and music to go with my produce shopping is nice once in awhile but I don't *need* that shit. I want a huge selection of produce and I want the best quality, and if I'm being honest I want their to be as few monstrous children running around as possible. Santa Monica has the biggest variety and the best quality. No bullshit. 'Nuff said.

Yes, I agree with majority of the yelp reviews for santa monica farmer's market! Its possibly the BEST farmer's market in Cali! And I came back from Italy last month and visited the campo de fiori for my groceries and I often go to San Diego's Farmer's market little italy. All the exotic veggies I fell in love with in Italy are here (though not all of them!) in Santa Monica! Yes, some may be reading my review thinking that the fruits and veggies in Italy taste superior, but Santa Monica Farmer's market comes real close!!! Though I got my usual grocery items such as squash, plums, blackberries, eggs, strawberries, mangos (so much better!), peach, pesto (ones I make never turn out this good!! why?????) and flowers! I also grabbed pitaya for my fruit bowls in the morning along with passion fruit and mulberry. Now, you can't find mulberry in any other farmer's market in Los Angeles! (Correct me if I am wrong since I haven't been to all of them!) Come early around 8:45ish and you will find plenty of space in the public parking lot! Parking is free for the first 90 minutes! The weather is perfect in the mornings-not too cold, not too hot! However, if you are planning on staying for the whole 90 minutes, bring hats and your shades! If you buy a lot of fruits and veggies (like I do) bring a cart with rollers!

Hands down, the BEST farmers market of all time, anywhere. And I'm not just saying that because distance is making this broken heart of mine grow fonder... The farmers/vendors are all exceedingly helpful - especially if you catch them at a time when they're not busy... You can ask questions about what they carry, and how to serve it, what goes best with it... When I first started coming regularly - I was intimidated and clueless because I didn't know anything about persimmons, or keffir limes, or green garlic, or black kale. I'd never even cooked kale before in my life, let alone black kale. But then I took it upon myself to start asking questions... what's the difference between all these different avocado varieties (bacon, reed, haas, fuerte, one that starts with a "z", and i'm sure there are more)? So I tried them all. Reed is my favorite. I highly recommend the Santa Monica Farmer's Market Cookbook as your shopping companion. I worked my way through most of the book - always happy to find those obscure sounding items at the market. It's one of the only books I brought with me to Spain, but it's kinda not too helpful because I can't find much of anything exciting here. How I miss this market.

I haven't been to a lot of farmer's market in the LA area but I feel like this one is definitely one of the best. Every Wednesday, starting around 8am until about 2pm, the different vendors set their booths up Arizona & 2nd St for an amazing day of fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers and delicious treats!! What you find being sold will be dependent on what's in season at the time. People are friendly, prices are affordable and samples are abundant. I LOVE the summer, full of strawberries, cherries, watermelon... yum yum yum. One of my favorites - the Santa Barbara organic pistachios stand seems to always be there - a delicious must try :) Parking is a non-dilemma - there are several parking structures (on 2nd st and 5th st) which can get pretty busy but I've never had trouble finding a spot. The first 2 hrs are free - hooray!! You will NOT be disappointed by this farmer's market! Santa Monica Farmer's Market - can't touch this!

So much great variety for all your fruit and veggie needs. All the vendors are super sweet. Lots of yummy organic and non-organic options. If you love farmers markets and can go on a Wednesday morning, this is a one stop shop for so much good stuff!

I really love farmers markets and I was so happy that I coincidently ran into this one. This farmers market is mainly consisted of fruit vendors. Walked around, sampled some yummy fruits, took pictures of beautiful flowers, but in the end I only purchased this unique thing I stumbled upon. Almond Butter with Honey. This is SOO delicious. Mix it up and put it on top of apples, celery, or anything else. But it really doesn't matter because this almond butter is so sweet and tasty. Imagine peanut butter but 100x better. Although it's not organic, there are no artificial flavors or preservatives. Just your average honey and almonds. $9 per bottle and absolutely worth it! Give this a try if you're ever around here shopping! Aside from this stand, most of the vendors (80%) didn't have very pleasant attitudes. I would have purchased more if they actually acted like they wanted to sell something.

Wednesdays in Santa Monica mean one thing - Farmer's Market day! The Wednesday Market is one of the largest and most diverse grower's only markets in the state. Their website also states that some of the, after more than 20 years, some of the best known chefs and restaurants have frequented this market. KCRW also has a weekly show - Evan Kleiman's Good Food about the market update with Laura Avery. She will talk with some of the growers about what's fresh and speak to one of the local chefs about a favorite recipe. Each season brings a variety of fruits and vegetables. You won't find the same things each month. These expert growers, most of whom are organically certified or non-pesticide, come with truckloads of goodies for home cooks and restaurant buyers. You can also find some meats - buffalo, pork, beef as well as nuts, flowers, herbs, and juices. Today, I saw some great peaches, nectarines, plums, and figs. In addition I saw some golden raspberries and raw milk. I saw lots of different sized eggplants and some mini potatoes that caught my eye. Lots of the vendors were letting people try their fares. It was a fun little morning just to walk around looking at the different fruits and vegetables. I encourage all of my friends to find a farmer's market to check out. The best place to park is at the 2nd avenue parking structure.

Tons of organic options here. Not one cucumber to be found in the entire place, though, organic or not. There is a great bison farmer here. There is also a beautiful stall right next to the bison guy where they sell whole rabbits. Fabulous. Love it. There is a guy there with organic lemons and avocados that are straight up AMAZING. I buy the avocados from him...they are ripe 4-5 days later and thent hey're perfectly ripe and good for up to TWO MORE WEEKS on my counter. Avocados from the store and even other stands...they'll ripen, be good for a day or two and then die... these ones.. oh lordy. they're magical. $3/lb or 2lb for $5. more than worth it. Incredible flavor, incredible value. I forget the name of that farm, but you'll see it... it's practically all lemons and avos. 100% worth it.

There is a reason why most of the top chefs in Southern California go to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. The very best farms and farmers are represented there. This is a REAL Farmer's Market. One will not find clothing for sale, or a petting zoo or prepared hot foods. It's all about the farms. Want the best in-season Strawberries? Harry's Berries is the place to go. Everything they sell is the finest quality. Like Heirloom tomatoes? Try Tutti Frutti Farms. Gloria Tamai has beautiful vegetables. Mike's eggs are worth standing in line for. The list goes on and on. My family knows that Wednesday nights they will have the best fruit and vegetables available in Southern California.