The West Palm Beach Green Market was voted the No. 1 farmers market in the country by voters in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice awards. Photos courtesy of the City of West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach Green Market
WHERE TO FIND IT: The Great Lawn on the West Palm Beach waterfront (100 North Clematis Street). Free parking is available at the Evernia and City Center garages, or for $5 at the Banyan garage. Or, arrive by boat using the city’s free public docks.
WHEN TO GO: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. between October and April
GO FOR: The water views and vendor selection
ENTERTAINMENT: Enjoy bottomless mimosas and live music in the shade of the banyan tree on North Clematis Street, or relax on the open lawn. The dog-watching here is even better than the people-watching (and that’s saying something, since celebrities like Martha Stewart and Dr. Oz have been spotted shopping the market).
IN THE NEWS: The market was recently voted the No. 1 farmers market in the country by voters in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice awards, beating out market-happy hot spots like Seattle, Washington; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Santa Monica, California.
HISTORY LESSON: The West Palm Beach Green Market was born in 1995 when former mayor Nancy Graham was inspired to re-create the public market culture she witnessed in Europe. According to the city, Graham is quoted as saying, “In the green markets I visited, people selling the produce knew their shoppers’ names and the shoppers could ask questions about the products.” She envisioned something similar for West Palm Beach, and the first weekly public farmers market in the county opened with 13 vendors in the parking lot of Old City Hall. It immediately became part of locals’ weekly routine—despite the fact that for the first few weeks, city staff purchased fruits and vegetables from the grocery store and resold them because no local farmers’ crops were ready yet.
THE PERFECT HAUL: Line up early for a draft latte from Pumphouse Coffee Roasters. Reserve your other hand for the ultimate handheld snacks: a tub of fresh-cut fruit from My Exotic Fruits or a walk-around cone of still-warm apple cider doughnuts from Cider Doughnuts (follow your nose to find the right booth). Then make dinner plans: Grab fresh asiago gnocchi from Pasta Amore and pair it with artisanal pasta sauce from Frik & Frak, “spicy garlic chili wow” olive oil from Olive Oil of the World, and a tabletop floral arrangement from Love’s Flower Shop.
BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS: A sizzling-hot chorizo, egg, and avocado arepa from TocToc Arepas, an over-the-top creation from The Biscuit Lady, or seasonally inspired baked goods from The Gourmet Muffin
TAKE-HOME SNACKS: Pre-packaged chips and dips from The Ceviche & Guacamole House, and samosas and pumpkin paratha with tomato bhaji from Nisha’s Flavors of India
GET A PIC FOR THE ’GRAM: Jamal Lake and his guys at Trapical Oasis (the Saturday-morning alter ego of Ganache Bakery) will crack open a fresh coconut for you to sip and savor with a straw. The freshly roasted treats from European Chimney Cake (sweet or savory) are fun to unravel and eat and are super photo-friendly, to boot.
HIDDEN GEM: The sweet-but-tangy artisanal fruit shrubs from Pascale’s Jams pair perfectly with sparkling water for a spirit-free spritz, while his fresh fruit jams and mango hot sauce (made from hand-picked local mangoes) are just as delicious—and all three make a great gift for out-of-towners in need of a little local love.
LONGTIME STAPLES: Season after season, count on seeing R & R Orchids, Havana Restaurant, and Independent Seafoods at the market.
LEARN MORE: Take a 90-minute walking tour led by architect and historian Rick Gonzalez to learn about the evolution of downtown West Palm Beach buildings and landmarks ($10 per person, proceeds benefit the Historical Society of Palm Beach County). Offered one Saturday per month, the tour departs from the Great Lawn at 10 a.m. and concludes at the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum (300 North Dixie Highway). This season’s dates are January 8, February 5, March 5, and April 2.
DID YOU KNOW: Not just anyone can become a vendor at the West Palm Beach Green Market—there’s a rigorous application and voting process akin to Shark Tank that all vendors, even longtime staples, must endure. To prevent having too many of the same type of vendor, the market only allows a certain percentage of vendors in each category.
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT: The market pledged to eliminate plastic straws, coffee stirrers, Styrofoam cups and containers, and single-use plastic bags in 2018. Bring your own reusable cloth shopping bags or grab some greenie goods from One World Zero Waste.
Delray Green Market
WHERE TO FIND IT: The front lawn of Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square in downtown Delray Beach (51 North Swinton Avenue). There’s free parking until 4 p.m.
WHEN TO GO: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. between October and May
GO FOR: Now in its twenty-sixth season, this market hosts a potpourri of gourmet food vendors offering farm-to-fork produce, locally caught seafood, farm-fresh eggs, artisan cheeses and jams, prepared foods, plants and flowers, and lots of gluten-free, vegan, and organic products.
ENTERTAINMENT: Expect live entertainment from local musicians every week; there’s everything from blues to folk, jazz, and classical.
HIDDEN GEM: Stock up on treats from “the biscotti ladies,” otherwise known as Delicious Town Biscotti. While traditional flavors are available, this isn’t your grandma’s biscotti: breakfast cereal, pineapple coconut, cranberry-orange, and seasonal creations like candy cane and chai spice are a few of the hit flavors here.
KID-FRIENDLY: Families love the climbable playground and shows from resident puppeteer Alan Gibson. During the holidays, there’s a 100-foot Christmas tree alongside Santa’s house, a carousel, and an ice-skating rink.
PET-FRIENDLY: Bring Fido for a chance to see your pooch’s pic featured on the @delray
greenmarketdogs Instagram account.
SIP’N’SHOP: The Pavilion Bar serves Bloody Marys, mimosas, craft beer, and other libations.
DON’T MISS: Twice a month, a professional chef prepares a dish at the chef showcase tent using products selected from the market. Be sure to check social media for the recipe of the day.
GIFTABLE: Snag a handcrafted charcuterie board from Delray woodmaker Larry Gramer or, for the sugar-inclined, decorated cookies from Love, KatieKakes.
THE GOOD OLD DAYS: “The Delray Green Market is a throwback to a simpler time when open-air markets and sharing food experiences with the butcher or shopkeeper was a common occurrence in everyone’s life,” says the Delray Green Market’s manager, Lori Nolan.
FRESH FISH: You won’t find seafood fresher than the catches at Captain Clay & Sons (unless you take a rod out yourself). Local favorites include pumpkin swordfish, shrimp, stone crab, smoked fish dip, caviar, oysters, and more—and if Captain Clay is present, your purchase might be accompanied by a fishing tale.
NURTURED BY EARTH: Gratitude Garden’s organic farm in Loxahatchee is responsible for their eye-catching selection of organic mushrooms (the golden oyster variety looks like it came from another planet), herbs, turmeric elixirs, and assorted greens. Their story is equally compelling: Their growing journey began when owner Joseph Chammas was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He stopped the conventional treatment route early and, along with his wife, went raw vegan and began growing his own organic food, healing his body from the inside out.
Swank Farmers Market
WHERE TO FIND IT: Swank Specialty Produce (14311 North Road, Loxahatchee). Located in the open-air pole barn, the market can go on rain or shine, and there’s abundant free parking on-site.
WHEN TO GO: Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. between October and June
GO FOR: High-quality food items, exclusively (no art, jewelry, or crafts), and a unique farmers market experience on a true working farm.
ENTERTAINMENT: Jam out to Mitch Herrick of the Homegrown Sinners each week.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY: Kids love visiting the resident farm animals, including pigs, chickens, and sheep.
NO POOCHES, PLEASE: Pets are not permitted at this market (other than service dogs).
DON’T MISS: Twice monthly, Uprooted Catering throws breakfast sandwiches on the grill and Tropical Smokehouse prepares Floridian barbecue. Okeechobee-based Sutton Milk pops up once or twice a month with fresh local whole milk and ice cream.
HISTORY OF THE MARKET: Swank Specialty Produce started their farm in 2001; in 2014, they built an 8,500-square-foot pole barn and began hosting their ultra-popular Swank Table dinner series. At the end of the green market season that year, Swank continued selling their produce at the barn with a handful of other West Palm Beach vendors until the farm shut down for the summer. That continued until the pandemic hit—and inspired further growth. “With so much produce growing in our 50,000-square-foot shade house, and as an essential business, we opened our farm for fresh produce sales, inviting other essential vendors to join us,” shares Jodi Swank. “From March to July 2020, our Swank Farmers Market started to bloom with lines of people coming out to purchase farm-fresh items.” She invited other vendors to join her, and the Swank Farmers Market took off.
NEW PERK: After 21 years of farming, the roads to the farm have finally been paved. Now you don’t have to go home and wash your car after visiting.
ONLY AT SWANK: Blis Foods, a specialty Greek food supplier who imports from family farms in Greece (think olive oil, black garlic, dried heirloom bananas and figs, and more); Palm Beach Creamed Honey; and Swank Produce, of course!
TAKE-HOME SNACK: Poppity Girls popcorn made from heirloom kernels from Wisconsin
MUST TRY: Wagyu hotdogs and sliders from Palm Beach Meats
Lake Worth Beach Waterside Farmers Market
WHERE TO FIND IT: Under the overpass at A1A and Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach
(1 South Ocean Boulevard)
WHEN TO GO: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. between October and April
GO FOR: Locally grown fruits and vegetables, baked goods, clothing, curios, and dancing in the street—all in a beautiful waterside setting
ENTERTAINMENT: Expect a live band every week.
BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS: Sink your teeth into loaded breakfast tacos from Tres Tacos.
PANTRY STAPLE: Dirty Bird’s Swett Sauce, a medium-heat sauce, kicks any food up a few notches (for the bravest among us, there’s an ultra hot “ghost” version, too).
MUST TRY: Sample authentic Filipino favorites like lumpias and pancit from Ilocano Kitchen (their peach-mango empanadas are also out of this world).
GET CAFFEINATED: The artful branding is just as good as the coffee from Killer Coffee Co., so you might want to grab a T-shirt to match your bag of Mexican beans.
DRESS TO IMPRESS: Blù Nomad’s line of fair-trade, eco-friendly women’s fashion is handcrafted in a small workshop in India. Owner Nathalie Verre will help you pick the perfect threads, whether that’s an indigo-dyed dress or hand-block-printed scarf.
GIFTABLE: Shop artisan soaps, soy candles, custom boards, resin and epoxy art, and ready-to-give decorative gift boxes from Old Town Charm.
THE PERFECT HAUL: Puka Maui’s Hawaiian-inspired handmade bags, purses, pouches, and totes make for the perfect reusable market bag. Owner and designer Jordy Houglum turned her pandemic-borne sewing hobby into a business for her high school senior project at Maui Preparatory Academy, then moved to Delray Beach and watched her small business blossom. Her colorful patterned bags are eye-catching and eco-friendly.
The Gardens Green Market
WHERE TO FIND IT: City Hall Municipal Campus (10500 North Military Trail). There’s ample free parking in lots immediately adjacent to and within a quarter-mile of the market.
WHEN TO GO: Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. year-round (with reduced hours in the summer months)
GO FOR: The largest Sunday market in the area (most local markets of similar size are held on Saturday) is now in its twentieth season. There’s fresh produce, dairy, honey, pastries, prepared foods, flowers, cheeses, spices, and more. This market also has one of the widest selections of nonconsumable artisanal and handmade goods, from patio furniture to polymer clay jewelry to greeting cards—plus soaps, lotions, home decor, resort wear, jewelry, bird and butterfly houses, paintings, sculptures, pottery, and more.
ENTERTAINMENT: Each week features live entertainment by local musicians on the Green Market pavilion stage as well as a demonstration, exhibit, or Gardens Art highlight in the Market Spotlight area.
NO POOCHES, PLEASE: Pets are not permitted at this market, but bring Fido a home-baked treat from Dog Days Homemade Barkery and he’ll let it slide.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY: Every fourth Sunday of the month, there’s a kids’ area with oversized classic games and fun photo ops.
MUST TRY: Enjoy free tai chi classes every Sunday from 8 to 9 a.m. at the Veterans Plaza Amphitheater.
SEASONAL DELIGHT: All the gourmet flavors of artisan granola and muesli from Laurie’s Pantry are delicious, but her seasonal creations (think Witches’ Brew and Trick or Treat around Halloween time) are an extra-fun pantry staple to rotate.
DON’T MISS: Garlic Joy spreads, sauces, salsa, and more from Joy’s Gourmet celebrate the perfect pairing of tomato and garlic.
FRESH VEGGIES: Pure Produce, established in 1982, is a family-owned and -operated hydroponic farm with all the fresh produce you’ll need for the week.
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