Last updated on August 1st, 2024
The Sunday Ballard Farmer’s Market feels a lot like a European market, stalls overflowing with fresh, local foods amid pedestrian-scaled historic buildings housing artsy shops, bars, and restaurants. It would be a pleasant place to wander even without the market, but the market provides an additional incentive to get up and out on a Sunday morning. When we visit, on a cold fall morning, the market is crowded.
The market isn’t just a place to buy fresh produce, meat, and seafood (I would guess that the Ballard market has a lot more fresh seafood than your average farmer’s market!) for the coming week. There are also gourmet goodies (including eaglemount cider and jonboy caramels) to stock in the pantry for the next special occasion.
There is plenty of street food available for those in need of more immediate gratification. The options include beautiful and elaborate omelets, tacos, stir fries, pizza, and more. Ice cream, mini-donuts, and a variety of candies (why save something that good?) are available for dessert.
Of course, there is more than food at the market. Even in fall, there are mounds of flowers (mostly brightly colored dahlias) throughout the market. A number of artists also sell their wares in a separate area, providing plenty of gift giving options.
So a visit to the Ballard market can be a complete shopping experience: eat a meal, buy your groceries for the coming week, stock up on specialty treats, pick up a few gifts, and grab some flowers for yourself or someone special. Just give yourself plenty of time to take in the market and all that the surrounding shops and restaurants have to offer.
Updates on what’s fresh this week are available on the market blog.
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