Los Angeles Farmers Markets: Days, Picks and Tips

Los Angeles farmers markets run nearly every day of the week, spread across a county so large it can take an hour to reach the next one. The Hollywood market and the Santa Monica market are the best known, and this guide shows how to shop them by the day of the week.

The day of the week decides which market is open near you, so check the schedule, then shop early for the best selection.

Which Los Angeles farmers markets are best known?

Three come up in nearly every list: the Hollywood Farmers Market, the Santa Monica downtown market and the Original Farmers Market, at 3rd and Fairfax. The Original is a Los Angeles landmark, but it is a permanent market with stalls and restaurants rather than a weekly farm-stand market, so it works differently.

Smaller neighborhood markets, such as the one in Altadena, have changed days and hours, partly after the fires. Always check the market's own page, and bring a tote bag for whatever tempts you.

What is the Hollywood Farmers Market like?

The Hollywood Farmers Market is a large Sunday market with produce, flowers, baked goods and prepared food. It is a good place to see how many different crops grow in Southern California within a day's drive. Chefs shop here, and the aisles fill by mid-morning.

Arrive early for the best selection and the smallest crowds. Bring bags and cash, and try samples before you buy. Parking nearby is limited, so consider a rideshare or the Metro.

Why is the Santa Monica Wednesday market so popular?

The Santa Monica Wednesday market is one of the city's most famous, partly because many restaurants buy from it. It sets up on Arizona Avenue, and the stalls offer stone fruit, tomatoes, greens, flowers and artisan foods. Santa Monica runs other markets on other days, so check which one you are visiting.

Because chefs shop here, the best items go early. Go in the morning and walk the whole market before you buy. A coffee and a pastry make a good start.

What is the Original Farmers Market?

The Original Farmers Market, at 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue, is a historic market with stalls, shops and restaurants. It is not a typical farm-stand market but a landmark food hall of an earlier era, with produce, butchers, bakers and sit-down counters. It sits near The Grove, which makes it a popular stop for visitors.

Come for a snack and a look. Many stalls have been operating for decades, and the sign-laden clock tower is a local icon. Check opening hours before you go.

How do you plan around LA market days?

LA market days vary by neighborhood. Use a county directory such as the Patch guide to find markets near you by day. Sundays have Hollywood and many others, Wednesdays have Santa Monica and more, and weekends in general have the widest choice.

If you are visiting, pick the day first and then choose a market. If you live here, learn your local day. A regular visit lets you build relationships with farmers, who will save the best fruit for a customer they know and tell you when a new variety arrives.

What should you buy?

Buy what is in season. Citrus in winter, strawberries in spring, stone fruit and tomatoes in summer, apples, pomegranates and persimmons in fall. Ask the farmer which variety is best for eating, baking or juicing.

Taste. Most vendors give samples. Ask when the fruit was picked and how to store it. Ripe stone fruit is fragile, so carry it carefully. A bag with a rigid bottom, or a small box from the vendor, keeps peaches from bruising in the car. Citrus, apples and root vegetables travel well and can handle a trip.

If you are cooking that night, build a menu around the haul. A tomato salad, a pot of beans with greens or a simple pasta with market vegetables turns a morning of shopping into dinner. Ask the farmer for a favorite way to prepare something you have not cooked before.

How do you shop smart?

Bring bags, a cooler for hot days and cash in small bills. Go early for selection or late for bargains, since some farmers discount at the end of the day. Walk the market once before buying so you can compare.

Look for the farmer's certificate, usually posted at the stall. It shows that the seller grows what they sell. Ask questions.

Where can you read more?

For food halls, read the Los Angeles food halls guide. For downtown eating, see the downtown Los Angeles food guide, and for the state's produce calendar, the California farmers market seasons guide. The US guides page lists more.

A saved list in the Mosey app can carry a short title, such as Sunday markets, and a note on each stop. Invite a friend by link and the shortlist is built by two people instead of one.

A market haul is easy to forget by the time you reach the car. With the Mosey app you can rate what you buy and cook, note the farm and the week, and build a Los Angeles list that tells you which stalls to visit first.