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Alexandria Farmers' Market
- Hours:
Sat 5:30 am - 11 am
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
23 reviews for Alexandria Farmers' Market
Review Highlights
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"...lots of delicious looking baked goods will make your mouth..." In 6 reviews -
"Great location in the heart of Old Town." In 8 reviews -
"The fresh squeezed orange juice." In 3 reviews
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Pink I.
Alexandria, VA
4/30/2012
I love the farmers' market. Some pros and cons, keeping in mind that many vendors and items are seasonal.
Favorites
The Lamb's Quarter (east quadrant center) - a local MD farm that offers produce and meats. For me, the pork products are highlights. They have two types of sausage and both are outstanding - I prefer the Italian. They also have bacon - not every week, but occasionally, and it is some of the best bacon I've ever eaten. Not as salty as store-bought bacon and just fantastic. They also have the best eggs at the market. Finally, they have a CSA program where you can become a shareholder and get 22 weeks of vegetables. In November, the farm offers fresh turkeys.
Pickle dude (west quadrant) - local Alexandria vendor who pickles just about anything. Bread and butter chips, peppers, cauliflower, etc. Makes a great gift. Return jars for credit.
Egg dude backup (east quadrant) - there is a vendor across the aisle from the Lamb's Quarter who has good eggs.
Produce stand (east quadrant north-side) - there is a large produce vendor in the warmer months who populates this section of the square. Great broccoli and cauliflower and they also have a very good honey. But the real attraction is a great lettuce mix, sold by the bushel.
Produce vendors (south quadrant) - in the warmer months, there are several produce vendors in the center of the south quadrant. They tend to have the better peaches and apricots, but your mileage may vary. They usually let you try before you buy so you can't go wrong.
Cons/Meh's
Flower vendors. I'm sorry, but I have never been impressed with the majority of the flower vendors; the flowers all appear to be purchased at wholesalers and then trekked to the market for resale.
Coffee vendor (west quadrant north-side or center) Coffee vendor selling just coffee (Guatemalan?) that isn't very good. Go to Misha's instead.
Pastry vendor (east quadrant south-side) there is a pastry vendor that sells OK pastries, but I would otherwise recommend le pain quotidien just up King St.
Trunk dudes - is there that much demand for refurbished old trunks? -
Review from vanessa g.
Washington, DC
12/6/2011
This market has a good range of products:
Produce ( flowers, veggies, fruit)from different vendors
Fresh baked bread & goodies
roasted nuts & pizelles
a goat cheese vendor
handmade soaps/body care
handmade & manufactured jewelry
speciality sauces/dips/pastas
and a few other nice things.
It's somewhat pricey but there is alot to see & experience here. One thing I don't like is that they do not allow pets. For Old Town being so pet friendly it's a shocker they don't allow pets. Most other outdoor markets allow them :( -
Review from Gregg M.
It was a beautiful, sunny, Saturday morning and for some ungodly reason I was up at 7am. So, the gf and I decided to follow through on what we had frequently talked about and went to the Alexandria Farmers' Market. The Alexandria Farmers' Market offers your standard collection of produce vendors, bakers, flower stands, herb growers, and craft artisans in a quaint Market Square in front of the Alexandria City Hall every Saturday morning. While it's not the largest or most diverse market of this type in the area, it covers the bases for what most people look for in a farmers' market. The market, thankfully, is strongest in the number of farmers with good quality, fresh produce that are present at the weekly market. We found what we were looking for and came away impressed with the quality, freshness, and overall prices that certainly beat Whole Foods. Don't expect an Eastern Market on a weekend experience (unless that's what you're trying to avoid) and you won't be disappointed.
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Review from Mari C.
Alexandria, VA
5/2/2012
Local? Not always. Organic? Who can say for sure. Expensive, especially some of the flowers? Yes.
It's all kind of pretentious but it's fun and makes a nice morning outing. Just don't think you're saving the planet by shopping here because probably you're not. -
Review from Sarah J.
Updated - 7/30/2011
I avoided the Alexandria Farmer's Market for quite a while since it gets super crowded and ruins what I qualify as a very zen shopping experience. However, on one recent weekend, I had an itch to scratch, so I gave the market another shot. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised, and have been frequenting it more and more.
Granted, the market is still very crowded, even when I arrive at 9am (I have always been a morning person, what can I say), but I manage to see past the throngs of people to the amazing produce that abounds. One advantage of the market being so large is that it can accommodate more vendors than a place like the Del Ray Farmer's Market, thus there is greater variety. My favorite vendor sports corn, tomatoes, and the usual suspects, but also items you might not otherwise see, such as yellow watermelon, poblanos and tomatillos (he is right at the end of the market on the corner of King and Fairfax).
I don't usually frequent the bread man or florist stands, but it's nice to know I have the option. There is also a man with the most beautifully handmade rolling pins and cutting boards, and when I have $80 lying around, you better believe I will be purchasing a cutting board for my kitchen.
The farmers here are especially nice; probably the nicest I have come across in the area. That and the fact that people can make change at the farmer's market make the experience all the more pleasant. Seriously, no one with a register can make change anymore, it's ridiculous. Just work up to the next quarter-it's so simple!! Granted, some of the vendors are a bit pricey, but it's worth it. The quality of the produce is truly unparalleled. That alone is worth the visit.Listed in: NOVA is for Lovers, Within Walking Distance, Get Movin', Locavore
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/18/2010
I'm somewhat of a farmer's market snob, and I love love love the farmer's market at King Street.… Read more »
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Review from Stanley S.
Alexandria, VA
6/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I come here for three reasons:
1. It's close
2. The fresh squeezed orange juice
3. DELICIOUS croissants stuffed with goat cheese and pesto.
I could easily justify going here for a bag full of those croissants alone, but I probably shouldn't. Anyhow, their selection is pretty eclectic. You can get flowers, fruits, veggies, artwork, baked goods, eggs, cheese, spices, orange juice, republican & democrat pamphlets...the works!
Unfortunately if you come here any time after 9am it is PACKED. It's like a high powered tourist magnet inside of the already over sized tourist attraction that is Old Town Alexandria. I don't trust a couple of the vendors because I suspect that they are grocery store re-sellers. My suspicions arise from their habitual selling of out-of-season fruits. Also, compared to other farmers' markets this place is pricey.
Come early or you'll have to shove your way to high priced farmer's market produce. -
Review from cla b.
Alexandria, VA
6/18/2011
I'm very divided about this place.
Bakery and Dairy products are reasonably priced (for Old Town) and tasty to boot.
Produce I could do without. Some are definitely resellers (ripe peaches in March anyone?) though a few had tasty ramps (and very expensive morels) back in April or so. -
Review from Serena C.
Alexandria, VA
4/23/2011
If your goal of going to this farmers market is to get as many of your weekly groceries/produce from local sources, I would try someplace else. When I went this spring, there was only one grocer selling produce and I'm not sure any of it was local, besides some apples from West Virginia. The produce did look fresh but as another reviewer said, I could probably find the same stuff from the same places at a grocery store for cheaper.
If your goal is to buy local dairy products, you're in luck here. There were a number of stalls selling eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt. Maybe some meats too but I'm not sure. I bought some yogurt from the guy that sells homemade cheese and yogurt and it was divine!
If your goal is to eat delicious pastries and bring home rustic breads then this place is the SPOT! Loads of merchants selling lots of delicious looking baked goods will make your mouth drool. Also be sure to visit the stall that sells honey. It's the best honey ever!
Finally, if your goal is just to wander around and browse, this place is pretty interesting - fresh flowers, some jewelry makers, a few clothing stalls, friendly people and a few samples. It's not the largest farmers market I've been to but it made for a relaxing Saturday morning none the less. -
Review from Courtney R.
Arlington, VA
7/10/2009
I've lived in Old Town for a long time, but have been to this market on less than a dozen occasions.
That's mainly because Saturdays are for sleeping in, but when I do get up early enough I sometimes walk the few blocks over to check it out. While I love making it rain, I am not a morning person. Paying $5 for fresh eggs when they're not even organic is an Old Town move--one I am not willing to make, no matter how much of a baller I was being the night before. I will pay those kinds of prices for honey and flowers, though.
Highlights:
Honey.
There are a couple of local farmers who sell honey--one even sells great beeswax hand cream for $7. Good stuff.
Cupcakes.
There is a cupcake woman there who doesn't have her own shop yet for you cc lovers (I'm one of them), but they're nothing to jump up and down about.
Pies and pastries.
One stand--it always runs parallel to the city hall building or whatever that is, facing it--has awesome pies, tarts, buns, etc. Worth the money. Inventive and delicious.
Lowlights:
Expensive, non organic offerings.
Inconsistent participation from vendors.
Expensive, watery, fresh-squeezed juice.
Vera Bradley sighting overload.
For the most part, I don't find anything phenomenal about this market. Not much is organic, even if it is local. However, farmer's markets rock, and this one is close to home.
I might look down my nose at it from time to time, and I certainly don't take enough advantage of it; two things I'm sure to rue once I move to C.Heights/Mt. Pleasant in September (though I hear the market in Dupont is pretty onetime). -
Review from Gayle G.
Woodbridge, VA
11/14/2006 1 photo
I used to live in Alexandria, not Old Town (actually the other end of King Street) and this Farmers' Market is worth the trip.
The market is held year round in Old Town on Market Square every Saturday. You can find the typical farmers' market stuff like fruit, veggies, plants and flowers. There are usually baked goods being sold like pies, bread, cookies,eggs, muffins, scones and cakes.
I also found some pretty handmade quilts, jewelry and dolls at this market. There are also some snacks for sale to munch on while you browse.Listed in: A Fresco Markets
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Review from Elizabeth B.
Chicago, IL
10/23/2008
The Alexandria market is supposedly the oldest in the area - dating back to the time of George Washington, though I'm sure it's gone through many iterations since then. I have no idea who gets up and is there at 5:30 when the market opens, but when I was there around 9 the other weekend, the stands still had plenty for sale, and there were LOTS of people out.
Unlike the Fresh Farm Markets in DC or the Arlington market at Courthouse, this is NOT a growers-only market. That means that while there are growers like Big Riggs Farm selling their products - there are also basically produce resellers (so no different than the grocery store), as well as lots of crafts and other non-food stands.
It's a nice market, but for my money and time, I'll head up to Arlington, where I can do almost all of my grocery shopping for the week at the market and also be confident that I'm supporting local farmers. -
Review from Jonathan S.
Brooklyn, NY
6/9/2009
I really like this farmer's market. I've seen several prior reviews describing it as small, but it certainly seems a lot larger than most that I've seen in the area (excluding Eastern Market, of course).
Great selection of homemade baked goods and breads, along with some of the harder to find vegetables and aromatics out there. I came home with about 6 bunches of garlic scrapes (the green part that sprouts out of the garlic head which people usually hack off and throw away). They're have the consistency of uncooked asparagus, a lighter garlic flavor than the clove and are really versatile in the kitchen. I was really happy to find them.
I also walked away with an almond scone, a glass of very freshly squeezed orange juice, a loaf of sourdough bread and a honey comb, all for about $20 (including the scrapes). Yes, buying local can be a bit more expensive, but it's absolutely worth it for the quality and variety of products one can find.
I'll be back to this farmers' market as often as I can! -
Review from Hilary G.
6/18/2011
I went here last weekend and it was mainly fruit-lots of peaches, cherries and strawberries. The strawberries($5.50) a pint and from WVA were delicious, as were the peaches from SC. The farmers market I went to in Williamsburg, VA had a greater variety of items. There were some vendors selling bread and others selling flowers but no crafts other than a children's clothing booth. I don't think it's worth getting up early for and trying to find parking. From what I hear, the Del Ray Farmers' Market has a better selection.
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Review from Nina B.
12/17/2008
The farmer's market is pretty tiny. The early start doesn't bother me as much as the early end. Trying to crawl out of bed before it closes at 10am, is a little too much for a Saturday morning. Hence my one and only trip to this market.
The selection is good, and there is a local dairy guy that brings homemade cheeses and other dairy products. A handful of baked good stands as well.
No dogs allowed, though, which I thought was kind of annoying. And, the police will escort you out if they see you with a dog. -
Review from Rob R.
8/29/2009
I've been meaning to go to the Farmer's Market in Old Town for a while now. Well, this weekend I finally dragged my butt out of bed on a Saturday morning to head down to the town square and see what they had to offer.
Don't go expecting a spread like the Eastern Market.... think more 8th St Market. It's not too shabby, but nothing too special as far as Farmer's Markets go.
But all in all, it's got all the basics you look for in a Farmers Market. I picked up 6 ears of corn, some green onion, 3 potatoes, 4 peaches and 2 apples for 8 bucks. Not a bad price at all considering that the quality is superior to the super market stuff.
The big downside for me is that, according to the website, the market is over at 10:30 am. I cherish my weekend snoozes.... not even entertaining long sentences or anything more than a bowl of cereal and a spot on the couch until 11:30 or so on a Saturday. Because of this, I really don't know if I'll be a frequent shopper.
Also, I expected more arts and crafts type stuff. There was some.... but with the all the art venues within three blocks of the town square, I expected a little more.
Parking may be an issue for some. All you have to do is park on a side street.... two or three blocks away, tops. It may take a little persistence, but it really shouldn't be a problem.
I'll give the Farmers Market a solid 3.33.
Recommend!! -
Review from Nicole O.
Updated - 9/21/2009 2 photos
I went to this market again this past weekend, and it was much better! Because more vendors were out, the atmosphere was more energized.
I had the opportunity to talk to people from each booth and learned some interesting stories. After waxing poetic over a sample of Asian pear I tried, the farmer let me have the pear for free!
I absolutely love the free parking, close proximity, and the fact that it's year round. The only thing that is keeping it down is the lack of variety. I love apples and peaches like everyone else, but I want my farmers market to have some interesting and unique things that I can't find other places. Where else am I going to get squash blossoms and daikon sprouts if you don't provide them to me? Alexandria needs to bring it so that it can compete with the DC markets.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/9/2009
I never got around to posting these pictures from my first-ever Farmer's Market trip in June! It was… Read more »
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Review from Nicole Y.
Alexandria, VA
7/13/2009
The herbs are overpriced and limited in variety, the produce is wilty and also overpriced and the vendors are usually not very friendly. The only plus is that you may get offered a free flower if you show up late morning when vendors are closing.
Most of the stuff is not even organic. Good riddance. -
Review from Ashley G.
Arlington, VA
8/28/2009
I have only been here a few times and give it 3.5 stars.
Pros:
-TONS of vendors with a lot of different options (cakes, fresh squeezed OJ, honey, many, many veggie/fruit places, etc.)
-Everyone is friendly
-It can get crowded but it's still spacious
Cons:
-The last time I went, I noticed they changed the parking around the vicinity of the location itself. We had to part about 7 blocks away, which isn't bad but annoying when you have too much to carry back
-The prices seemed to have gone up significantly from 05-present. I know we're in a recession but I can't pay $7.99 for blueberries when I can get them on sale at Giant for $2.50 -
Review from Jason M.
Alexandria, VA
10/28/2010
Great location in the heart of Old Town. They offer $1 parking in the underground lot right beneath the Farmer's Market. There are a lot of offerings at the market, from fresh produce to breads to desserts to art to flowers. The vendors are very nice and polite and willing to answer any questions you have. Get there early, because it does get crowded and picked-over when it gets closer to closing time (10AM I believe).
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Review from Wyld K.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2011
A nice, centralized farmer's market, but the hours are early and the number of vendors is fairly small. You pretty much have to get up early on Saturday to get what you really want. No dogs allowed (which is weird for Old Town), and be sure to dodge the non-food vendors offering their expensive wares on the perimeter.
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Review from Colleen M.
Arlington, VA
10/20/2008 3 photos
The Alexandria farmer's market is held on Saturday mornings starting at 5 am. Or so I'm told. Seriously, 5 am on a Saturday is not in my repertiore. I usually don't make it out until closer to 8:30 or 9, and the market square is hopping with people. It's still early enough in the day to get a decent parking space within a block or two, and you can see the locals streaming toward the market with baskets and bed head. There's a nice selection of fruits and veggies, with some interesting things like edible nasturium blossoms, shitake mushrooms, purple heirloom tomatoes and black mission figs. The selection varies depends on what's in season. There are also plenty of baked goods, meats and cheeses, flowers, artists and other unique items to peruse. The only drawback is that the market ends at 10:30. Probably because then the tourists start to show up, and parking gets competitive. It's worth the early morning roll out of bed for real food that tastes like something other than cardboard. Slap on a baseball hat and bring your own re-useable bag.
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Review from lauren B.
Alexandria, VA
7/17/2010
I'm really not a fan of people selling what I can get at Safeway or Harris Teater, Most of the sellers are just produce re sellers, I like my farmers market to be actual farmers, that said I think I'm going to stick to the smaller Del Ray farmers market and the new Arlandria farmers market.
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Review from Carolyn S.
Alexandria, VA
5/31/2011
I like that this is in my neigbhorhood, and has some local offerings. Baked goods look great, but I'm drawn to the veggies and fruits. However, a lot isnt local, a lot isn't organic. You just have to ask if these are important to you. Ask where it comes from even if the the farm is local;farms may bring in fruits from the south to have variety. Ask even if a sign says "pesticide-free" --there is confusion on what this term means. One farm didnt count fungicides or herbicides as "pest"icides. I prefer organic and I prefer local, but there's other reasons to buy their produce. But ask if important. You may decide you prefer to pay higher prices to the farmer at the market, but realize you may be getting the same product as from the grocer at a higher price. One observation that really bothers me is that there is no acceptance of food stamps. This is a very big deal -a farmers market should support the community as much as it supports the farmer --but this farmers market seems to attract only higher income shoppers. In fact, produce is comparable or more expensive at the market than at the Whole foods nearby. Alexandria is much more diverse than the market reflects. This farmers market is within easy walking distance of a number of lower income blocks --Alexandria could do a better job making these goods more accessible (financially) by accepting food stamps.
