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Borough Hall Greenmarket
Category: Food Farmers Market Farmers Market [Edit]
Court St and Remsen StBrooklyn, NY 11226
Neighborhood: Brooklyn Heights
- Nearest Transit:
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Borough Hall (2, 3)
Borough Hall (4, 5)
Court St (N, R)
- Hours:
Tue, Thu, Sat 8 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
24 reviews for Borough Hall Greenmarket
Review Highlights
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"...as big as the one in Union Square, but you can still find..." In 6 reviews -
"And right now, it's damn good." In 3 reviews -
"...local market for buying herbs and other food plants." In 5 reviews
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Leslie D.
Now I love farmers market in general but I love the Borough Hall Greenmarket even more because I currently live near it... plus it's in front of the beautiful court house in downtown Brooklyn.
The best time to go to a market is obviously during the summer season when the weather is great and there are fresh tomatoes and watermelons everywhere but I love going during the other seasons too. During the fall, there are giant piles of pumpkins and I feel like a giddy child again. I heart pumpkins to death. There are many tents to look through for variety. Year round, you can buy loaves of freshly baked breads and other amazing goodies such as brownies, focaccia, and pies. I love just wandering through the market on a lazy Saturday looking at all the fresh produce, flowers, eggs, baked goods, and potted plants. I do not know why but I am just fascinated with vegatables and fruits; I often go into grocery stores just to roam the produce aisle for no other particular reason than to check out all the interesting shapes and colors. Farmers markets are no exception to this habit. Yes, I'm a little weird but I blame the artist in me.
Make sure to bring cash as last time I checked these businesses aren't carrying card swipers. Oh technology.Listed in: It's All Good Under the 'Hood.
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Review from Peter D.
8/25/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I'm a bit torn about how to rate this market, because although it's solid during the off-season, it becomes SO MUCH BETTER during the summer. But you know what? It's summer right now. And right now, it's damn good.
You might not even be looking to buy anything, just walking by, minding your own business and trying to avoid eye contact with the Jehovah's witnesses.
But then there's some girl offering you a peach. A whole peach, no strings attached. And it turns out to be one of the juiciest peaches of all time. So suddenly you're buying four of them.
And while you're paying, the other guy over in the corner wants you to taste all the different kinds of heirloom tomatoes he's got. And suddenly you're buying a White Beauty, an Italian Heart and the green one (with an equally ostentatious name I can't recall) so you can make an heirloom tomato salad that resembles the Italian flag. What the fuck? You've never done anything like this in your life; who knows how this guy convinced you it was a good idea, but just go with it.
And then you poke around a bit, and you find garlic scapes. And dill. Bok choy. Leeks. Shallots. Five different kinds of kale. Plums. Eggplants. More kinds of cucumbers than you previously thought existed. And that's that.
Oh, and I suppose you might as well grab a watermelon too, so you can cut it up for your soccer team at halftime tomorrow. Because giving people things is the only way you know how to make them like you. -
Review from Quincy T.
8/21/2011
Hands down this is one of the few places in NYC to get fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, and the best service.
The patrons are down to earth, happy go lucky, and very understanding when it comes to bargains. This place is clearly "you get what you pay for" and the top of the highest quality stuff can be found here.
This place sees me every thursday morning on my way to work. I love this market. -
Review from Booba Y.
Brooklyn, NY
8/26/2011
I found myself here yesterday, even though it wasn't on my itinerary. Since I love Green Markets, I of-course had to snoop around a bit before I continued about conducting my business. (Always mail in your jury duty request forms, otherwise you'll have to make a personal appearance like I did)
I was a bit surprised by the lack of vendors that were there. This was a very small market with not much variety. Also, I found that their prices were a tad higher than what I see in other Green Markets.
I did however, have to have an apple crumb cake, and it was to die for! So that was good. However, when doing my green market shopping I would probably skip this place and go to the one by Grand Army Plaza instead. -
Review from L J.
Brooklyn, NY
7/30/2011
This market is very convenient, but I agree with other posters that the quality and number of vendors isn't great.
Maybe it was because of today's hot weather, but the produce and flowers were not fresh. And you would think they would have been covered, but the vendors had their products right under the sun without any shade. I didn't buy much. Disappointed. I prefer the Union Square market. -
Review from Curtis J.
4/14/2011 1 photo
I've been kind of insulted by saying how much I love farmer's markets, but I really don't care. As a foodie and a vegetarian it's the best of both worlds for me, and Borough Hall's own is by far the best in NYC.
Why you ask? Well, while its mightily crowded on Tuesdays, on Saturdays its so relaxed and never gets as crazy as the Fort Greene one (aka the 'Dog Market' b/c of it's proximity to the park) and definitely not like the Prospect Park one (no elaboration needed). They're friendlier here too. And the veggies, the breads, everything is fresh and organic and tasty. I especially love the apple vendors as before I began eating fresh apples I probably only ate five apples a year, begrudgingly so. Now I'm Curty Appleseed! (wonk, wonk). It does help that I work Saturdays, but even when I didn't I went out of my way to make it to Borough Hall.
Other than the apples, my faves are: tomatoes, greens, red lettuce, yams and potatoes (about to make one right now!), turnips, eggplant, spanish peppers, basil and those apple donuts. I wasn't expecting to list so many, but you'll probably do the same after you go.Listed in: Veggie Bliss!
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Review from Sharon C.
11/23/2011
I love farmers markets. The best apple I ever tasted, that I didn't personally pick in an orchard, was a juicy winesap right here at the Borough Hall Greenmarket. Bringing ultra-fresh organic produce to the masses by placing farmers markets at mass transit hubs... sounds convenient, right? Oh! the potential! Oy! the limitations! This week I basically went window-shopping. Here's what I fantasized about buying: 10 pounds sweet potatoes, 5 pounds red potatoes, 5 pounds granny smith, 5 pounds golden delicious, 5 pounds macouns, 2 gallons cider, a couple pints of maple syrup... what am I, a pack animal? Here's what actually bought that I could carry home on the subway: Pies! made with simple organic ingredients, just like my own. Well that takes care of my Thanksgiving baking (scratching some apples off my list).
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Review from Kirsten P.
Brooklyn, NY
4/30/2011 19 Check-ins Here
I know that people complain about this greenmarket - it's too small, there aren't enough vendors, the other markets have much better selections.
I come to Borough Hall greenmarket on Tuesdays and Thursdays to get baked goods (right now just for friends as I cannot eat carbs) from Bakers Bounty and I come on Saturdays to get natural turkey or fish or vegetables.
I like that there are limited number of vendors as it means they remember me from week to week. Also, I hate getting overwhelmed and I prefer to divide up my greenmarket shopping into specific items. -
Review from Rich W.
9/11/2010 8 photos
Spring brings Hope but Fall brings the farmer's markets (or the Greenmarket) are now well stocked with lots of beautiful & fresh harvests.
I am so lucky to have an office near the Brooklyn Borough Hall. The stuff is so fresh you just want to just slip it!
This Greenmarket is not as big as Union Square Green market in Manhattan but the prices I think are better and the service is friendlier.
I think veggies look so much sexier in sunny light then florescent light.
Check out the photos, they speak for themselves.Listed in: Feel like a Queen in Kings…
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Review from L C.
Westchester, NY
8/28/2008 1 photo
On a gorgeous Thursday afternoon, this Greenmarket was the perfect place to enjoy a snack and the striking view of Borough Hall against the abundant sunshine.
It's a small-ish market, with about eight or so vendors, and most are fruits and vegetables. One bakery stand offers danishes, pastries, muffins, and the like. More variety in type of stand would be nice, but each stand had a different piece of produce that stood out-- one had Jersey nectarines that were perfectly ripe, another heirloom tomatoes in colors I didn't know tomatoes existed (I got a sweet brandywine), yet another bags of golden zucchini blossoms. The bakery stand's crumb bun (1/2 inch cake, 2 inches of crumb) was $2 of bliss.Listed in: A Teacher Eats in Brooklyn
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Review from Cassie G.
6/23/2010
Something about white tents gets me every time.
Upon exiting the subways to head home, I saw this market straight ahead, did a U-Turn, and ended up here! Much smaller than other markets like in Union Square, Borough Hall still gives you what you want.
From veggies to fresh fruit, they have good prices with plenty of selection. There's also a bread vendor with plenty of pies and loaves, some cheese, and even plants so you can get a little bit of everything.
It's not a place I would go out of my way to attend, but definitely does it's job well and gives me what I need. All the vendors are really nice and definitely not there to cheat you. So head on over, grab a refreshing apple cider perhaps, relax in the plaza and enjoy Brooklyn Heights. -
Review from Kyle H.
Brooklyn, NY
10/7/2008
Eh. It's pretty great. They have no meat for sale, or any kind of dairy vendor. Mostly a ton of produce, and some flowers and plants, herbs, a couple of pastry/bread guys, maybe there's cheese- I can't remember.
The Not Just Rugelah guy does this very decent kind of like sausage roll/mini calzone-y thing. Some vegetarian like mozz and fresh eggplant, some with sausage or whatever. Anyway, it's good for lunch and it's around 3 bucks.
But my favorite time to go is right before they close. Maybe around 5. They always have these end-of-the-day specials. Concord grapes for 2 bucks. Bags of tomatoes for 3 bucks. Flowers for the GF? Check, four bucks. Delightful.Listed in: For The Love of All That is…
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Review from Queen G.
Bronx, NY
7/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great market and great location. Borough hall is so packed with people, but this market has a nice flow of traffic. They have musical performances daily, and a lot of street performers that bring life to this area and columbus park. This market is not as big as the one in Union Square, but it's pretty nice. They have a different vendors but there are not too many of them, and the are always giving out free drinks and food. When I went, I got a small free iced coffee from starbuck and a boar's head sandwich. It's a nice spot to check out.
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Review from Samantha A.
Staten Island, NY
4/9/2011
Here are some tips that will help you enjoy the market even more...
1) Check out the http://WWW.GrowNYC.org website description of the market, which will give you dates/times/basic info as well as letting you know which vendors will be available when you're planning on visiting and what they sell!
2) Remember all of these farmers/vendors are local and are responsible for their product, so they're happy to answer any of your questions on growing/production methods, etc. You can't do that in a grocery store! Also, this means that you're only going to find local, regionally appropriate, in-season produce--don't be upset when there are no tomatoes in March or bananas.
3) Try a new veggie/meat/plant. Experimenting is fun, and the market manager tent will have a friendly and knowledgeable person who will be happy to help you figure out how to use your finds--take advantage of their knowledge and free recipes!
4) Don't have cash? Many Greenmarkets can accept credit/debit/EBT cards--when they swipe your card, you get cool wooden tokens to purchase your food with--find the market manager to use your card! -
Review from Josef K.
Brooklyn, NY
8/15/2011
a few people have slagged off on this market for being small or having a limited selection.
they're welcome to their opinions, but I used to frequent the Union Square and Prospect Park locations. This is better for my money. The person who claimed things were not fresh on 7.30.2011 must be hallucinating, as I was there the same day at 10am and things looked great - unless he came in mid-afternoon, when things have been out since 8am in the hot hot heat.
The stand with the heirloom tomatoes has the best ones on offer I've seen in any greenmarket. My mother is an avid gardener upstate. I came back from a visit with a green zebra I had picked from her garden that morning, bought another one in the greenmarket, and did a taste test with just a little salt on each - they both tasted fabulous, and I could not detect a difference. This stand also has great stone fruits.
There are two main vegetables stands, and one is better than the other, but the less good one sometimes has what you're looking for (like baby teardrop shaped purple and white eggplants).
Not Just Rugulach makes great croissants, macaroons, and focaccias. -
Review from Jason V.
8/8/2010
I'm here every Saturday, and if I don't get here by 10am, the best stuff has been picked over.
I'm all for supporting local food and slow food/small business, so I try to spread my dough around here.
There are some exceptionally good tomatoes, corn, herbs and orchard fruits to be found, and some fresh baked breads and pastries as well as fish and cured meats, honey, potted plants and flowers.
Try the hot peppers in the cup- good variety, only $1 and enough to last you a few weeks! -
Review from J B.
New York, NY
7/7/2009
A very nice farmer's market. It's not as big as the one in Union Square, but you can still find everything you need. There are around 6-8 farmers' stands, but several stands are actually pretty big tents with a ton of stuff.
My favorites here:
--2 major tents selling vegetables (carrots, onions, rhubarb, you name it). Prices are pretty comparable to grocery stores and taste much better.
--1 tent selling specialty cheeses
--1 stand selling homemade bread and pies
--1 stand selling free-range eggs and milk.
I think there might be a seafood stand and a meat stand here too, but I don't remember.
Incidentally, if you like to garden, this is a great farmer's market. There are generally at least two big tents filled with flowers, herbs, and vegetable plants for your garden (or your pot on a fire escape). I bought a bunch of tomato plants for 2 dollars each, not a bad deal at all. Between the different tents, the variety in plants is really pretty good, and the sellers give very knowledgeable advice.
Cash only, of course. -
Review from Gaurav G.
REGO PARK, NY
6/8/2010
Great little Fresh Produce market.
Red Jacket Orchards Blueberry Stomp.. Awesome! All Fruit no sugar..Great Taste -- Apples and Blueberries. Good Stuff!! and yes..it has a price..$2.75 for the small bottle (12oz)
I'm glad I have a Farmer's Market close to my workplace. -
Review from Diana B.
New York, NY
8/28/2008
Yes, delightful, when you're in the nabe.
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Review from Rhett H.
Columbia, MO
8/5/2007
How can you go wrong at a farmer's market? I am specifically writing about the "Just Rugelach" vendor who brings a van full of baked goodies. I mean, you pretty much can't go wrong with any of their items, except the vegetable and sausage rolls don't taste so good cold and should probably be re-heated in an oven. Anyhow, let me give you the best part: It's incredibly cheap. The muffins are $1 each, scones are $2, and they are actually fresh-tasting, like they were baked that day (or the previous night, as it were, since he gets there at like 5 or 6 in the morning). I cannot recommend enough the bran muffin. This is not any ordinary bran muffin. Sure, they throw some bran in there, but the bland bran brand got thrown out the window and they throw in some flax seed, some carrot, and who knows what else (honey?). It's the best, cheapest muffin Brooklyn as far as I can tell. I also recommend the whole-wheat walnut cranberry muffin, it has the same nutty, whole-grain sweet taste but it different in its own right. As far as the scones, they are as big as two of the muffins, and they are of course much sweeter, and they go great with a cup of coffee or strongly brewed tea. What else? Well, they have this 7 grain bread which is pretty unique. Of course it has 7 grains in it, but it's got this texture which is rich yet airy. It's very fresh and without preservatives, so if you leave it out for a few days it will go moldy. So throw it in the fridge if you're not going to eat it up quick. As far as the bread goes, it makes great sandwich bread, and if you toast it, or grill it like a pannini, it reaches it full potential. The toasted grains really explode with flavor, and my favorite gluttony spread on this bread is raw unfiltered honey and tahini (first the honey, then the tahini, not the other way around).
There's lots of other stuff at this vendor, but I haven't been able to tear myself from these few stand-bys. In addition, there's another bakery vendor at this same greenmarket who has lots of other good looking things, but I haven't had the gumshun to leave my first vendor.
Anyhow, I usually grab a paper, some muffins and park it over by the Borough Hall steps or the nearby benches. There's a water fountain nearby if I get thristy and this guy with a crackling amp plays guitar. One thing about this guy: he is there all the time, just playing his songs, but after I sit there a while, I get the idea that he's got this playlist in his head, and it's a pretty good one. So you get some entertainment and a good muffin. It's worth a trip on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.Listed in: Farmers, Markets, and Farmer's…
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Review from Dan T.
Amidst just what it sounds like--the governmental, legal, and business hub of BK--this greenmarket is part of a welcome refuge amidst the benched and paved Columbus 'Park'. Not your best set of offerings but a nice turnout the few times I've passed by.
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Review from Chris V.
Los Angeles, CA
9/25/2010
Unimpressive fare offset by friendly serivce, even though I came at the end of the day. Prices are better than at Union... but to be frank, I would pay a premium to avoid to completely savage crowds at Union and Grand Army.
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Review from Nathan H.
Brooklyn, NY
9/9/2008
Borough Hall is the home of the Annual Green Brooklyn...Green City Fair. Visit Borough Hall Greenmarket for a great local market selling locally grown fruits and vegetables. Borough Hall also is the stage for many other Brooklyn events and fairs. So keep a lookout for events at Borough Hall!
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Review from Maggi D.
Brooklyn, NY
5/1/2010
This is my favorite local market for buying herbs and other food plants. The prices are better than Grand Army and the quality is great. Also, it is less crowded. I can't wait to return this season to pick up some tomatoes, basil and cucumbers!
