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Categories: Fruits & Veggies, Farmers Market
Neighborhoods: Rivermarket, Greater Downtown
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I'm a sucker for fresh food. City Market is as fresh as it gets and is a great place to go if you love to cook. Whether you're looking for fruits, veggies, meats or condiments, City Market is your place. Everything you buy will be local and many of the items organic and for the condiment-type foods, minimally processed in three super long rows of vendors.
Local farmers come out here every Saturday. Come early for the best selection and come late for the best deals. They are open from some ridiculously early hour in the morning till about 2 but you can usually find a few vendors hanging around trying to sell off their goods even up to 3 pm.
The area around City Market has a couple restaurants, a wine store where there are free tastings Saturday afternoon, an Italian deli shop which is rumored to have the best olives in the KC metro area and a slightly overpriced Middle Eastern spice shop. There's also a couple of vegetable stands but I don't what the deal with that is. It's definitely not local farmers selling and they're there all week if you need to replenish on the cheap.
I'm going to give this place a five for thei farmers market. The produce, baked goods, and special assortments such as fresh milk, honey, grass fed beef, lamb and pasture raised chickens are all amazing. The farmers market is not large compared to those in other cities across the US, however the quality/price combination of produce at the City Market is unmatched.
My advice is to stay towards the inner stalls since the items sold on the outside are really just like a normal grocer and you will see Dole produce instead of items grown on a local farm.
The only stand that I have not found yet (and this may be a geographical/seasonal reason) is a local mushroom purveyor. I absolutely adore mushrooms, when in season, and when not I always appreciate being able to find gourmet dried mushrooms. However, the mushroom situation is the only thing that is missing from this market.
All in all there this is a bustling farmers market in the heart of the city that will outperform any local supermarket in terms of price and quality and variety.
One of the things I was destined to do while in KC was go with Susan and Dave to the City Market and ascertain that it was indeed as cool as people have told them.
And yes, it was.
Think Farmer's Market, Craft Fair, Restaurants and Entertainment all tied up in a easy to navigate option. You now have the KC City Market.
I bought:
- 1 beaded necklace
- 1 comb of fresh honey
- 1 honey stick (which I promptly ate)
- 1 loaf of asiago cheese and spinach bread (from Mennonites!)
- 1 fresh lemonade
- lemon essence and pure vanilla
- loose herbs...ahem
I tasted:
- several pieces of Mennonite-made bread
- fresh jam and spreads
- wine, lots of wine
- delicious chocolate milk
I saw:
The whitest bunch of African drummers this side of Africa, some young folk playing country on fiddles and banjos, and of course Mennonites! (something about them has me in awe - I'm sure i'll be the same when I see some Amish).
We also browsed a cute little vintage store, Dave and Susan bought Buffalo meat and it was the perfect way to pass a Saturday morning.
If (ok, when) I visit again, I'll be sure to come by and visit.
I'm a fan!
City Market is absolutely great when they have the Farmer's Market going on. (Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday) Saturday seems to be the busiest day, with the most amount of vendors. They have a really nice selection of reasonably priced produce, plants/flowers and a variety of other local goods.
Cascone's Italian Market has delicious authentic Italian sandwiches. Haven't been to Succotash yet, but have heard fantastic things about it...next on my list.
I'll always remember the 1st time I went to the City Market. We ventured out on a cold Thanksgiving weekend, wondering how we're going to walk around in this weather. I suggested we grab some pho to warm up. Just the walk from the parking lot to the Market was unbearable. Pho wasn't great but I forgot all about the cold due to excitement. I like grocery shopping but I love bargain grocery shopping. I was so excited to find fresh produce, spices and Italian deli that I didn't mind the cold at all! I only remember the snow because it was 1st snow of the season. What I remember more distinctly is that bell peppers at regular grocery markets were really expensive. At the City Market, it was so cheap that we stocked up on bell peppers... 4 large bags of green, yellow and orange bell peppers! Well, we stocked up so much food that day as if we were preparing for a snow storm.
Ever since then, I've been trying to pencil this in every Sat. Sometimes I fail and sometimes I succeed. I just love the local vendors. The Italian guy is my favorite cuz he just makes me smile. I am also a total sucker for free samples. Last weekend, I tried banana milk and loved it! Next weekend, I should probably purchase herbs and cherry tomatos to plant in my backyard.
City Market is a great way to save some money, grab a good lunch and stock up your fridge with yummies!
I came to Kansas City for a weekend to visit my friend and her family. On Saturday morning, we headed off to the City Market. I had such a great time. There were a ton of activities for kids, which made them happy.
There was a lot of fresh fruits, veges, and delicious treats, like fresh honey. I would have bought more but I had just come from eating breakfast and didn't want to check my luggage.
We probably walked around for almost two hours before heading back home. It was a good time and I'd definitely go again.
Love Love it! Its a great way to spend a saturday, have lunch, and pick up fresh, local veggies and treats for the following week. Its much cheaper and healthier to stock up here than at most grocery stores. I especially like the spices sold in front of Habashi House-and lunch there is always good. Succotash is next on our list. This year we've noticed a new loose tea stand and though its a little pricey, we treat ourselves with a few cups worth.
Watch out for the stands on the outside, they are bought in bulk and the first time we fell for the 'cheaper' prices karma bit us with veggies that were bad in just a few days. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS in season and you won't be dissapointed! Also, we buy fresh herbs from a nice lady in the middle of the market to grow ourselves.
Don't miss the Farm and Seed store around the corner just south of the market. It reminds me of places my grandpa took me when I was younger....and you can't help but feel like a kid in a candy store in the herbs, tea, and coffee section. mmmm...
Oh, and right now I'm biting my nails while I wait for tomato season!!!!!
5 Stars for being one of the most awesome places to live next to.
Moving from New Orleans up here was a scary time for me. It's kinda hard to leave behind all you ever knew. But heck, living in a loft, in a major city, right next to one of the most unique farmer's markets in the country quickly erased any thoughts of going back to New Orleans (Thankfully! I loved next to a levee down there and life after college would have been absolutely impossible to recover from).
As if the rent in the surrounding lofts was not already a steal, the opportunity to walk out of your loft in flip-flops, a t-shirt and shorts to go pick up some fresh produce was one of the most stress-relieving things I ever had at my disposal. Everything is possible to find here. Even local apple cider can be found around here in the late fall for an awesome price.
One thing I loved about coming here was the opportunity to polish up on my negotiating skills. Everything here is negotiable. And there's nothing wrong with buying double the fruits and asking them to throw in a few extra.
Another thing to love here is the amount of restaurants and at times music. Saturday's are probably the most busy day from what I remember, but there's always something different to enjoy.
If you are here on a weekend just visiting KC, go on over on a Saturday morning.
I'm following the crowd with my 5 stars, but how can one not give this place 5 stars?! It's a little foodie haven within KC, especially on the weekends.
Go to the middle of the parking lot where the local farmers set up, the stuff on the main sidewalks may be cheap--but its not the same. Support your local farmer! They drive in for a reason, so they can get a full profit instead of .10 cents for every lb produced. Really.
Anyway, also check out the awesome international food grocery stores along the square--starting at the Middle Eastern place with barrels of spices (love that!). And then, go out for lunch! or dinner! There are so many great restaurants like the Blue Nile or Succotash for brunch. Or go shopping, especially at Vintiques (you can spend hours in there!).
Come with cash (especially small bills) and buy your weekly quota of healthy greens and fruits. You'll feel better and it'll taste fantastic!
How cool was City Market?! I didn't really go with much expectation. Actually, I was going expecting some dirty po-dunk hoosier market. I'm sorry, Kansas City!
There was a huge selection of veggies and fruits. There were even some exotic fruits! There were also stands made up entirely of organic produce.
It was packed and chaotic, but I've never been to a market that wasn't.
Note: All you market lovers out there. If you are ever in St. Louis. You MUST, must, must hit up the Soulard Farmers Market.
As far as Kansas City, MO goes, this is the market. I know there are smatterings of suburban markets and such, but there is a flavor, a jay-nay-say-kwa about this place that hums when you step through the new-but-old-looking city market sign on Grand. On every day there are the normal hawkers of Chilean apples and grapes, but the real farmers show up on Saturday (and Sundays) morning, starting about 7am, and they stay there until around 2 pm. Depending on the time of the year, you can find almost anything you want. There are the Amish folks selling corn and squash; there are the asian folks selling bitter melons and amaranth; there's even the occasional harpist and fiddler there to help pass the time while you chow down on a muffin or cinnamon roll from one of the bakery vendors.
In addition, the vendors are for the most part really nice. They are from the surrounding area, and they can answer your questions about the food and what exactly it may be (what is a zebra tomato, anyway?).
It's a great spot to take an out-of-town market-lover who also happens to be a morning person, or if your out-of-towner is neither of them, you can always wake up late and check out the vendors after they've been picked through, maybe stop at Succotash for some brunch or the Blue Nile if they are into exotic foods.
Enjoy it while it's not winter. Because when it's 20 degrees out you'll be remembering the good ol' times at the City Market.
This market is a unique and wonderful venue to buy fresh local produce. Buying local helps our residents and is a simple way to earth friendly. There are several events held in the market from spring to fall. It is also a perfect venue for a family outing- if you are into that kind of thing. Make a day of it and have lunch or breakfast here.
You will find-
flowers
plants/pots
veggies/fruit
meat
nuts
spices
pastries
bread
fresh coffee/lunch/breakfast/grilled items
wine
local crafted items
art
live music
ice cream
It doesn't have the selection of say, the farmer's market in Santa Monica- but it is original, fresh, refreshing and a fun Saturday out. Check out the website- http://kc-citymarket.com/
Color this review jade (I live in the River market) but its a great retreat for real vegetables, real spices, and products made by local growers and business persons. We personally get anything we can either in the market (or at the asian market one block over) with just a few things we go to a traditional grocery store for. If you have never been to the Market on a weekend, come down (get here early) and enjoy, this is not your run-of-the-mill farmers market.
Okay, so before the grocery store downtown opens, this is the best place to get your veggies. I normally wander on in on saturday with or without the bums who crash at my place and I grab my weekly stash of fruit and veggies to make it through the week. Selection is great. Prices are good, and its a great way to spend a saturday morning/early afternoon.
Kansas City, MO
Category: Kitchen & Bath
Neighborhood: Rivermarket
Category: Ethnic Food
Kansas City, MO
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Kansas City, MO
Category: Bars
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