Alemany Farmers Market

9/28/2016

Fresh produce, great prices, wonderful variety, helpful staff; I love this farmers market.

Beware: 1. Parking is terrible (check around the neighborhood because you will more than likely not find parking in the small lot) 2. People are a bit pushy and shovey

Recommendation: 1. Be here by 9AM, preferably before (asking a bit much, I know) 2. Walk around before you commit, I noticed the same quality produce in the middle aisle for a better price

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  Chili heaven

  Chili heaven
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  Chinese eggplant

  Chinese eggplant

8/28/2016

Cheap delicious produce. Even the plastic bags are included
Parking is a bit chaotic but it exists.
A little bit of pushing and shoving.

$0.75/lb Organic Early Girl Tomatoes (delicious!!!)
$1-3/lb Organic Heirloom Tomatoes
$5 for a 2.5 lb bag of Sugar Plums
$8 for ~3 Pints of Berries (Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry)
$1 Bunches of basil, mint, and other herbs

Other fun goods: fairytale eggplants, bitter melon, guava melon, winter mellon, shishito peppers, succulents, cactus prickly pear, citrus plants, zucchini flowers, quince, fresh roasted peanuts,...

7/31/2016 Updated review

Ok so--if you like food with bows on it or food placed in little woven baskets, then go shop at the upscale Ferry Building Farmer's Market.

However, if you prefer food that comes directly from the fields to the stalls, a choice of diverse foods at a great, affordable choice, go to the Alemany Farmers Market every Saturday. The oldest in the state, founded in 1943, it is also one of the oldest continuously running farmer's markets in the US. It originally operated at Duboce and Market streets and I'm not sure when it move to its current location on Alemany Street.

This is the real deal.

Talk to farmers about their farms, as you taste their organic grapes now in season. There is no where in the city where regular people can afford organic veggies and fruits weekly. It's closer to possible here.

Eat seasonally. Now stone fruits, melons just came out, organic corn. Organic black berries, strawberries and raspberries. Greens, plants, nuts, plus incredible cheeses, mushrooms, breads, beautiful and affordable orchid plans, and such beautiful flowers from the flower king and his family...plus  lunch at one of the food stalls. My favorite is the tamale stall for veggie tamales.

This market is a treasure for sure.

It's close to the wonderful Alemany Farm, (no relation to the farmer's market) which is another local treasure in the city. See their site  for upcoming public events including their annual harvest festival. They also have volunteers working the farm so call them, dive in and get some dirt under your nails. Your veggies will taste a whole lot better! (alemanyfarm.org)

Alemany Farms upcoming events:
* October 22 will be Alemany Farm's 12th Annual Harvest Festival.
* Native Plant Landscaping for the Bay Area
Sunday, August 21, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Alemany Market: every Saturday from god-awful-early to about 1:30 or 2. Don't expect to get the best pickins' if you come late. I go around a civilized 11 am.

5/7/2016

After the amazing reviews, I was positively psyched to visit. Even the rain didn't dampen my excitement.

But parking was challenging--understatement. Think snarling lines of stressed out drivers trying to vie for parking or get the heck outta there.

And the produce...  Well, while it was fresh for the most part, the variety didn't impress me. The fruit was good but not mindblowingly different in quality from say, Costco--shudder. But when you factor the cost--meh. Maybe it was because we were between seasons, but I was disappointed with the produce and fruit section.

Then when I cruised the food tents, I did not find anything I was compelled the to eat, and I came hungry! I ended up buying 5 potato samosas which were quite decent even when cold, but for $10? Meh.

I will return soon, and hope this place wows me the second time.

Here's a tip: the restrooms are at the back of the office building in the middle of the vegetable side of stalls.

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  Cherries were coming into season.

  Cherries were coming into season.
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  Sugar snaps, my favorite

  Sugar snaps, my favorite
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  Strawberries were huge, but still pricey at $2.50 a punnet

  Strawberries were huge, but still pricey at $2.50 a punnet
• See all photos from Lu-Shien T. for Alemany Farmers Market

1/17/2016

• 30 check-ins

#5/2016

I thought you needed a business license to shop the Alemany Produce Market.

You don't!

And now I know where all the chefs and foodies, mom 'n' pop restaurants and home cooks are buying their goods.

On a drizzling Saturday we set off in search of whatever would strike our fancy, food agenda completely open.

At every stall, we reveled in fresh, well-priced produce, chock full of staples like kale, ginger, garlic, lemons, apples, eggs & broccoli. Giant amounts of bok choy were available for a song and I bought a 3# bag of Meyer lemons for $4.

Pomegranates and fresh pomegranate juice, lemongrass, cars cara oranges, cauliflower, sunflower sprouts, kiwi- I sure have a lot to cook starting with pork & lemongrass Thai meatballs & Cara Cara orange polenta bread.

The vendors couldn't have been nicer (though some shoppers were pushy with sharp elbows) and one vendor gave me a deal on some delicious raspberries even though it was far from its 2:30pm closing time, nice!

A big bag of onions and sweet potatoes for $3, a giant head of cauliflower, almost as big as your head, $2, a bag of 15-18 naval oranges for $5- the deals are exceptional.

Menu planning is by inspiration and what's seasonal.

When I shop here, I feel inspired to cook and make healthy, delicious meals made from California's beautiful produce, the best in the world!

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  Cool Lion's Mane (or Bear Head) mushrooms, new to me! This place also has a shop in the Ferry Building.

  Cool Lion's Mane (or Bear Head) mushrooms, new to me! This place also has a shop in the Ferry Building.
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  I'm a regular after 2 visits? I don't know why today's check-in isn't showing....

  I'm a regular after 2 visits? I don't know why today's check-in isn't showing....
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  So much to choose from ..

  So much to choose from ..
• See all photos from Jennifer O. for Alemany Farmers Market

10/4/2015

• 4 check-ins
• ROTD 1/11/2016

What a gem! This is a real, authentic, buy-your-tomatoes-in-the-street farmers market. Maybe around 40ish stalls full of in-season fruits and veggies. If you're looking for the cheap produce, they have it. If you're looking for the organic, good stuff, they have it. Tons of different herbs including thai basil which is pretty hard to find.

They also have flowers for sale (I saw 2 different stalls) in both bouquets and plant-in-the-ground style. Best of all, a few different stalls of food! Including tamales and pizza.

Challah bread, aged cheddar cheese, fresh strawberries, zucchini, 4lbs of tomatoes, cilantro pesto, and bolani flatbread. We made out like thieves.

Don't forget your cash! A small parking lot, but I would suggest street parking. Potentially difficult but I didn't have a problem.

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  $5

  $5

9/19/2016

Fresh and delicious produce - recommend garden plants (herbs and small fruit trees), much cheaper than a nursery

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  West Fungi yellow oyster mushrooms at the Alemany Farmers Market

  West Fungi yellow oyster mushrooms at the Alemany Farmers Market

3/12/2016

• 1 check-in

Cute farmer's market. Convenient for those living in Bernal Heights. It can be a bit of a trek to get there without a car.

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• See all photos from Yad L. for Alemany Farmers Market

7/9/2016 Updated review

• 2 check-ins

What a great experience ! I've lived in the portola for 3 years and I have been meaning to come here the whole time. I'm so happy I finally came. I bought fresh flowers, button mushrooms and handmade raviolis. Then got some fire cooked pizza on the way out. Some things I learned and I personally will do next time:
1. If you can, walk. Parking was okay but it took me forever to get out of the lot. I will be walking next time.
2. Bring reusable bags. I just brought my backpack and I was very limited in what I could get.
3. That being said, bring a list of veggies you need. There are SO many that you get overwhelmed and I wasn't sure what I needed anymore because I didn't have a list.
3. Bring about 60 bucks or more. Even though everything is moderately to cheaply priced. You want to buy everything.
4. Get there BEFORE 10 am. Next time Im going to walk over and get my coffee and shop. THEN get lunch on the way out!

10/1/2015

This place is definitely busy. It's not a leisurely Saturday morning activity like some other Farmer's Markets around town, it's more of a place to go grocery shopping. That said, the prices at this place are good, and overall the quality is also quite good. Be prepared to bump into people non-stop. Go early if you can!

-You can always find big bunches of mint and basil (any kind you like - Italian, Thai, etc) for $1. -There is a florist that has very nice bouquets for $6 that include a rose, a couple easter lilies, and plenty of other flowers.
-There are some food trucks - get the pupusas!
-There is a grumpy older man that charges $10/pound for green beans and doesn't explain why they're worth so much -- avoid him!
-A head of garlic is about 35 cents.
-Many types of peppers - green, red, yellow, and some purple/multi-colored varieties I've never seen. Good prices.
-Traditional carrots as well as the purple, white, and yellow bunches of carrots.
-If you like to make fresh squeezed orange juice, there is one stand that basically caters to you, which many varieties of valencia/other good juicing oranges..Of course you can sample before you buy.

7/26/2016

I have to say the car parking situation in between of the market was the worst! It's definitely not a kid and dog friendly environment. However, it is the cheapest price high quality produce you can get in San Francisco for sure!

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  best value at Alemany Famers Market

  best value at Alemany Famers Market
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  fresh vegetables

  fresh vegetables

7/30/2015

• 1 check-in

The first, the biggest, the best. Come on a Saturday Morning and have your pick of fruits, vegetables, and everything from plants to pupusas! The prices are reasonable (although a lot of stuff is organic, ostensibly catering to SF's tastes), and the selection is excellent. Last time I was there I got like 2 pounds of dates for $3 a pound.

Your other shoppers are anything from Noe Valley yuppies with strollers to Chinese women grabbing all different types of eggplant and greens. It is definitely a mob scene there, but don't feel like you'll be muscled out.

An extra bonus are the food stands on the other side of the gallery. I'm partial to the pupusa stand, offering different fillings and (since I was here last) arepas as well.

My only gripe (but one big enough to knock off a star) is that it's a nightmare to get to by public transportation. You're either walking on a dingy sidewalk through a highway interchange, or hiking up and down a giant hill to get to the 24-Divisadero. They should honestly move it to an outlying BART station if they want the space. It's annoying.

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  Farm stands on the west side of the market

  Farm stands on the west side of the market

8/6/2015

• 1 check-in

Get there early! I didn't expect it to be that packed by 9:30am. A lot of the items we wanted seemed to be picked over or sold out already...all before 11!

There were so many families getting their week's worth of groceries. Stalls of vendors were lined up and it was just a sea of people moseying up and down the aisles.  A plus is that there is a public restroom that is decently maintained located right on the facilities. Parking is kind of a mess....but its the price you have to pay to get some fresh groceries at a decent price. There are some food truck/vendors there as well to get a bite to eat.

9/24/2016

Don't really like people working at pizza wood fire area they were busy playing around with each other, being very loud, noisy, not taking their job seriously then actually doing business with people around them.

4/19/2016

• 1 check-in

I love that I finally have weekends off so I can visit this Saturday farmers market. There are 50+ vendors selling a variety of fresh produce, along with meats, bread, nuts, eggs, oysters, plants & flowers, as well as pizza, coffee,  tacos, and some other prepared foods

Some of the vendors are more expensive than others so it's best to look around first.

Bring cash and parking can be tough - there is a lot that you enter by going down Peralta but it's usually jam packed. I can usually find street parking within a block

8/18/2016

This place is just amazing. the fruits, veges, flowers, bakery, and people are just so real and good.

11/2/2016

variety of food and fruit.nice people it was better wjen they could sell the live chickens.i bought several and kept them as pets .they hatched chicks over 25 little golden chicks really cute and eggs many eggs.i want to find them and get some more.

10/31/2015

I love going to the Alemany Farmers Market.  I live in Castro Valley, so I don't go weekly.  The produce is the best in the area and worth the drive to get there.  We usually get there by 7 am.  

My favorite vendor is Tomatero Farm.  I'm never disappointed.  I can't remember the vendor's name who sells walnut pieces, but the nuts pieces are so evenly chopped.  They are terrific for using in baked goods.

There is a lot of parking, but there are tons of people.  Get there early.

6/20/2016

This is the best farmers market I've ever been to.

There's dozens of vendors selling conventional produce, organic produce, cut flowers, potted plants, olive oil, nuts, dates, honey, oysters, eggs, bread (the english muffins are insane), plus ready to eat foods like wood fired pizza, tamales, filipino food, cheeses, fresh pasta, pita chips and hummus.

Prices are extremely reasonable and the quality is excellent.

It gets really chaotic and parking can be a nightmare so just be patient or go early!

10/22/2016

Best Farmers Market in the City ! Lots of fresh Fruits and Veggies and huge space for parking makes me a regular guest for this Market.