Aucklanders are spoiled for choice when it comes to weekend farmers’ markets. They seem to be everywhere – in every suburb, off crowded side streets, tucked into parking lots, on the beach. And there is a festive event atmosphere to each – live music, food stalls that will blow your mind, samples galore and that farm to table sensibility we love.
We have found our favorites mostly because they are near by but make a point of getting out and exploring on the weekend – some are hits and others are misses. Here is the lowdown just in case you are ever half way around the world:
Takapuna: MISS
This is probably the largest market within a 20 minutes radius of where we are living. It is on the North Shore of Auckland which just means it is across the bridge so close enough to buzz over and not swallow your entire day. It has the usual suspects – local fruit and veg, artisanal breads, gourmet stuffs like manuka honey and homemade jams. But it is littered with crap – people peddling dollar store toys and flip flops, artwork on velvet (I wish I was lying), “antiques” which just happen to be other people’s old, used crap that they no longer want. I guess I am a purist – I prefer my crap on the side, not mixed with the rest a market has to offer. We won’t go back to this one.
Matakana: BIG HIT
Just made it to the Matakana Farmers Market for the first time this weekend and what a complete delight. Getting there was a bit thick – Saturday of a long weekend? Duh. Could have called that one. But so entirely worth it – especially for the food stalls. The fritters took it for me – Kiwis LOVE their fritters. West Coast Whitebait are a particular fav and they are amazing but you need to suspend the thought of what it is exactly you are eating. Whitebait are like white worms – long, slender fish that you eat whole, tossed with a bit of scrambled egg, fried, squeeze of lemon and voila. Their flavor is really delicate so there is a heated debate here on whether or not flour should make their way into the fritter….but I digress. They are yum. We also tried Paua (aka abalone) fritters which is a large edible snail minced into a dough…geez…I am not selling NZ cuisine, am I? They were yum as well. Read: you can put anything into a fritter and it will taste unreal. And then the usual local fruit and veg (strawberries are in season – yumba), breads, honey, coffee and more coffee (Kiwis LOVE their coffee), natural nut butters, crafts. I love the balance at this market – loads of food with crafts mingled in for good measure.
La Cigale: HIT
We found this market last week and are all smitten. This is the chicest of all of the markets we have visited and attracts the posh folk from Parnell and Remuera (of which we are not included but we go anyway). The one produce stall is massive and boasts just about everything the season has to offer and some like smoked garlic, fresh kaffir lime leaves (that I absolutely have to figure out what to do with simply because I can get them!!!), heirloom everything, gorgeous gem lettuces. Gush. This place makes me want to cook. But it also has healthy eats like The Organic Mechanic which makes mind blowing shake combinations; The Raw Kitchen which creates decadent sweets without any flour, refined sugar or dairy. I know. Magicians, right? A local salumeria is there (that is a place that creates insane sausage – dried, fresh and otherwise) among other wild and wonderful food concepts. PLUS, La Cigale boasts a permanent bistro and wine market if you are so inclined and it isn’t the weekend. Love this place.
Parnell Farmers Market: A HIT with an asterisk*
Parnell is walking distance from where we are living and is a classic, no fuss market. Produce galore, artisanal lettuces and heirloom vegetables, locally smoked salmon, NZ cheeseman (who Coco has a bit of a crush on) and a random hot dog cart and pizza oven for the food stall contingent. I can very quickly get in and out of this market for a dinner party – it isn’t of the meandering variety. It serves a specific purpose really well. Plus you can walk there with your burlap shopper and feel decidedly green and like you are supporting local business, reducing your footprint – all of that good stuff.