Little Italy Mercato Farmers' Market — Attraction in San Diego

Seems to be the place to be on a Saturday morning! Our purpose in visiting was to enjoy the giant Samoas--lamb with okra, chili chicken, saag paneer, and lamb with mushroom--all doused in butter and hot sauce---amazing as usual! We hopped next door for a fancy iced chocolate. After sitting on someone's front steps (there is no seating anywhere), we were off to explore the rest of the market! Our haul this week included dates, fig bread, a handmade pair of fingerless gloves, red grapefruits, a garlic grater, and cherimoya. The market is 4 straight blocks of vendors selling just about anything you can think of plus lots you haven't thought of! We happily ended our 11/2 hour visit with out of this world juices --hot strawberry/pina picante & a cucumber guava--to drink on the walk back to our car!

The market is catagorized as a farmer's market, but I felt the prices for produce were more in the tourist price range. For example, cabbage ranged between $3.50 to $1.50 a lb. In southern California in December, cabbage is usually priced 2 lbs for a dollar. But there are many items you won't find in your local grocery, such as the cherimoya and specific varieties of citrus. I found the booths selling handmade items to have reasonable prices. The majority of the booths are selling prepared foods, and almost all of them offer samples! Parking can be hard to find, but a walk through Little Italy never hurt anyone!

Overall, a great way to enjoy a...

The Mercato Farmers’ Market in Little Italy is one of the best farmers’ markets I have ever had the good fortune to visit. It takes place on a Wednesday and a Saturday and is well worth a visit.

There was an array of stalls with fresh produce, baked goods and hot food.

After a good stroll around the Farmers’ Market in Little Italy, we finally purchased some pastries.

First up was something called Kouign Amann, which was apparently one of a kind! It was sugary, flaky, buttery pastry filled with raspberry heart. When we took this out of the paper bag to eat, the pastry looked quite dry and crisp. It’s appearance was misleading. It was some of the best pastry, I have ever had the pleasure to experience. It was light and fluffy. The raspberry jam on the inside was just the right amount. The jam was so obviously home made as it had the a sweet pure fruit taste that you don’t get from a mass made jam.

From a different stall on the market, we bought an apple pastry. This was a lovely tart with chunky slices of apple on a bed of vanilla custard and supper puffy pastry. It was extremely yummy.

The pastries were washed down with a wonderful pineapple and...

I love Little Italy Farmers Market, it is incredible! Heritage Farms pink grapefruit I get every week. It’s 5$ for a giant bag of 6 fruit. They are the most delicious luscious ones.. So are there Cara Cara oranges when in season. Those are my faves but all else is also top of the line.. Also blood oranges, tomatoes, avocados, lemons, oranges to squeeze, and more.

Also my faves are the sprout lady with at least 40 varieties of amazing sprouts and microgreens.. There’s a million other things delicious— oh the berries, oh the arugula, spinach… I buy different things each week, the Lebanese dips especially for me is the intense tour - garlic dip. It’s whipped garlic w olive oil and a bit of lemon… it’s to die for!! Oh and a new sprout/ microgreen vender is now here, but a smaller stall w less varieties.. The tomato varieties organic right across Date st from main farmers market info tent is soooo great, so many great other vegetables too. I forgot their name… You’ve got to check it out Little Italy...