San Ramon Farmers Market at City Center Bishop Ranch — Local services in San Ramon

Let's talk about our local farmers market in San Ramon. It's got its charms, but boy, have things changed:

Prices have gone bananas since the pandemic. Remember when fruits were about $1.50 a pound? Now we're looking at $4. Ouch! Feels like someone's taking advantage of our deep pockets here.

Quality-wise, it's hit or miss. Sometimes you wonder if you're better off grabbing organic produce from Whole Foods or Costco for less dough.

The saving grace? Getting to taste before you buy. Can't do that at your regular grocery store!

Watch out for less-than-fresh produce. Nothing worse than biting into a $2 peach only to find it's rotten inside. And good luck trying to return it!

Heads up: some vendors still charge extra for using your credit card, even though that's a no-no in California.

Here's a head-scratcher: when asked about organic certification, some vendors there claim it's too expensive but insist their produce is organic anyway. How do we know that's true? It's anyone's guess.

Don't get me wrong, the market has its perks. But is it worth the premium? That's for you to decide. Maybe compare your next haul with what you'd get at the supermarket and see how it stacks up.

Bottom line? When you factor in that you can find veggies just as fresh (and way cheaper) at local Asian or Indian markets, it's tough to justify the farmers market prices. Unless you're in it for the experience, your wallet might be happier...

Although it's a good place to visit for a one-time experience, I didn't find it appealing in terms of prices and quality of produce. I was surprised how people were buying not-so-fresh looking veggies at higher price when they can buy better veggies and fruits at supermarkets. Some available products were indeed unique.

For whatever reason, the place was crowded and it's hard to find parking at even 9.30 am. So reach there early and do try for yourself since the parking is free.

They offer several food stalls, beverages and a very famous Dosa truck that mandates a prior online order. I loved the location. Had the prices been a bit more reasonable, I would have...

It’s not really a farmers market. I used to have a bee guy there, but they’re long gone. The produce does not look fresh or farm grown. It’s nice if you’ve never been to a farmers market before and maybe just want to eat snacks like a food festival. They have nothing that competes with the stores inside the mall. This kinda just seems like the mall’s way of fulfilling a contract without directly competing with their corporate neighbors and renters. Go somewhere else if you’re actually trying to...