Castro

Wednesday, 4PM - 8PM

Location & Hours

Castro District
Noe St at Market St
Wednesdays
4PM - 8PM
Early Spring to Late Fall

DIRECTIONS TO THIS MARKET
 

Market Description

For many market customers and vendors, the joining of local community--whether it be through sharing recipes, discussing food pairings or picking out the perfect tomatoes together--is the best part of a farmers' market experience. PCFMA's budding Castro Farmers' Market has quickly become one of our most popular weekday markets, primarily because there is somehow always time for this friendly connection amid the hustle and bustle. Scan the stand and you'll likely find at least one Happy Boy employee out and about, restocking produce or canoodling with market celebrity pup, Spanky, but always happy to answer questions or discuss a new favorite recipe.

Due to space restrictions, the smaller scale of the Castro Market is relatively unique for the Bay Area. The one-block market showcases only the best of the best in quality organic and specialized produce, delicious baked goods and sweet treats, and artisanal delights. When entering Noe from Market Street, HBF is directly in front of popular neighborhood haunt, Cafe Flore. Just across the way, Serendipity Farms offers gorgeous flowers and some of the tastiest organic strawberries and raspberries around. Continue down the market to find local honey from City Bees--they actually keep bees on rooftops in SF--as well as rich olive oil (often sampled using Happy Boy pre-washed salad greens), great live music, and just about every flavor of almond one could dream of at the Rodin Farms stand.

Heading back towards Market street, you'll find sustainably raised organic meats from Prather Ranch, whose bacon can make even the truest vegetarian reconsider! For baked goods, including breads, be sure not to skip Crepe & Brioche--Happy Boys recommend cheesy, garlic toasties, a French Horn (or anything cream-filled), mini chocolate ganache pies, and their fabulous chocolate chip cookies. You can also sample frozen delights from Scream Sorbet, treat yourself to a healthy dose of completely raw and vegan B12 in kraut from Farmhouse Culture and check-in with Molly selling kale chips and more at Kaia Foods, right next to the Happy Boy stand.

There is something to be said for a farmers' market where the people watching is just as colorful and exciting as the produce watching. The Castro market is far more than a run-of-the-mill shopping experience and, given its central location, is an easy walk, bike or MUNI ride from many surrounding SF neighborhoods. To make shopping easier on your arms and the environment, don't forget to bring some old produce bags and maybe a few canvas sacks or a backpack to carry it all home!

A reminder to shoppers: this market is seasonal and remains open through mid-December. When the glorious summer months are gone and the regulars retire from patio-dining outside Cafe Flore, Happy Boy will still be there, rain or shine, with an array of beautiful winter crops you'll have trouble saying no to. Follow our lead and warm up with a bowl of delicious soup from La Mediterranee before gathering fresh fall and winter produce at the market.