Eveleigh Farmers' Market

Farmers' markets - they just seem to be everywhere these days. Saturday mornings that were normally used for sleeping in (or recovering from Friday night) can now be spent hitting the trail in search of fresh local produce and other culinary treasures (cute carry bag optional).

Market Essentials #1 - a cute shopping tote like these from 2 Duck Trading Company

Normally I wouldn't be pounding the market pavements purely because I don't do early mornings well. I'm actually quite terrifying if I have to wake up early (and equally frightening to look at), but nevertheless, the opportunity to join a couple of foodie friends for a day out at Eveleigh Farmers' Markets was too good to pass up.

The Batlow Apple Man

Cinnamon quills and star anise at Far Meadow Lodge Berry

Made even more enticing, as the 'angel of biscotti' at The Biscuit Tree was going to be on hand to replenish my empty biscuit stockpiles. You just know you need a biscotti top up if you’ve threatened violence to nobody in particular on Facebook just because you're low on sugar. Now if only I could wake up to this everyday....(the biscuits I mean, not Suze).


Eveleigh Markets is the Saturday event du jour, judging by the number of hip, young things that scour the stalls in their vogue sunglasses and some with equally fashionable pooches. The constant parade of adorable four-legged friends are enough to reduce this hardened tomboy to a squealing girly mess - especially if they're of the white, fluffy variety.

Market Essential #2 - an utterly gorgeous four-legged companion

Situated alongside dance studio Carriageworks, Eveleigh Markets are on every Saturday, rain, hail or shine for a spot of shopping or just for a light brunch (or in my case, a cupcake and a juice which is about as substantial of an early morning meal as I'm going to get). The markets are also a social beacon for Sydney food bloggers and sure enough, it wasn't long before the three of us bumped into another one of our species.


Eveleigh Markets are quite small comparison to the football field-sized melee that is Paddy's or Parklea Markets but it does do without the manic and pushy atmosphere, which can only be a good thing. At Eveleigh, you can kick back, eat and soak in the day in between spouts of mushroom perusal. Hangover or no hangover, the market is where the good food’s at, and it’s worth waking up early for. Especially for these gems:

Eumundi Smokehouse

Mushrooms from The Fungi

Batlow Apple Man

Gumnut Chocolates (website coming soon)

All natural ingredients are used for these traditionally homemade goodies. Try their Caramelised Hazelnut Shortbread, Fig and Walnut Biscotti or Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscotti.

The Cupcake Princess - gorgeous vanilla cupcakes with a soft and delicate crumb and a rich creamy buttercream icing.

Pukara Estate Olives

Kemps Creek Farm

Clayridge Honey from Basin View (Jervis Bay)

Far Meadow Lodge Gourmet Foods: not only are they a beautiful Bed and Breakfast Retreat in Berry but they have a delectable range of gourmet sweets, dukkah and Belgian chocolate covered figs.

For the lovers of vino, there are also a handful of boutique wineries bringing their cellar door to the markets. As soon as I came across Mistletoe Wines with their gleaming array of stickies, all bets were off and present company continued on their food path which left me to acquaint myself with said alcohol.

I realise it was a little early in the day to enjoy a glass but market decorum went down the drain as I flashed a smile and promptly swirled, sniff and swigged through their entire repetoire of wines. Not the smartest of moves on an empty stomach! Especially when I came across more boutique wineries!

Bago Vineyards (Hastings River Region, NSW)

Vale Creek (Bathurst, NSW)

Kiewa Estate

Blue M Food Company - thumbs up to their passionfruit butter. They also have a quaint café in Katoomba, not far from the The Three Sisters.

King Valley Fine Foods

Alto Olives - their Lemon Olive Oil was utterly ambrosial

Deluscious

Healthy Feast - gluten free baked goods (read more about them at Taste of Sydney here).

Fare Gourmet

Belgian Chocolate Brownie Slab from Fare Gourmet

Sonoma Bread

Manna From Heaven

Sound the choir because there they are: The Biscuit Tree's pretty maidens all in a row and by god those shortbread and biscotti look more delicious than ever. They sell for $8 each or 3 for $22 but I limited myself to seven bags - Chocolate chip and Ginger shortbreads and Date and Walnut Biscotti. I had to resort to stashing it in the trunk of the car, lest I down half of the supply before lunch was had! My morning was now complete. Worth sacrificing sleep over? Definitely.


Yes this is me - photographed by Here Comes The Food who was strangely enamoured with my packet of Elmo Babywipes. Please don't judge a girl by her Sesame Street toiletries I beg you.

(photo courtesy of Here Comes The Food)

Eveleigh Farmers' Markets are on every Saturday 8am-1pm

Transport Info (from their website)

Walking

The market entrance is at 243 Wilson Street, Darlington, near the corner of Codrington Street. The entrance has a disabled ramp for wheelchairs and prams.

Bicycle

Enter from vehicle entry at 229 Wilson Street. There are bike racks along the shareway between Carriage Works and Eveleigh Market.

Train

Eveleigh Markets are located within 500 metres of Redfern Station – as you leave the railway station turn left into Little Eveleigh Street which joins Wilson Street. Macdonaldtown Station is 200 metres from the market site. The Shuttle bus drops off at Redfern Station.

Car

Car Parking is available at:
• Shepherd Street Car Park, behind Seymour Centre, Chippendale
• Locomotive Street, Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh

Eveleigh Market runs a free continuous shuttle bus service from Locomotive Street, Australian Technology Park, and Shepherd Street car parks from 7.45am to 1.15pm on Saturday Farmers' Market only.

Shuttle Bus Stops

• Locomotive Street, Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh
• Corner of Lawson Street and Little Eveleigh Street, Redfern (adjacent to Redfern Station)
• Shepherd Street, Chippendale (opposite car park)
• Eveleigh Market, western end of building


View Larger Map