There’s nothing I like more than spending the weekend perusing the best Seattle farmers markets. Washington is a huge agricultural hub in the United States, farming most of the country’s apples, cherries, and oysters. Furthermore Seattle is a very eco-conscious city, meaning its citizens give a damn about sustainability and where food comes from.
As a result, there’s no shortage of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and seafood in Seattle, WA. The best place to get them? One of the many farmers markets around Seattle. Plus, many of Seattle’s best farmers markets also host small makers selling delicious jams, honeys, wines, cheeses, and other ready-to-eat foods using local ingredients.
So if you, like me, love yourself a good farmers market, here’s the ultimate list of the best Seattle farmers markets and what to expect at each.
Best Seattle Farmers Markets
There are 2 organizations that run most of Seattle’s best farmers markets. Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets hosts 7 of them and Seattle Farmers Market Association hosts 3. There are also a few indie markets I’ll call out below.
Note that most of the farmers markets accept cash, credit/debit cards, EBT cards, SNAP/Basic Food, SNAP Market Match, and Fresh Bucks. Most also allow leashed dogs and have parking nearby. While many vendors have bags, I encourage you to bring reusable ones!
If there are certain vendors you hope to visit, check the market’s website beforehand to see which vendors will be there for a particular date. They change regularly!
Pike Place Market
website | 85 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101 (directions) | schedule: daily from about 9 am – 5 pm, year round rain or shine
Pike Place Market is one of Seattle’s must-visit landmarks. It also happens to be one of the country’s oldest farmers markets. It’s spread across 9 acres in downtown Seattle and has multiple floors of vendors, restaurants, bars, and shops. While the market restaurants are open later than 5 pm, most of the produce and fish stands close by 5 pm.
I created a whole downloadable guide to touring Pike Place Market and finding the best restaurants, shops, and more. You can also check out my guide to exploring downtown Seattle in 24 hours for more ideas.
In terms of fresh produce, flower, and fish vendors, they’ll be on the first floor of the market and the first thing you notice as you walk in. You’ll find more than 80 of them, all representing local Washington farms and artisans.
The best way to experience them is to browse and pick out things that interest you based on sight, smell, and taste. If you’re looking for some vendors not to miss, check out Sidhu Farms for berries and honey, Holmquist Hazelnut Orchards for nuts, and Herban Farm NW for spices and sauces.
If there is a vendor you particularly want to visit, reach out to them and make sure they’ll be open when you visit. Hours for each vendor can change without notice. For example, Knuckle Kiss is one of the best jewelry makers in Seattle and often sporadically announces on Instagram that they got a table at the market.
Pro tip: Pike Place Market also hosts offshoot farmer markets around Seattle. You’ll find them at City Hall Plaza downtown, Van Vorst Plaza in South Lake Union, and Lindman Plaza in First Hill. I’ve plotted them on the map below.
Ballard Farmers Market
website | 5345 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 (directions) | schedule: Sundays 9 am – 2 pm, year round rain or shine
This is my go-to neighborhood farmers market, so I think it’s the best Seattle farmers market. It’s in the charming Ballard neighborhood that has a ton of cute shops and restaurants perfect for poking into after you visit the farmers market. If you’re interested in making the day of it, take my self-guided Ballard food tour to eat like royalty while you shop.
There are close to 100 vendors at this year round market. You’ll find farmers, artisans, wineries, and more as you walk down the streets of downtown Ballard (they close down the streets for the farmers market). While the vendors change regularly, here are my favorites:
Foraged & Found Edibles
I often sign up for their fall and spring CSA. They forage beautiful mushrooms and wild greens around Washington. Check out their stall to see if they have dried mushrooms and teas to take home!
St. Jude’s Tuna
This local fishery makes exceptional canned tunas, which travel well as a souvenir.
Ayako & Family
They make beautiful jams.
Salt Blade
Really yummy locally-made salamis.
Collin Family Orchard
An excellent orchard where my sister is a CSA member. In fact, I just ate one of their incredible doughnut peaches while writing this. Check out their stall for excellent any fresh fruit.
Salmonberry Goods
This bakery works with local farms to make yummy baked goods using mostly local ingredients.
One Leaf Farm
One of the best tiny local farmers just outside Seattle that grows excellent produce without synthetic chemicals. I’ve gotten their produce box before and was always impressed with the quality-to-cost ratio.
Bow Hill Blueberries
This blueberry farm is one of the best places to visit in Skagit Valley just an hour north of Seattle. They turn their berries into interesting products, like powders, jams, tinctures, and more.
Seattle Pops
When in season, nothing beats the heat like a stop to this popsicle stand making tasty treats with real fruit.
Fremont Sunday Market
website | 3401 Evanston Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 (directions) | schedule: Sundays 10 am – 4 pm, year round rain or shine
Fremont Sunday Market is one of my other favorite independent farmers markets in Seattle. Like Ballard, it’s within easy walking distance of great boutique shops and restaurants. Plus it’s right on the water so you can enjoy epic Seattle water views while you shop.
If you get peckish, you can take a break and go on my self-guided Fremont food tour. Or you can eat at one of the many food trucks parked at this market.
In fact, this is one of the best Seattle farmers markets if you aren’t interested in produce because most of the vendors are artisan goods, fashion, and food. There’s also a vintage section in a parking garage and one of the best Seattle antique stores just steps away from the market.
Pro tip: In winter they move underneath the Aurora Bridge. Get to it by following North Northlake Way until you get underneath the bridge.
University District Farmers Market
website | 5031 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105 (directions) | schedule: Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm, year round rain or shine
The U-District neighborhood is right next to the University of Washington. It’s home to arguably the most popular market in Seattle conveniently located on “The Ave” near a ton of restaurants and shops catering to a student’s budget. Started in 1993, it’s Seattle’s largest food-only market with about 80 vendors. Some of the farmers are “lifers” and have been selling at the market since it opened!
While the vendors change regularly, you may find some of my previously-mentioned favorites from other neighborhood farmers markets like Foraged & Found Edibles, Holmquist Hazelnuts, Ayako & Family, and Collins Family Orchard. Other not-to-miss vendors if there include:
Loki Fish Company
Seattle-based local fishing company selling excellent fillets and canned fish.
Pinckney Cookie Cafe
Michael Pinckney serves some of the best cookies in Seattle. My favorites are the double chocolate espresso or bing bling cookie made with dried Bing cherries, dark Belgian chocolate chips, and coconut.
Samish Bay Cheese
This creamery in Skagit Valley makes excellent cheese. I like using it in this pea shoot salad recipe.
Capitol Hill Farmers Market
website | E Barbara Bailey Way, Seattle, WA 98112 (directions) | schedule: Sundays 11 am – 3 pm, year round rain or shine
The Capitol Hill Farmers Market moved to a new permanent location in 2021 on E. Barbara Bailey Way, named after the beloved bookseller, LGBTQIA+ rights activist, and Seattle native. Catering to a hip younger crowd, this farmers market starts later and has a healthy dose of vendors selling brunch-ready prepared foods. It’s also in a more densely-populated area of the city so you an expect great shops, restaurants, and bars within walking distance of the market.
Again you’ll find some vendors who make the rounds at most of the markets, like Collins Family Orchards and Seattle Pops. Two not to miss at the Cap Hill farmers market is King’s Mozzarella and Grain Bakery, the latter of which has a ton of gluten-free and vegan options.
South Lake Union Saturday Market
website | 139 9th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 (directions) | schedule: Saturdays 11 am – 4 pm, May – September
This Saturday market has about 45 vendors right in the heart of Seattle’s tech offices. It has mostly ready-to-eat food and artisan products so it’s a must-visit for foodies! It’s also near some of the best South Lake Union restaurants if you’re somehow peckish after visiting the market.
Make sure to check out True North Roasters for the best coffee in Seattle and Grimm Bros for hot sauce if they’re there when you visit.
Queen Anne Farmers Market
website | Queen Anne Ave N &, W Crockett St, Seattle, WA 98109 (directions) | schedule: Thursdays 3 – 7:30 pm, June – October
Located off Queen Anne Ave, this is an independently-run market operation. It’s a nonprofit that was started by community members back in 2007, triggered by an effort to save their local Met Market grocery store. Now it has its own advisory board made up of members from the Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED), which overseas all of the Seattle farmers markets.
One of the unique things about the Queen Anne neighborhood farmers market is that it has a great rotation of food trucks. You may find some of the Seattle greats like Sam Choy Poke to the Max, Falafel Salam, and BeanFish. Bluebird Ice Cream is sometimes there too. I recommend trying them to get a taste of some of the best ice cream in Seattle.
Pro tip: They host Saturday markets three times a year during Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the holidays.
West Seattle Farmers Market
website | Cnr SW Alaska St &, California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 (directions) | schedule: Sundays 10 am – 2 pm, year round rain or shine
You’ll find about 70 vendors at this farmers market. It’s perfectly located near some of the best places to eat in West Seattle. It also hosts some of my favorite vendors previously mentioned in this article so it’s one of the best Seattle farmers markets if you live in South Seattle. Don’t miss Pinckney’s Cookie Cafe, Salmonberry Goods, Collins Family Orchards, Seattle Pops, Loki Fish, Jonboy Caramels, and Holmquist Hazelnuts.
Columbia City Farmers Market
website | 37th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 (directions) | schedule: Wednesdays 3 – 7 pm, May – October rain or shine
Columbia City is the most diverse ZIP code in the US, and the farmers market offers ingredients as diverse as its residents. It’s near the light rail station, so it’s a convenient stop for weekday commuters looking to pick up ingredients for dinner at home. It’s also a hub for food access since it’s near many clinics offering these programs.
Some not to miss vendors include Native Candy for salmon fished by a 100% native-owned business, Kathmandu MoMoCha for Nepalese dumplings, and Youth Grows for produce grown by Seattle-area youth who are experiencing food scarcity, housing instability, involvement with the juvenile justice system, or greater than average barriers to employment.
Magnolia Farmers Market
website | West McGraw St & 33rd Ave W, Seattle, WA 98199 (directions) | schedule: Saturdays 10 am – 2 pm, June – September rain or shine
I used to live in Magnolia, but somehow never went to this farmers market on Crockett St. when I lived there (I know, blasphemy!). It’s a smaller farmers market with about 50 vendors, but it has a quaint neighborhood vibe since it’s in an area of Seattle off the beaten path and full of locals.
You’ll find some of the vendors you see at the other best Seattle farmers markets, but make sure not to miss these vendors typically only at this farmers market:
314 Pie
Savory pie food truck that mostly delivers or visits farmers markets outside the city.
Damoori Kitchen
Magnolia-based Lebanese restaurant and grocer making excellent dips and pre-made food.
Rainy Day Bees
Local beekeeper making hyper local honey.
Zylberschtein’s
Jewish deli making excellent corned beef and some of the best bagels in Seattle.
Lake City Farmers Market
website | NE 125th St &, 28th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125 (directions) | schedule: Thursday 3 – 7 pm, July – September rain or shine
This is another food access hub like the Columbia City Farmers Market, but serving residents in north Seattle. It’s another one of the smaller Seattle farmers markets with just shy of 50 vendors.
You’ll find Zylberschtein’s here since they’re located in Lake City, plus other farmers market favorites like Native Candy, Kathmandu MoMoCha, and Seattle Pops. You’ll also find taco food truck T’juana Tacos, which has a cult following for making some of the best street tacos in Seattle.
Wallingford Farmers Market
website | 4800 Meridian Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 (directions) | schedule: Wednesdays 3 – 7 pm, June – September rain or shine
This tiny seasonal farmers market has about 25 vendors, but it’s a good neighborhood vibe and convenient for picking up goodies to make a weeknight meal. Though small you’ll find farmers market favorites like Salmonberry Goods and Falafel Salam, one of the best cheap eats in Seattle. But you’ll also find some vendors who you won’t find at the other best Seattle farmers markets, such as Sam’s Salmon.
Madrona Farmers Market
website | 1126 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Seattle, WA 98122 (directions) | schedule: Fridays 3 – 7 pm, June – October rain or shine
This is another small seasonal farmers market serving residents of east Seattle right from the neighborhood’s Grocery Outlet parking lot. You’ll find about 30 vendors at this hyper local market selling produce, artisan products, booze, and pre-made food. Like the Wallingford Farmers Market, you’ll find some super small vendors only at this market, such as Strix Varia Meadery from Whidbey Island.
Delridge Farmers Market
website | 9421 18th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98106 (directions) | schedule: Saturdays 10 am – 2 pm May – October rain or shine
This market in Southwest Seattle is hosted by the African Community Housing & Development. It’s located in the courtyard of the Hope Academy and specifically highlights BIPOC farmers, chefs, and artisans. It’s also the only local farmers market taking no fees or cut of sales from vendors so as to reduce barriers for small businesses.
The market features a rotating array of vendors providing food and goods from cultures across the globe. For example, you can sample bites from the chefs at Spice Bridge and find a huge array of hard-to-find food and products from Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and more. If you need organically-grown produce, Black Farmers Collective is also at the market. They provide land to BIPOC farmers to address the lack of accessible land to non-white farmers, a systemic issue I write about in my guide to Black-owned wineries.
There are also a lot of free and discounted resources at the Delridge Farmers Market. For example, you can get free produce bags, $5 for all youth to spend each week, and complimentary community health and wellness programs. The market even buys back leftover produce from farmers at full price to distribute to local food banks, community fridges, and more in order to reduce waste and provide more access to fresh food.
Farmers Markets Near Seattle
There are a ton of farmers markets in the great Puget Sound, such as:
- Auburn Farmers Market (Sundays, seasonal)
- Burien Farmers Market (Thursdays)
- Bellevue Farmers Market (Thursdays, seasonal)
- Crossroads Farmers Market (Tuesdays, Bellevue, seasonal)
- Des Moines Farmers Market (Saturdays, seasonal)
- Federal Way Farmers Market (Saturdays, seasonal)
- Gig Harbor Farmers Market (Thursdays, seasonal)
- Issaquah Farmers Market (Saturdays, seasonal)
- Juanita Farmers Market (Fridays, Kirkland, seasonal)
- Kent Farmers Market (Saturdays, seasonal)
- Kirkland Farmers Market (Wednesdays, seasonal)
- Lakewood Farmers Market (Fridays, seasonal)
- Mercer Island Farmers Market (Sundays, seasonal)
- North Bend Farmers Market (Thursdays, seasonal)
- Proctor Farmers Market (Saturdays, Tacoma)
- Redmond Farmers Market (Saturdays, seasonal)
- Renton Farmers Market (Tuesdays, seasonal)
- Sammamish Farmers Market (Wednesdays, seasonal)
- Woodinville Farmers market (Saturdays, seasonal)
Map of Seattle Area Farmers Markets
More Ways to Support Local Artisans
There are so many amazing makers in the Pacific Northwest who don’t sell at farmers markets. Here’s a list of more artisans to discover.
- Best Pacific Northwest Gifts
- PNW-Made Foodie Gifts
- Pacific Northwest Artists to Know About
- Must-Visit Seattle Gifts Shops
- Where to Find the Best Seattle Gifts Online
- Guide to Seattle’s Top Shopping Neighborhoods
- The Ultimate Seattle Foodie Bucket List
- How to Stock Your Pantry with PNW Makers
