Consistently voted the best of San Diego’s many Farmers Markets, this popular community gathering was created in 1997 by the Hillcrest Business Association. It’s part of the California Federation of Certified Farmers Markets.
One Yelp reviewer says it best…San Diego has a glut of farmers’ markets. With weekly markets in OB, North Park, La Jolla, Hillcrest and just about everywhere else, it may be difficult for the newbies and the uninitiated to sort them all out. So, for your reading pleasure, I present the Cliff’s Notes version: “The Hillcrest Farmers Market rocks.”
The diversity and deliciousness of the food here takes my breath away, week after week, Sunday morning after Sunday morning. I usually walk here from my place (to avoid the maddening parking situation) with tote bags at the ready. Before I buy anything, I walk up and down the length of Normal Street once, grabbing piles of free samples — because, heck, eating piles of free samples is easier and cheaper than cooking my own breakfast. Peaches, plums, tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits, avocados, mangoes, papayas and the occasional crusty bread+olive oil make their way into my belly before I even buy anything. My second lap across Normal Street usually involves the actual purchasing. Before I know it, the tote bags are replete with fruits and veggies, and I know I’ll be eating well that night.
[Aside: Why do I feel so fruity whenever I say “tote”?] Anywho, the *other* reason that I can’t get enough of the Hillcrest Farmers Market is the abundance of prepared food vendors. These guys line up mostly in the DMV parking lot, unlike the fruit and veggie folks, who line up along Normal. I love the crepe dude, although the line to get a crepe usually scares me off. More often, I grab a snack at that great raw-vegan stand, with food that’s simultaneously light, healthy, and tasty (and I say this as an omnivore). Before I leave, though, I absolutely must grab a large, sweet, delicious horchata from the Mexican beverage stand. Every cup of horchata is a total mouthgasm. After my belly is full, I head on home, with tote bags brimming with goodies.
Stop by the Hillcrest Business Association booth (north of the band) and meet executive director Ben Nicholls or to pick up this yesr’s edtion of HillQuest, an Urban Guide to 92103+.
