[Austin] Groceries and farmer's markets

[Kent Wang]

There is an old thread on the Sunset Valley Farmers Market but I thought it would be good to consolidate all discussion of farmers markets and groceries in one thread.

Sales and new items of note at Central Market, Whole Foods, HEB, etc can be posted here as well.

As far as farmers markets go, I only frequent the Sunset Valley and Austin Farmers Markets (downtown).

Sunset Valley Farmers Market

Website

Sunset Valley is a bit larger than the downtown market and has received a lot of accolades from local and national sources. They recently celebrated their 10th anniversary (Statesman article).

My favorite vendors:

Full Quiver Farms. Cheeses, chicken, pork, beef. I think the Peach Creek (downtown market, see below) pork is slightly better but Full Quiver is a bit cheaper. Every few months I will buy a whole boneless pork loin from them to cut up for use in various Chinese dishes that call for pork. Small-farm pork is truly worlds better than commercial. I think the difference is much greater than it is for chicken and beef.

Pasta & Co. (Discussion). Fresh-made pasta products. They have a storefront on Kirby Lane but it's convenient to buy from them when you're already at the market.

Greek empanada vendor. I can't remember the name but they are the best ready-to-eat vendor there. I like their empanadas the most.

Austin Farmers Market

Website.

They're open on Saturdays downtown at Republic Square and also 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays at The Triangle. The Wednesday time is very convenient as not everyone can wake up early on Saturdays.

Favorite vendors:

Peach Creek Farms. Pork is all they sell. They are the primary reason why I come to this market at all. Their pork is a bit better than Full Quiver, about the same marbling but much juicier.

Brazilian food vendor. They're my favorite food vendor at this market, and I think I like it even more than the Sunset Valley empanadas.

[Kent Wang]

Sale alert: Central Market now has lychees in stock at $3.99. MT Supermarket will probably have them, too, now but last year all the ones I bought from them were dry and not very fresh.

[Kent Wang]

Asahi Imports is the only Japanese market in Austin. Unlike other Asian markets, it is quite expensive. Many of their items can be had for cheaper at MT Supermarket or even Central Market.

The few things they have that no one else does are wide selections of:

Mirin

Seaweeds (wakame, hijiki, kombu)

Miso paste

Kewpie-brand mayonnaise

Ceramic tea and sake sets

It appears to be a family operation. The daughter is very helpful and knowledgeable but her elderly parents do not speak very much English. I've been a few times when only the parents were minding the store and they were not able to answer the questions I had.

[Kent Wang]

The downtown farmers market has a new goat cheese vendor, "Maid in the Shade", that sells fresh goat cheese curds. So fresh that they squeak.