Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market | Review

Experience the taste of fresh, local produce and handmade goods at this bustling, family-friendly Sunday market.

Review by Carla Caruso

I’ve flirted with being pescatarian before, but this is the year I’m going full throttle.

I’ve been borrowing plenty of plant-based cookbooks from the library – most recently, Plantbased: 80 Nourishing, Umami-Rich Recipes from the Kitchen of a Passionate Chef by Alexander Gershberg (a bit of a mouthful).

One thing the Netherlands-based chef consistently champions is the use of organic produce – for better flavour, higher nutrient density, and reduced chemical exposure. According to him, one of the simplest ways to make that shift is by shopping at a farmers’ market.

I’d been meaning to return to the Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market for a while, so on a late Sunday morning I went along with my family of four, feeling inspired and ready to browse.

The market runs every Sunday from 8.30am to 12.30pm at the Adelaide Showground (except during the Royal Adelaide Show when it moves to a pop-up venue). Entry is free, and you can enter via Rose Terrace, finding the market in and around the Stirling Angas Hall.

Inside the market, more than 80 stalls offer everything from seasonal produce grown by local farms to hearty market breakfasts, fresh juices, excellent coffee, and more – including Poh Ling Yeow’s Jamface stall, which serves handmade sweets and savouries.

Where else can you find quirky delights like jersey cream, alpaca meat, bush tucker ice cream, yellow-hued champagne watermelon (delish!), and lavender lemonade all in the one place, while fruit and veg stallholders shout hilarious lines like, ‘Bags for $3, cucumbers free’?

For brunch, we each tried a different dish: sushi rolls (smoked salmon and spicy chicken) from Sushi By Jo; a lunch pack from Yummy Veggies featuring homemade dolmades, cabbage rolls and marinated vegetables (fab for gut health); a Kit Kat croissant from Croissant D’Or; and a cheese and ham empanada from Opa Alfajores. All hit the spot.

At the farmers’ market, wagon-style shopping carts, hessian bags and compostable food packaging are standard fare. Children’s activities often keep little ones entertained, while an annual membership rewards regulars with a 10% discount on purchases.

Go early to grab the best produce or head there later to score bargains as stallholders clear out their stock.

Don’t wait until Showtime – Wayville’s farmers’ market is a feast for the senses all year round.

What we like about it

• Feel-good factor of supporting local farmers and makers
• Delicious local produce to purchase (and sample)
• Sunday brunch/lunch sorted
• Easy access to multiple toilets on location

Things to consider

• Part of the market is open-air, so it’s exposed to the elements, whether hot or cold
• No Sunday sleep-ins if you want to get there on time and grab the best produce

Location:

Rose Terrace, Wayville 

Follow Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market on Facebook and Instagram. 

Discover special family-friendly events at the Market throughout the year.

See our Top Parks & Playgrounds Around Adelaide

For more information and all enquiries, please visit the Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market website.

All photos by James Elsby for Play & Go Adelaide. 

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Play & Go (unless specified).

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