Best of
the Twin Cities
Cruise the 167 stalls of the downtown St. Paul Farmers Market on a Saturday in June and you’ll find not only a bounty of fresh produce, but everything from eggs and cheese to dog treats and soap. You can also snag a good cup of coffee, great deals on bedding plants, and recipes for unfamiliar Hmong greens from the vendors. But what really sets the market apart is its commitment to locally sourced products. Food sold here must be grown or produced within a 50-mile radius. The market has been in its current location since 1982, and both the market and the neighborhood have seen lots of change since then. Lowertown is booming, with the new St. Paul Saints stadium across the street, hot restaurants nearby, and the light rail running along the southern edge of the market. All that development can make parking a bit of a hassle, but chatting with the farmer who picked your corn that morning makes it worth the trip.