Matakana

WOW!!! What a market! Produce, dairy, pies, eggs, cheese, plants, fish, breads, olive oils, sweets, savories, liqueur, beer, knife/scissor sharpener, etc. etc. etc. All first class from friendly people, at fair prices. I will be back in two weeks and will have a light breakfast at home so I can enjoy the hot foods here for an early lunch. Best to arrive by 10am. Parking is a couple of blocks away.

Right. Now I see why so many Aucklander's have packed their bags and settled an hour North - gorgeous beaches (Omaha, Tawharanui and Snells to name a few) , a laid-back lifestyle and this absolute gem of a market! Full of fresh, locally grown produce, there's everything here from cashew nut butters, to buffalo meat, to fresh figs (if you come after March, that is) as well as gorgeous flowers. Not too mention the options for breakfast/lunch are plentiful! Although we'd heard the croque monsieur was a must, we just couldn't go past the buffalo burger served in a fresh bun with lettuce, tomato, melted buffalo pecorino and beetroot relish. So so juicy! To finish we popped around the corner for a simple lemon and sugar crepe. Oh and we may or may not have got a fresh strawberry ice cream to share on the way out.... Well worth the 40 min drive from the North Shore. Matakana, we will be back soon! p.s no dogs allowed but they have dog sitters by the entrance who, for a gold coin, will look after your pooch whilst you roam around the market!

Gorgeous market! Well worth the trip if you are not a local already. Take your green bag or basket, spare change - and lots of it (a hunk of cheese may set you back $15 as it is here!), and even the pet dog if you like, as they have a dog minder set-up ready and well utilised. This market offer a great selection of fresh produce which is the biggest drawcard, however there is also quite a lot of retail outlest, upmarket, that could draw you in, plus several great cafes scattered nearby, the gorgeous beaches and lots of choices for lunch. I have been here several times travelling from Auckland, it only takes a wee while to get there and easy to find and a leisurely drive through some beautiful countryside, allow plenty of time though if you are like my hubby and I and wish to stop and check out all the galleries and shops along the way.

This is a great local market with local produce. Fresh, organic and high quality. Get there early (we often went on the way to somewhere). This is the best way to get a good seat and to guarantee yourself a buffalo burger and flat white which is awesome or some arancini before it sells out. I also liked the fresh juices and smoothies, Kraft beer stall, the nut stall, the fresh bread stalls and the salmon guy who is lovely. His mousse with capers, coconut sugar, raw onions etc was so good I learnt to make my own (lesser) version. There's live music and a nice lake to sit near popular with the kids. I also liked the vintage and vintage style furniture in the big shed

Come hungry. We didn't do as much homework as we should have before visiting this incredible Farmers' Market, so we had a huge breakfast to prepare for the adventure ahead and couldn't enjoy a whole lot of the food offerings. Fortunately, there were more than just food vendors here. Matakana Village in general is already quite a charming place, and this weekly occurrence just adds to the package. There was quite a bit of seats if you do decide to have your meal here, complete with a live musician to create ambience and entertain. If you brought your fur-babies with you, they can be watched after by young kids for a small sum. This was such a cute set up. Parking can be quite a challenge, though, and we ended up with a spot a few blocks away. Didn't mind the walk one bit, which allowed us to see more of the village on foot. Do be careful of pedestrians crossing around the roundabout area.

We came here last January on a trip to visit my in-laws in Auckland, and I fell in love. Delicious foods, the mustard stand is the MAN, adorable vintage shops and so many crafts my Grandma Dorothy was a kid in a candy shop. But lets be honest..I'm here for the food. Happened to be here the day after getting crazy sick and managed to get a nice shot of wheatgrass to clean my system as soon as we walked in. Had a nice browse, some amazing samples and a delicious Feijoa wine purchase. There's a cute little op-shop right in the middle, but requires some time to look around and pick at. Tip: If you're hungry enough for a sit down meal, skip the cafes at Matakana and drive a short trip to Charlie's Gelato Garden for some INCREDIBLE wood-fired oven pizza and gelato. Tip: Make a day of it. It's a bit of a drive from Auckland and if you are heading out that way try and make some time for the tons of vineyards surrounding the area. Can't wait to go back.

The Matakana Markets are pretty well-known amongst Aucklanders - visit once and you'll see why. Though there isn't necessarily a massive amount of stuff, the things that are there are all of the finest quality. From chutneys, cheese and spreads, to fresh produce, chewy American brownies and smoothies, it's pretty easy to get breakfast lunch and dinner all from here. My personal favourites are the Buffalo burgers - oh dear lord they are so juicy and flavourful, and so fresh it's doing my head in just thinking about them. We ate ours under the shade of the trees on a grassy bank looking over the river. Bliss. Because the markets are so well-known, they can get super busy and even getting into Matakana can be a bit of a mission. Get there early, pick up some delicious food and head down to one of the many amazing beaches nearby for the perfect way to spedn a weekend. Or just embrace the crowds. You're in Matakana - life is good.

I always struggled to get up here before it packed up for the day. I'm not much of a morning person and it's all over at 1pm. But last time we stayed over in Leigh, it seemed the perfect place to take our hangovers once we'd ticked off breakfast. Which turned out to be both a blessing and a shame as I wanted to eat everything in sight once I got here. The vendors are all super-friendly and passionate about their products. Which are without exception serious quality from the breads to the spreads to the oils to the wines and beers. The customers here are also great for people-watching and if you have wads of spare cash (cash is best) you can do some uber-grocery shopping. You don't have to be greedy like me though; you can actually taste pretty much everything but restrain your purchases to just a few. I just hate to taste and then not buy when people are making artisan products with such love. Next time I'll bring an empty tummy and come for lunch.

Gorgeous market place that is well worth the drive up from Auckland. On every Saturday from 8am to 1pm, it is a superb farmers' market settled on the banks of Matakana River with fresh coffee, locally-brewed beer, fine wines and boutique olive oils amongst locally grown produce, artisan foods, seafood with a backdrop of live folk music. Love the laidback, old-school feels of Matakana- highly recommend. A cute little dog minder stall if you bring along a four-legged friend.

What was once a small market that only locals knew about, the Matakana Farmers' Market is now a super busy, ever-expanding activity that a large quantity of Aucklanders' trip up to visit every Saturday morning. The vendors are all mostly local farmers or business owners, and the products are all generally orientated around being organic, free-range, no added preservatives, etc. They also offer dog sitting services out the front, so if you've brought your dog with you to have a walk along one of the local beaches later in the afternoon, then they have got you covered (so you don't have to drag your poor dog through the busy marketplace!). It is in a beautiful location next to the river, so I would recommend coming early before the crowds at 10-11am, getting a pie or white bait fritter, and sitting by the river people watching. For a more specific guide to some of the best stalls, check out my Matakana Farmers' Market list!

Definitely, come with the intention of trying lots of food. It isn't really a market for your weekly fruit and veg, although there is some, it is more of a food market. The Love Shack, serving Matakana coffee is always my first stop and then a stroll around to try whatever I fancy comes next. They have delicious pies, Matakana Oysters, baked goods, and coffee. I have tried the fish guys at the back, and while the fish was tasty, the overall taste of their snapper burger was a lacking. You can bring your dog, but not inside the actual market, they have dog sitters outside of it for a gold coin donation. Also, most vendors only take cash, and there are always LONG queues at the one ATM, so bring money with you. It is very popular, but worth the stop!

I doubt this place will ever get a less than perfect rating, because it is definitely one of the best markets in the broader Auckland region, and definitely worth the drive if you're coming from Auckland city. Get up there early though because you want to get there before it's really busy and before all the good stuff is gone, and it shuts at 1pm. There's a great variety of stalls from local foods and drinks, to some craft stalls that have a range of quirky home-made bits and bobs. The locals are all friendly and know their stuff, so make sure you spark up a convo.