Scott S.
Yelp
As far as farmer's markets go, well, I don't have a ton of experience. I think there was a heyday for these 10-15 years ago where you could get quality produce for cheap, but those days seem to have passed.
Anyway, farmer's markets these days are not really just for produce, they are more like outdoor food events. And just like any event, the prices are higher than normal. So don't come here looking to save money.
I've been to this particular farmer's market, oh, maybe 20 times? Maybe more? I don't know, it's in a very convenient location. The strip mall it's in houses a Walgreens, Outdoor Supply Hardware, Starbucks, McDonalds, Michaels, and many smaller businesses. So there's lots of stuff you can do outside of the farmer's market itself.
Now regarding the farmer's market, it's important to note that you need to come here before 1 pm if you don't want the various sellers' wares to look a bit picked over. I think ideally you want to come between 9 am and 11 if you want the full selection from everyone.
When it comes to selections, this place is fantastic. You can find pretty much any vegetable or fruit you want, ripe, and in large quantities. Bring cash because not all vendors take credit cards (although many do). One of the vendors always has a great selection of high quality and gigantic mushrooms, which are so fantastic grilled/
Additionally, this farmer's market typically has non-produce items like meat, seafood, eggs, honey, flowers, knick-knacks, plants, and ready-to-eat items. So far I've really enjoyed the grilled fish tacos, tamales, and the coffee from Strait.
Overall, while not the biggest, the selection of vendors here is very nicely curated and you can easily spend an hour getting high quality groceries and some snacks. There's also sometimes live music, and lots of people bring dogs, so if you have little ones they will have stuff to enjoy (just remember it's in a parking lot so you're never that far away from moving vehicles).
Parking is almost always easy and they even have spots to charge electric cars. De Anza Park is across the street, so there's definitely opportunities to put together a nice picnic if you're so inclined.