The Huntington Beach Farmers Market
Fridays, noon - 5pm
The Huntington Beach Pier Plaza
Parking Lot, off PCH and Main Street
Yes, I know, Huntington Beach is not technically in LA but in Orange County. But, its only a touch south of the Orange Curtain, not a far jaunt off of the 405, and is home to one of the few farmers markets where you will be socially accepted even with no clothes on.
Huntington Beach’s farmers market and adjoining craft fair is not near the beach, it is on it, giving it a lot of Friday afternoon foot traffic from beach-goers and tourists. It sits at the end of Main Street, a crowded thoroughfare of pedestrians, loiterers and shoppers. Main Street is known for its surf shops, restaurants, and bars, and you could do worse on a day off than to hit the beach, buy some tomatoes, then gawk at the locals from the patio of some relaxed eatery.\
Despite the beach-front scenery and throngs of over-tanned high schoolers, the market is nothing extraordinary, but not bad either. There were plenty of produce vendors competing to have the lowest prices, so I was able to nab zucchini, green onions, sweet corn, and asparagus for a grand total of five dollars. The market is not very spread out, so it’s very easy to shop around and compare prices and quality. This might explain why there was a standoff between the two tamale vendors, which Vera’s Tamales won with her line of customers.
The Italian Cookie lady who shows up at a few different farmers markets was there, boasting in her accent about how the cookies were delicious and made with love. Other sweets included rum cake and sweet popcorn, some of which was colored like confetti, but at five dollars a bag, was a bit too steep for such a simple commodity. To their credit, they were also selling fresh churros, which I would buy at any cost.
More impressive was the fish vendor at the Huntington Beach market. Most farmers markets have their fish booth or shellfish booth with not so many customers, either due to concerns for freshness or prices. The scope and variety of fish at this market was some of the best I’d seen yet, and they even offered fresh homemade ceviche, the legit kind that is all fish and cooked in lime juice.
Directly adjacent was the craft fair, laughably named the Art A-Fair, and was about what you would expect at a beach-front farmers market; lots of shirts, aprons, signs, and art inspired by the beach. So if you want a Hawaiian shirt or something appliqued with dead crustaceans, this is the place for you. There was some slightly more stylish fair, such as scarves and an oldish craftsman who makes some of the most interesting and ornate stone jewelry. There were also boutique dog treats which probably does well considering the OC crowd that comes to Main Street, and their little dogs too.
While the market was not raising the bar for farmers markets across Los Angeles, when you combine this standard offering with the beautiful weather, view, and general beach ambiance, the whole thing becomes quite the outing. Beware of parking, however, especially since it’s a late Friday market. There is no way you can park near Huntington Beach Main Street for free; they would stick meters on the crosswalks if they could. There is also no way you can park close unless you have enough good karma stocked up to magically get a parking space. So along with your sun screen and farmers market basket, bring quarters and comfortable walking shoes.
Photos by Shelby Chambers
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1 Bobbie // Aug 3, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I’ve always wanted to stop off at this market on the beach. Thanks for the info. I’ll definitely stop the next time I’m cruising down PCH! You can park on Main, in a parking structure, as long as you get your ticket validated at the right store or restaurant.
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