There’s no doubt that the Honolulu Farmers’ Market has all its bases covered when it comes to fresh, locally-grown and locally-made goods. For the past three years, its growing list of family farms, street food vendors and food artisans has continued to out do other markets in town, becoming one of the largest Oahu has.
You can’t miss the village of those notorious white-roofed tents sitting on the corner of King Street and Ward Avenue. With more than 30 vendors each week, the market offers a plethora of goodies – including tropical fruits, veggies, honey, freshly-made butters and cheeses and plants. And unlike what you may find in the ocean, fresh seaweed and abalone from local aquaculture farms have also become a hit at the market.
There’s a nice balance of produce and foods here, which is not always the case with other markets. Sometimes, you’ll go to a market that focuses solely on fruits; others focus on baked goods. But here, it’s about fifty-fifty. I’d recommend visiting this Honolulu Market with an appetite because there are sure to be delicious dishes seldom found anywhere else on the island. Tofu musubi, guava-wood smoked pork, potato chip arare cookies, speciality soups, and sweet potato fried mochi top the list of unusual items. Last week, I must have visited with a health-conscious mindset because I left the market with oatcakes, papayas and a tofu musubi!
We did make sure to sample all the not-so-good-for-you foods, like the potato chip arare cookies and fresh artisan breads. I fought the temptation to buy both of them but will definitely reconsider next time I’m there. If you’re like me, and prefer sampling foods before buying them, then you’ll like this market. Customers don’t even need to ask for a sample; instead, vendors do the asking and snag people walking by their tents with bite-sized treats. Now, that’s my kind of market!
HONOLULU FARMERS’ MARKET • Wednesdays 4-7pm • Neal Blaisdell lawn on corner of King St. and Ward Ave. • Free parking at Blaisdell structure
