Avila Beach Farmers Market

What a fabulous farmers market!
Scene…
Imagine beach music in the background and beautiful people, views, and delicious food to be gotten!
Parking is a little difficult but worth the walk. Plan on walking at least 2 blocks to the market which is located on the boardwalk.
Conclusion… Great, awesome, fun, and worth the drive and visit!

Small but good variety. Lobster taco from Fat Cats was delicious and portion size was generous. Fish taco from Old Port was good too but fish was a little bland, needed seasoning. Fist time I’ve seen a dole whip at a Farmers Market. Live music too. If you are in the area, worth checking out. Starts around 3:30ish.

We’ve been coming here for several years. It’s a great way to spend a Friday evening on the Central Coast! It’s not big – but the vendors are very good. I usually opt for the fish tacos — one is a meal in itself. There are many good taco vendors to choose from. My wife always visits the crêpe booth and son usually grabs fresh roasted corn on the cob. Music is usually pretty good but it does depend on your taste. I had to knock off one star because it tends to get very crowded.

It’s Baaaaack!
Yesterday was the start of the Avila Farmer’s Market which runs April — September! Despite canceling it last week for no good reason, it went off without a hitch!
I do wish they had more fruit and veggies from local farms and less prepared foods from restaurants though. That’s my only complaint.
Tips:
— No doggies
— Cash only
— Take the trolley in to avoid having to find a place to park.
— If you need to drive, park along Avila Beach drive to avoid having to pay parking fees in the lot. There are usually spots open there.
— Bring a couple of chairs and sit in front of the band to enjoy some good music and people watching (of course).
— Bring a jacket. When the sun goes down that ocean breeze can get a bit chilly!

We read about the Farmer’s Market here and decided to check it out as I love the beach area here. It’s a super darling market — not huge but with enough variety for everyone. They even had a live band going on and a bounce house for kids.
Lots of food vendors and a good selection of other local products including goat cheese, honey, etc.
We got lucky and were able to find some street parking but there is a big public parking lots within walking distance.
I do wish it was ‘dog friendy’ but may be a health law or something.

Having just returned from a trip to Thailand, I find that my prospective on life is permanently changed. The people in Thailand possess a grace and calmness of heart I have never witnessed in the US. They are thrilled at every aspect of life; pettiness and negativity has been replaced with a joyful existence. They also eat mostly in markets (street vendors pop up every where and sometimes even in the middle of a busy street) and the food is fantastic. I embraced this culinary habit, and swooned for it upon my return stateside. The Avila Beach Fish and Farmers Market was the answer to my Thailand misplaced heart. The market is a seasonal event that takes place from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm every Friday.
From the squeal of the bounce house to the face painting clown that insisted on a no gum policy, I was enthralled. The coastal sidewalk was filled with farmers, food, flowers, and delicacies as a spectacular bluegrass band, Cuesta Ridge filled the notes in between the waves crashing on the shore.
My road experienced eyes laid upon the strange label marked, Frog Balls. They ended up being pickled Brussels sprouts and quite appealing. It did not seem as adventurous as the fried chicken feet assortment I ate in Bangkok, but it fueled my exploratory heart and that was the quest.
We tried a huge pulled pork sandwich from G. Brothers smokehouse restaurant. These guys are the hardest working guys, running the restaurant in SLO and attending all the farmers markets (they also sell the kettle corn). Our next booth was Baba Foods who provided delectable hummus, taboulie, and pita bread that we tried and saved for lunch the next day.
Gary picked his favorite cart; California Hot dog. He claims this is the best hot dog around because of the special steamed bun. Bobby the owner confirmed that his superior product and secret bun techniques were due their accolades. Gary then switched to the Sweet Spot ordering a dozen mini doughnuts. He inhaled them; whip cream, sprinkles, and all.
It was time for serious food and the fish cooked at this market is so virtuous it was hard to choose. Old Port Inn won the fish taco contest, as maestro Harry made us a fish taco just pulled from the sea. It had large chunks of rock cod, an amazing dollop of spicy guacamole, cheese, salsa, and cilantro. It was huge and it was perfection. Pete’s Pier Side won for best crab cocktail, although I adore every item on their menu. Fat Cat’s had the best clam chowder.
I had to try two more sweet treats. The first came from the taco booth, a heaping cup of fruit topped with a pico chili lime sauce. Gary ordered extra pineapple and mango, but the cantaloupe and watermelon held its own in flavor. This delight is hard to find. I take it as a side dish to parties, and it is always a hit. The chili brings out the sweetness in the fruit. My other enchantment was a red tent with only a sign that read «$ 6 for everything». Inside was a bacchanal of strawberry treats; chocolate dipped, shortcake, parfait, served with brownies and smoothies, all made with sweet Santa Maria strawberries.
With so many things to try, we vowed to be back every Friday night, and to ride the Avila trolley to avoid the parking nightmare. This free service operates Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays all year, connecting you from Pismo Beach Premium Outlets, all the way to Avila Beach and back.

i love farmer’s markets. they are always adorable (well, almost). this one is lovely right off the bat because it’s off the beach, hello. it’s teeny tiny; maybe a block? our last night in the central coast area, we literally stumbled upon it looking for a bathroom (located in the middle of the front st — very easy & convenient to find) & stayed to listen to the band for an extra 30 minutes. the vendors set up are local restaurants & not a lot of produce, but then again, i didnt wander to the other side of the block, so i shouldnt say. i wouldnt make this a destination stop by any means, but if you’re in the sleepy area on a Friday night & have nothing to do, i’d come here with my family for sure. in fact, lay out on the beach beforehand & just walk up to get dinner & enjoy.

Awesome! Tons of delicious food options, fresh produce, music, a great community feel… all in a gorgeous ocean-​front setting. What’s not to love?
I’ve always been a big fan of the larger market in SLO, but this one manages to pack almost as much goodness into a much smaller space. Perfect for a small town that has limited dining and grocery-​shopping options otherwise.

I love Avila Farmer’s Market. I have really seen it grow in the last couple years. I almost don’t want to Unilocal about it because it’s such a treasured secret. It’s seasonal (April1-​Sept30) and infamous for the $ 5 lobster tacos at Old Port. It’s about a quarter the size of the one in slo which is partially why i love it. Plus, the location really couldn’t be better. It’s like a party on the beach. Sun, Live Music, Fresh local food, Beach, Friends. What more could you ask for? The Veggies to choose from is a lot smaller but Cal Poly Farm is always there, along with 3 – 4 other Veggie Vendors. There’s a selection of Pies, Pastries, Berries, Apples, and Breads. Cooked food like fish tacos, clam chowder bread bowls, fresh beverages, mangos, kettle corn, vegetarian options, are a couple other foods offered off the top of my head. Check it out! But only tell those you really love because I don’t want the parking to get any worse ! lol

It can get a bit crowded on the boardwalk, but the vibe is great. They have live music, lots of food vendors and some local produce. My fave are the lobster tacos from Fat Cats! Parking can be problematic, but just pay the $ 2 to park in the lot and call it good.

It feels more like a «carnival» rather than a Farmer’s Market. In the summer, you get to stroll along the cute little beach town where most tourists don’t know about and savor the local food vendors ranging from seafood to crepes. I love it!

This Farmer’s market runs from about April to October every Friday night on the boardwalk.
Great music and wonderful food. Best fish taco’s in town at the Old Port Inn’s booth. And the vegetarian food booth is outrageously good. There is also a great chai tea booth with the nicest guys running it, its called SLO Chai.
The kids can run and play on the beach while the parents hang out, chow and shop for local products from olives to flowers.