Rittenhouse Farmers’ Market

Absolutely LOVE Rittenhouse Square, and when the Farmer’s Market is around my love just intensifies. Such a perfect, quaint little market right in the heart of Philadelphia, surrounding the Square. There aren’t TOO many stalls — you can probably walk through the entire market in around 10 minutes, but that doesn’t mean gems don’t exist. There are some GREAT stalls — from flowers, to guacamole and hummus, to baked goods, to produce.
Definitely check it out if you’re in the area — a great way to get a taste of Philadelphia and its community-​based culture.

Farmers markets are a great thing — especially for all you city dwellers who have to settle for having your lunch in Rittenhouse Square as a brush with the great outdoors. The vendors here are very friendly. Here are a few highlights. Apologies that I don’t have the exact names:
Amish flower vendors — two young Amish men with straw hats and two young women in bonnets — who take credit cards. I’ve never seen such a lush and colorful collection of flowers. I keep imagining that this is just a glimpse of their backyard. For $ 5 you can get a kiddie bouquet, which is a nice fist full of flowers, perfect for your sweetheart, your mother, your neighbor’s birthday.
The herb lady — I’ve never seen so many herbs that I’ve never heard of before. Need mint? She’s got about five different types (Kentucky, chocolate, orange, etc). Need basil? She’s got about four kinds (Italian, Greek, lemon, Thai, etc). Need oregano? She’s got about six kinds (Greek, Italian, Cuban, etc). I’d never head of lemon-​scented verbena. Just as encyclopedic is her knowledge of how you can use the herbs. Usually they are 4 for $ 10.
The apple man — He’s got apples and cider. The Ginger Gold apples are my favorite. Also very famous pies, tarts, and caramels. He also has very good peaches and tomatoes in the summer.
The mushroom man — He’s there year round, unless it’s absolutely freezing and it’s winter. Need fresh cremini, shataki, oyster, pom pom mushrooms? This is your guy.
The soup guys — From their kitchen up in Kensington they make very very excellent soup. Several are hot and ready to serve, but many more are frozen that you can take home. There is an excellent peanut and chicken soup.
The greens guy — Actually, several people sell excellent greens, but this guy sells the most delicious spinach. Those two words are not often used together. I once asked about it and was told that they thought it was an Asian varietal.
Anyone selling berries — once June/​July comes around, back up the car and buy as many strawberries, blueberries, red or white raspberries as you can get.
Eggs — Worried about bird flu or if your eggs have been sitting in a warehouse for weeks? Pish posh. These people have you covered.

Nice market to stop by if you’re in the area or live near Rittenhouse Square. There’s a good variety of vendors, from baked goods, apple and produce vendors, and other odds and ends of food items. Not cheap, but not super pricey either since you’re probably buying direct from a lot of the producers.

Hands of the Earth Orchard brings fresh from the farm Apples to the square with more than a dozen varieties… some that you will never find in a supermarket. Hands on the Earth’s Apple Pie is the best pie I had in the last 20 years.

I’m lucky to live close to one of the farmer’s markets in the city. I love this location not only for this particular reason but also because It has many farmers that sell a variety of über fresh products. Prices are cheaper than regular supermarkets. Last Saturday, I bought pasture eggs. The best ones I’ve ever had in a while. Half the price of the ones I buy at Whole Foods and there’s no comparison in taste. Also, I like to buy the free range chicken or pasture beef.
During the summer they continue to add seasonal fruits and vegetables and you can shop around for cheaper prices within them. Also, if you juice and/​or want to buy a whole lot of stuff, make sure to ask if you can get a deal. You never know. They are there to sell as much as they can. After getting done shopping, I go for a stroll around the park.

I used to think that this farmer’s market was probably super expensive considering its target market/​location. But I went in the spring/​summer several times and was pleasantly surprised. You need to simply be aware what is in season, and of course summer is a great time to shop there since there is an abundance of produce! Most of the veggies I bought were about/​less than Trader Joes prices but much more fresh and full of flavor.
I’m vegetarian, so sometimes it’s difficult to try new exotic things. This place was my dream land to try various vegetables and be taught how to use them in my cooking!
Be conscious, some items are a bloody rip off. Aka the flowers and lemonade in my opinion.

I live in the neighborhood, and this market every Saturday is a solid option, not the best one. Prices are quite expensive… You can find locally grown and sourced food, and more variety, for much less at Reading terminal market.
With that said, I do highly recommend the Amish flower vendor that is at the corner of 18^th and Walnut except in the winter. Their flowers are delightfully fresh and always last multiple days in our apartment.

I really enjoyed the farmer’s market! It has a good variety of vendors and everyone was very nice and helpful! I would especially recommend the herb lady all the way at the end, close to Rittenhouse Circle (or ave? Cannot remember the name), she was truly lovely and helpful. I am definitely looking forward to going back next weekend.

Sometimes it seems like America is little more than a dark conspiracy to keep me from buying good quality lettuce, fruit and fish. Farmer’s markets are the antidote, and this is one of the best. Its only equal in Philadelphia is Headhouse.
To me the highlight is «shore catch». Unless you have a Samuals and Son hookup this is the best place –maybe the only place– to get truly fresh fish in Philly. It all comes directly from their boats in Barnegat NJ. I usually go for their amazing yellowfin tuna, scallops or swordfish. Their wild NJ oysters are the best Saturday morning breakfast on earth, and the cheapest way I’ve found to get world class oysters ($ 10 a dozen).
Since the Hurricane two weeks ago they haven’t been at the market… I really hope everything’s OK…
**PRAYING 4 U SHORE CATCH U R THE SUNSHINE IN MY LIFE**
Otolith Seafood is great too– flash frozen Alaskan seafood. Sable, Sable baby.
Z-​Farms has some amazing produce. Heads of Heirloom baby lettuce at the beginning and end of summer. Heirloom Haricort Vert, dragon beans, wax beans, romano beans and green beans in July and August. Mind blowing spinach and toscano kale in the fall.
The spring mix the amish produce stand sells is amazing– a huge bag of delicate baby lettuces for $ 2.75. Their fresh Lima beans are great.
Try Beechwood Orchards for berries, cherries, plums, apples, persimmons, ground cherries, mini-​kiwis, and paw-​paws.

My most useful advice? Prices are lowest near 19^th and tend to rise as you move towards 18^th (similar to the Italian Market with low prices near Washington increasing to Christian).
With only a week or two left for peaches it’s not too late to get in before apples take over. Rittenhouse Farmers’ Market keeps me up to date with local produce. It’s also a great way to get used to eating with the seasons.
My non-​produce faves? John & Kira’s chocolates near 19^th St. for drunken stuffed figs — all boxes & bars are roughly 30% off online prices. The children’s bouquets from the Amish florist at the corner of 18^th & Walnut always offer beautiful little pops of color & texture at a great price (I think $ 4) and sell out quickly. The Market Day Canele pair perfectly with a cup of La Colombe.
Select vendors accept visa/​mc, but it’s a safe bet to bring cash for most produce stands.

When I first discovered the market back in 2008, I was super excited. It was just outside my apartment and there seemed to be plenty of stalls. After going a bunch of times, I’m not really a fan, unfortunately. There is a decent selection but everything is so overpriced. You’ll be able to find fruits, veggies, meats, cheese, baked goods, plants, flowers, etc.

This Farmers’ Market has an interesting mix of vendors beyond just produce. And the park makes an excellent back drop. But I think that Iovine’s has spoiled me because I didn’t find anything worth getting there. Comparing Rittenhouse to other Farmers Markets, it’s just okay.

I love having this as my local farmer’s market, and I feel so lucky that it’s year round. It’s surprisingly good sized, with a great variety; most of the time, I feel like I can really do all my week’s shopping here without having to go to a grocery store except for a few small things, and it’s a nice supplement to our CSA.
I’ve only been here for a few months, but so far here are a few things that have emerged as my favorites:
— chicken from Hilltop Farms
— mushrooms from Davidson Exotics
— goat sausage from? (can’t remember the farm)
— apples and garlic from Beachwood Orchards
— greens from Z Food Farm
— fish from Otolith Sustainable Seafood and Shore Catch
On top of those favorites, it’s always nice to have John & Kira’s chocolates, Philly Fair Trade coffee, bread from Wild Flour bakery, and gourmet meats from PorcSalt available, as well as the Renaissance Sausage cart.
The selection is thinning out for winter, but there are still enough things to keep us coming every Saturday.
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Locally roasted coffee tip: Philly Fair Trade (Philadelphia) —

This was cute local farmers’ market. There was a great mixed of things from fresh veggies to very crafty stuff. I just wish I got their earlier because many of the vendors sold out so quickly.

I’m not a Philly native, but am surprised to see people complaining about high prices. Have you looked up and down the street at the shopping the area? I certainly think this is a spot for a higher-​priced market. That said, we strolled through the 7 – 10 booths set up along the edge of the park on a Saturday morning and were surprised to find a nice offering of fresh veggies, cheeses, pickled things, a food demonstration (hell yeah I want that plate of free sweet potato gnocchi!), etc.
It’s not the biggest or best farmer’s market I’ve encountered (that would be
) but it was cute and had decent offerings. I’d stop by regularly if I lived in town.

I love this farmer’s market.
OK, so I complain about being stuck behind hordes of people who meander the sidewalks and suddenly stop to stare. «It’s a gourd!» I want to yell. «You eat them! This is a farmer’s market! That’s why it’s all here!» But then I rein in my vegetable rage and stop and smell the wildflowers. There’s 2 or 3 flower stands that set up here on the regular, maybe because there are other overly aggressive city-​dwellers who calm down when confronted with giant sunflowers.
As awesome as the various vendors are, this spot would get 5 stars just for having the PHILLY BILL’S DILLS PICKLE STAND. A pickle stand. At a farmer’s market. It is such a wonderful idea! Pickles! In buckets! And they sell them to you right there! And they are delicious! I love them. I swear to god I am not a plant I just really, really like these guys and their pickles.
Annnd I’ll stop now ’cause I sound like a creeper. But seriously, go buy you some pickles and smell the flowers.

Love it! Wish it were bigger and more days — but I will take what I can get.
Support Philly’s Farmer’s Markets.
Support Fair Food.
Support Farm to City.
Join a CSA and patronize local farmers!

Sorry, but yet again I feel the need to complain about the intended audience for a Farmers Market, as the Rittenhouse FM (quite clearly, and not surprisingly) is catering toward a crowd with more money than sense.
Certainly there are high quality vendors here, but there are also way too many «top-​end» vendors whose prices are just way too high.
Clark Park, people. Clark Park.

Walking out of La Colombe Saturday morning, I was excited to glance over at Rittenhouse Square and see that a farmers market was going on. I had planned on taking the Patco over to Collingswood and this would save me a tremendous amount of time. Sadly, convenience was most of what this particular farmer’s market had to offer.
It was a bit anemic when I stopped by, just past 10 a.m., with maybe a half-​dozen stands. I don’t know if you go earlier or later whether there would be more, as I’ve only been once so far. Those present, however, included: a decent variety of produce among two or three different stands; the Amish; an excellent bakery which I don’t recall the name but I believe they also set up at Collingswood); B.T. brownie; a cheese monger; and, a woman selling various cuts of beef. (I’ve been told by reliable sources that the beef from there is excellent.)
I was not displeased overall but I think Collingswood may have spoiled me as far as the prices go – I was paying 150% or 200% here relative to what I was used to.

I get almost all my produce here. I love seeing what vegetables everyone has in this week and thinking about what to make with them. I wish the market had more stands, but you can get what you need here for sure, and I like that it’s not the same vendors week in and week out.
Don’t miss the honey guy (lots of different ones to try, and he never minds my questions about the ins and outs of beekeeping), the goat guy (goat milk fudge? YES!), and the tomato/​peach/​apple guy, depending on the season. The unpasteurized apple cider tastes like drinking the perfect apple, except better, and they serve it hot when it gets cold outside. The apple turnovers are awesome too.