Best Farmer's Market

The Beltline has transformed intown living before our eyes. The popular path has increased accessibility between neighborhoods like never before, and the forward-thinking do-gooders at Community Farmers Markets took notice. With a centralized location and no shortage of Beltline foot-traffic, the PONCE CITY FARMERS MARKET is the newest addition to the CFM family. The Tuesday evening farmstand made its debut in May 2016 and will continue to convene each week from 4 to 8 p.m. through Dec. 20. The market is located directly on the Beltline at “the Shed,” which means easy access for bikers and pedestrians. The market’s lineup rotates through a selection of more than 40 local farms including Scharko Farms and Friends, Truly Living Well, Brasstown Beef, Cosmos Organic Farms, and more. www.cfmatl.org/poncecity. less...

This year, we found a new reason to get out of bed early on Saturday mornings. Aptly named for its location on the Freedom Park trail, the newly minted FREEDOM FARMERS MARKET is a welcome addition to the local food scene. Unlike other producer markets around town, this one is run by the lively vendors themselves. And instead of demos, each week features a chef with ready-to-eat dishes. Located at the intersection of five intown neighborhoods, the Freedom Farmers Market has hip city vibes, and friendly faces from all walks of life. Market highlights include gorgeous Woodland Gardens veggies, pastries from the Bakery at Cakes & Ale, Riverview Farms sausage, Grassroots Farm eggs, and Storico Fresco pasta. Enjoy a stroll through the market with a prosciutto and Parmesan baguette from Star Provisions in one hand and pour-over coffee from 1000 Faces in the other. less...

We feel a little nostalgic whenever we see the bright green Farm Mobile truck pull up to our Main Street or local park. It reminds us of a simpler time when neighborhood moms would run out with a handful of change to meet the bread trucks that wandered down our block each week. Just as friendly, the Farm Mobile folks post daily specials on a chalkboard. Skim it before climbing the steps into the back of the truck, making your way past bins stocked with organic and seasonal produce. Other offerings include: H&F breads, free-range eggs, and sustainable meats (grass-fed beef, Berkshire pork, and chicken from White Oak Pastures), which you'll find once you gently squeeze by your neighbor and make your way to the freezer near the front. They also carry their own line of grits, polenta, and cornmeal, plus artisanal cheeses and pesto. Basically, you'll find all the fixings for a great meal in one stop. The mobile grocer, based out of Riverview Farms in Northwest Georgia, is constantly making the rounds in metro Atlanta, keeping customers up-to-date on its whereabouts via Facebook and Twitter. It's a lot easier than chasing after that old bread truck. www.grassfedcow.com/farmmobile. less...

If you've ever been to the Grant Park Farmers Market, you'd never guess that it's only in its second year. Every Sunday during market season, the west end of Grant Park becomes a bustling strip of local vendors - selling everything form handmade soap to homemade pasta - as if they've been doing it there for years. But the market's real draw is all the freshly cut local produce, lovingly cultivated - often within a few miles of the park - by an emerging group of urban farmers. The park is also the perfect setting for a quick Hula-Hoop or an impromptu picnic under a shady tree. Just stop by one of the food vendors for supplies: S&J's Woodfired Pizza, Crepe Masters, and Dumpling Girl's homemade banh mi sandwiches are all on the menu. And for dessert, a pastry from Little Tart Bakeshop or a frozen treat from King of Pops will surely do the trick. Everything lovely and delicious about local food in Atlanta is at your fingertips on Sunday mornings in Grant Park. less...

We all feel good about ourselves when we shop at the farmers market, don't we? Look at us strutting around with our reusable tote bags, mentally applauding ourselves for waking up early on a weekend in order to consume with conscience. If the scene's too much for you, or if you just like sleeping in, Vegetable Husband delivers fresh, local produce to its subscribers' doors once a week. Proprietor Margie Thorpe does the dirty work for her clients. She picks up a variety of fresh fruits and veggies from area farms, divvies them out in adorably folksy baskets and arranges for home delivery by friendly volunteers. A basket from Vegetable Husband is something to behold, especially in the summer when it overflows with a bounty of organic edibles such as peppers, okra, green beans, the best tomatoes you'll ever taste, melons and blueberries. 404-617-9302. vegetablehusband.com. less...