Ask us and we’ll tell you the farmers markets are one of the most underrated parts of life in coastal North County. They’re where you actually run into your neighbors, where the produce was picked days ago instead of weeks ago, and where a simple errand turns into a whole morning. Just about every town we work in has its own, each with its own personality and its own day of the week. Here’s the full rundown, starting with what’s good right now and some news out of Leucadia.
What’s in Season Right Now
One of the quiet pleasures of shopping the markets here is that they keep you in touch with the seasons, which is surprisingly easy to lose track of on the coast. Our weather sits in the 70s just about year round, so the calendar can blur together. The market is the reminder. Right now, heading through June and July, the tables are loaded with stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots), all kinds of berries, local avocados, fresh eggs, and greens like kale, swiss chard, and lettuce, with more rolling in every week. Come back in a couple of months and it looks completely different, and that’s kind of the point. You eat with the season, and you actually notice the year going by.
Leucadia Farmers Market (Sundays, now at Oak Crest Middle School)
Big news first. After about 20 years at Paul Ecke Central Elementary, the Leucadia Farmers Market has a new home, because the Paul Ecke campus is heading into a rebuild. It has relocated to Oak Crest Middle School at 675 Encinitas Blvd. Same Sunday ritual, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., same Leucadia energy. This is the big one for us, grown from about 60 vendors at the start to as many as 130 on a given Sunday, drawing thousands of people, with local produce, artisan crafts, hot food, and live music. The new spot is more central and roomier. Come hungry, bring cash and a reusable bag, and plan to stay a while. Whatnowsandiego
Carlsbad State Street Farmers Market (Wednesdays)
Up in the Village, the State Street Certified Farmers Market sets up Wednesdays from mid-afternoon until 7 p.m. in the warmer months and 6 p.m. in winter, along State Street between Carlsbad Village Drive and Grand Avenue. Think of it as an open-air grocery store, heavy on certified growers and artisan foods, with produce, meat, fish, cheese, eggs, nuts, honey, flowers, and a strong lineup of hot food vendors. The Village setting makes it easy to turn a grocery run into dinner and a stroll. San Diego Foodie Fan Very North County
Cardiff Farmers Market (Saturdays)
Cardiff has its own, and it’s a good one. The Cardiff 101 Mainstreet Association hosts it every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the MiraCosta College San Elijo Campus at 333 Manchester Avenue, with locally sourced produce, prepared food, and a curated group of craft vendors and local makers. It’s family friendly, dog friendly, and easy to park at, which makes it a low-stress Saturday ritual. A couple of things we’re personally hooked on here: the Reuts yogurt, and a vendor doing healthy sweets made with nuts, peanut butter, and different flavor chips like butterscotch. Worth seeking out. Encinitas101 Ranch & Coast
Solana Beach Farmers Market (Sundays)
Set in the artsy Cedros Design District, the Solana Beach Certified Farmers Market runs Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. at 410 South Cedros Avenue. It was voted one of San Diego’s “Great Farmers Markets” by San Diego Magazine, and you’ll find farm-fresh produce, meats, breads and pastries, fresh seafood, handcrafted chocolates, soaps, flowers, and jewelry from local makers. The design-district setting means you can pair your shopping with a little browsing. San Diego Foodie Fan Mias101
Del Mar Farmers Market (Saturdays)
A little farther south, the Del Mar Certified Farmers Market runs Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Civic Center, 1050 Camino Del Mar. It’s smaller and easygoing, right in the heart of town and a short roll from the bluffs, which makes it an easy add-on to a Saturday by the water. Herb & Sea
Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market (Sundays)
For our inland-coastal crowd, the Rancho Santa Fe Certified Farmers Market runs Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Del Rayo Village Center, 16079 San Dieguito Road. It’s on the smaller side, but it’s a great place to find local items and has a relaxed, neighborhood feel. If you’re out in the Covenant or the surrounding ranches, this is your spot. Herb & Sea Tripadvisor
Farm Stands Worth Knowing
Two of our favorite places to buy food up here aren’t markets at all, they’re farm stands, and both are worth a special trip.
Coastal Roots Farm (Encinitas)
A nonprofit Jewish community farm and education center on the 67-acre Leichtag Commons at 441 Saxony Drive, with vegetable fields, a food forest, chickens, and compost operations. It runs a farm stand with some of the best locally grown food around, and it’s worth visiting for the sustainable agriculture and food-justice mission alone. Encinitas101 OpenTable
Chino Farm (Rancho Santa Fe)
The Vegetable Shop at Chino Farm sits at 6123 Calzada Del Bosque, a family-run, third-generation operation famous for sweet corn, strawberries, and tomatoes, plus hundreds of other varieties grown each year. It’s so good that Alice Waters of Chez Panisse called its strawberries the best she has ever had, and chefs across the country have followed her lead. It’s cash only, and the best stuff sells out, so come early. The stand is open Wednesday through Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday. And here’s the part you can’t skip: their Aisu Creamery ice cream is made farm-to-pint from the farm’s own fruit in small batches, with the French Mara des Bois strawberry as the signature flavor. It is outstanding. Do not leave without a pint. Square
Eat Your Way Through the Week
Here’s the bigger picture. You can pretty much eat your way through the week without leaving the coast: Wednesday in Carlsbad, Saturday in Cardiff or Del Mar, Sunday in Leucadia, Solana Beach, or Rancho Santa Fe, with Coastal Roots and Chino Farm to round things out. That rhythm, the produce, the live music, the neighbors, the way the tables change with the season, is a big part of what makes living up here feel the way it does. It’s also one of the easiest ways to get a real feel for a neighborhood if you’re thinking about a move.
When the markets wind down and you want a night out, our favorite North County date night restaurants pick up right where this leaves off, and the markets make an easy, free summer morning with the kids’ off-the-beaten-path spots we love.
If you’re considering buying or selling along the coast, or you just want a local’s take on which neighborhood fits your life, we’d love to hear from you. We know these towns block by block, market days included. Reach The Caspersen Group or call (619) 807-3423.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Leucadia Farmers Market now?
The Leucadia Farmers Market has moved to Oak Crest Middle School at 675 Encinitas Boulevard in Encinitas. It relocated from its longtime home at Paul Ecke Central Elementary, which is heading into a campus rebuild.
What day and time is the Leucadia Farmers Market?
Every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., year round.
Why did the Leucadia Farmers Market move?
Paul Ecke Central Elementary, its home for about 20 years, is being rebuilt, so the market needed a temporary location during construction. Oak Crest Middle School offered more room and a more central spot. The plan is for the market to move back to the Paul Ecke site once the rebuild is finished.
What can I find at the Leucadia Farmers Market?
On a busy Sunday you’ll find as many as 130 vendors, with local produce, artisan crafts, hot food, and live music. In summer expect plenty of stone fruit, berries, avocados, fresh eggs, and greens. Bring cash and a reusable bag.
Is there parking at the new location?
Oak Crest sits on Encinitas Boulevard with on-site and nearby parking, but it’s a busier street than the old location, so it’s worth arriving a little early on peak Sundays.
