You need to check out the Edinburgh Farmer’s Market

Benjamin Franklin once said that “nothing is certain except death and taxes” but I’d add a third thing- me being at the farmer’s market on Saturday.

If you know me at all, or even if you’ve just met me out on a Friday night, you know that I treat the farmer’s market with an almost religious level of fanaticism. I’m like the ‘Free Bible Course’ people, but with telling people in the smoking area about my favourite organic grapes.

And I’ve always been kind of like this, as I grew up going to a farmer’s market weekly and when I travel it’s one of the first things I look for in a new city. But the Edinburgh Farmer’s Market is special- with a stunning location, unmatched vibes, and quality and prices to rival your corner food shop. Best of all, when I otherwise would’ve lounged away my Saturday, the Farmer’s Market forces me to go for a nice walk and get some fresh air and good food; curing even my worst hangovers with a near 100 per cent success rate.

But as Edinburgh’s biggest farmer’s market devotee, here’s my guide to some of my personal favourite stalls at the Castle Terrace Farmer’s Market, (I am a vegetarian, so there are plenty of stalls I don’t regularly visit that I know are still AMAZING- this is just my top list).

Greybe Fine Olive Products

I could be allergic to olives and I would still go by David Greybe’s stall every week just to chat. He is arguably the most interesting person I’ve ever met, and travels personally to Italy and Greece to curate his selection of olive oils and vinegars. If you’re looking for a few high-quality pantry staples to elevate your nightly pesto pasta, look no further.

My Favorites:

Sundried Tomato Paste (£3.50): This stuff is genuinely unreal. I put it on pasta, toast crackers, in soups, salads- I’ve gone through 15 jars in the last year. I’m not even exaggerating if you buy one thing make it this.

Doleon Olive Oil (£8): A bit more expensive than standard olive oil, but I promise it’s worth it. Not only is the flavour and quality much better, but this olive oil has a higher smoke point than usual, making it much easier and more versatile to cook with. Also if you ask he’ll show you a photo of the actual olive groves!

Honourable Mentions: Sua Maesta Balsamic Vinegar (a fancy aged thick balsamic) and the Orkney Infused Vinegars- both amazing, but more of a niche product.

The Strawberry Farm Shop

Don’t let the name fool you; this stall actually carries a variety of fresh produce, as well as jams and soups.

My Favorites:

Produce Deal (£6.50): This bargain lets you select three things of produce for £6.50; depending on what’s in season I love the strawberries, cherry tomatoes, green grapes, plums, blueberries, or raspberries. I’ve found that the fruit from here tends to last much longer than what I’d get from a typical shop; the other day I realized I’d forgotten about a basket of raspberries in my fridge for over two weeks, and they were still fantastic.

Smoked Garlic (variable, around £2 a head): The smoked heads of garlic are so easy to cook with and add an amazing extra-rich flavour

Honourable Mentions: I love to grab kale, sweet potatoes, onions etc depending on what I’m cooking that week. The jams are also all stellar.

Buddy Kombucha

Back in my hometown (Austin, Texas) Kombucha is inescapable, so I was a little shocked when I moved here and could barely find it. Buddy’s is a tasty small-batch option with creative rotating flavours, perfect if you haven’t tried kombucha and want to get into it!

My Favorites

All flavours can be mixed and matched into a six-pack (£15) or bought individually (£3). This is definitely more of a ‘splurge’ item, but the quality and the health benefits do make it worth it for me!

Flavours: My personal favourites are hibiscus lime, lemon ginger, and pomegranate.

Edinburgh Fermentarium

True story, last spring I went like two months without eating a raw vegetable, eating kimchi and saeurkraut from here (cooking/ shopping as a fresher in halls is DIFFICULT okay the girls that get it, get it).

I started getting really dizzy all the time and thought I must be iron deficient so I got a blood test and NOPE- all my vitamin/ nutrient levels were perfect, thanks to Edinburgh Fermentarium (I just had long covid lol). This is not health advice freshers please eat a salad don’t do what I did.

My Favorites:

Turmeric Sauerkraut (£6): Tasty on its own or in a sandwich, with a nice crunch and a tart earthy flavour.

Tom Yum Kimchi (£6): They only have this every now and then but I always snatch it up because this Thai-flavoured kimchi is STUNNING in a stir fry. If you see it, buy it, unless you’re there before me and there’s only one left and then I have dibs.

Andante Bakery

I worked in artisanal bakeries for three years in high school and am the first to admit I might be a bit of a bread snob. While I love all the bakeries that sell at the markets, Andante regularly takes the cake with a few standout products.

Keep in mind that sourdough bread freezes very well; I recommend pre-slicing your loaf and leaving it in the freezer, so you can pull out a slice and pop it straight in the toaster. Whatever you do please DON’T put nice bread in the refrigerator, as this actually makes bread get stale faster.

My Favorites:

Sourdough Focaccia: This bread is insane with a soup but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t regularly eat it on its own too.

Rye Sourdough: Amazing as toast or for a sandwich, with a nice nutty flavour.

Honourable mentions: I always love one of their pastries as a little treat while I browse. Selection varies but you can’t go wrong.

Brewsters

As you can see on the sign, this stall sells mostly meat, but as a vegetarian, I typically come for the infused honey. Prices vary but are typically under five pounds and a jar lasts for a while. Flavours vary but I love the rose or the turmeric.

Campsie View Kitchen

This is my go-to anytime I’m about to view home; if you come from out of Scotland and regularly want to bring souvenirs for a large group of people, the small bags of Scottish tablet make a fantastic and affordable local gift. If you have a sweet tooth, the tiffins come in rotating flavours and are always tasty.

Co Co Co

On the subject of sweet treats, this chocolate stand has my heart. With a variety of treats and flavours, you can never go wrong.

My Favorites:

Honey Bears: A chocolate-covered honey caramel. Anytime I see these I snatch them up,

Devil’s Brew Coffee

Part of why this is my go-to hangover cure; they roast their own beans in small batches and have some of the strongest (and tastiest) coffee in Edinburgh.

Honourable Mentions

This is only a small selection of all the stalls, and as some do rotate week to week I wasn’t able to feature even all my personal favourites. So go check it out for yourself! This market runs from nine am – two pm every Saturday on the roof of the Castle Terrace Car Park.

I also want to give a shoutout to the Saturday Grassmarket Market, which runs from 10 am- five pm every Saturday in Grassmarket Square. This market has more artisan goods (knitwear, art, antiques) and prepared foods, including the infamous paella stall (worth the line) and other rotating options including Japanese noodles and Ethiopian food (my favourite).

This is run by the same people who put on the Stockbridge market and they’re wonderful! I typically do my foodshop at Castle Terrace and then walk to Grassmarket (only a five-minute walk!) for some lunch.

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