Best markets in New York

In the heart of the Big Apple’s Meatpacking District, Chelsea Market is a bustling hub for foodies that's set, appropriately enough, inside a converted biscuit factory. Urban explorers who follow their noses to this foodie mecca are met with industrial-style interiors – all atmospheric exposed brick, steel girders and fairy lights – and intoxicating wafts of freshly baked bread, farmhouse cheeses, sizzling seafood and just-brewed coffee. 

Hungry? You’ve come to the right place. You could spend day after gluttenous day munching your way through the artisan eats offered in here. Hit up stalwart Friedmans for steak and eggs, cheddar waffles, fried chicken and French toast. Or grab the nosebag of kings at El Donkey: their giant breakfast burrito will keep you going on day (and possibly even longer than that). Then there’s Saxelby Cheesemongers, the kind of place cheese dreams are made of, and the Fat Witch Bakery, with brownies so gooey you’ll swear they are indeed the product of some sort of witchcraft.

What’s next? Walk it all off with a tour of the High Line, or mosey over to the Whitney Museum of American Art to feast your eyes on Hoppers, Pollocks, O’Keeffes and more.

Warm-weather weekends are for Smorgasburg, Brooklyn’s epic outdoor food market – nicknamed ‘the Woodstock of eating’ – which runs April through September, calling at Williamsburg’s Marsha P. Johnson State Park on Saturdays and Prospect Park Sundays.

This foodfest’s tagline is ‘come hungry’ and it’s fair to say they ain’t messing around. There are more than 100 vendors here at any given time, hawking eats and drinks that run the gamut from lobster mac’n’cheese to ramen burgers, gooey St Louis butter cake to head-sized donuts and craft cocktails to Vietnamese iced coffee. It’s enough to make your head spin – as well as, of course, perceptibly expanding your waistline. But how to decide which stall to go for? Our advice: go both days to supersize your NYC foodie experience. Heck, why stop there? You’ll also find Smorgasburg over at the World Trade Center on Thursdays and Fridays throughout the season. Fill your boots!

What’s next? After uploading all those foodie snaps to Instagram, go for a complete change of pace in the relaxing grounds of Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Or keep it Insta-tastic with a graffiti and street art walking tour of the borough.

Foodies, listen up! If strolling around stall after delectable stall of confections and locally sourced honey sounds like your kind of jam, then the Union Square Greenmarket is for you. Held Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays year-round in Union Square Park, this Manhattan market is well loved for its vast array of organic veggies, heritage meats, artisan cheeses and – as previously indicated – sweet treats. 

Think of it as a real flavor of upstate farming amid the hubbub of the city. You’ll spot piles of just-picked asparagus, fragrant floral bouquets, great wheels of pongy cheese and crusty breads still warm from the oven. And you won’t want to skip the essential Greenmarket photo op: taking a bite from a big apple in the heart of… well, you get the general idea.

Pro tip: snag a hot cider in autumn or fresh berries in early summer, when they’re in their seasonal prime. There’s also local honey, maple syrup, heritage meats, pickles and specialty baked goods that make for perfect picnic spreads on the park’s lawns. 

What’s next? Head north along Fifth Avenue to fulfil all your King Kong fantasies at the Empire State Building.

Equal parts treasure hunt and neighborhood hang, the Brooklyn Flea is a rummager’s paradise, bringing together sellers from across the city and beyond to hawk antiques, creative crafts and general oddities on weekends year-round. One visit might yield vintage lava lamps and that Grateful Dead vinyl record holy grail you never thought you’d find, the next you’re trying on retro denim jackets and cool handcrafted jewelry. Kitschy gifts, eye-popping wall art, ornamental bric-a-brac… you’ll find it all here, and then some.

The market takes place Saturdays and Sundays in DUMBO. No, silly, it has nothing to do with the Disney elephant; it’s an acronym for the cobbled lanes found Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Underpass. In fact, DUMBO is one of the hippest Brooklyn ‘hoods of ‘em all, with more boho waterfront cafés, chic boutiques and cutting edge indie art galleries than you can shake an artisan cronut at.

What’s next? A Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO walking tour fits the bill if you want to take a deeper dive into what this area’s all about.

One of New York’s oldest markets – with roots reaching as far back as its open-air 1818 namesake – Essex Market (now covered) is one of the city’s most cherished food spots and a mainstay of the Lower East Side. Come for the gourmet ice cream, fresh handmade pasta and Sudanese stews, and stick around for the festive atmosphere and friendly chatter: it’s no mere cliché to say that this place is a true a melting pot of the New York food scene, and there’s a neighborly feel that you won’t really find at the city’s other markets, perhaps thanks to the smaller scale of the place (at only around 30 stalls).

Many stalls here double as tiny restaurants. Try Shopsins for inventive all-day breakfast, Riverdel for plant-based cheeses, and Ni Japanese Deli for superlative sushi. The market also hosts regular tastings and culinary pop-ups, pure manna for adventure-seeking gourmands. Grab your takeaway of choice to go or settle in at communal tables and watch the neighborhood bustle past the tall windows. There’s perhaps no better way to while away a rainy New York afternoon.

What’s next? Hop a couple of blocks west for visual feasting at the International Center of Photography, or take the Catacombs by Candlelight tour beneath the basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. 

Looking for some talking-point antique furniture for your apartment, or a funky vintage jacket to add to your collection? Then the bustling market-tropolis that is the Grand Bazaar NYC has you covered. Running every Sunday year-round, you’ll find it just southwest of Central Park at Columbus Avenue, showcasing its wildly varied array of one-of-a-kind, rare, quirky and limited-edition pieces. 

Soak up the festival atmosphere as you chow down on stuffed Turkish flatbreads or artisan donuts and browse stalls crammed with cool antique treasures, vintage (working!) radios, upcycled furniture and, well, pretty much anything else you can think of. Best of all, profits help to support local schools, so you get to do some good with your retail therapy, all while snacking and exploring like a true New Yorker.

What’s next? Take a wander into Central Park and discover yet more ancient treasures at the American Museum of Natural History.

If Flushing Meadows is the beating heart of Queens, its epic Queens Night Market is its very lifeblood. The market runs Saturdays from April through October – with a short break in September to accommodate a little event called ‘the US Open’ – and promises a sundown feast for the senses. The market kicks off around 4PM, with heady clouds of jerk chicken-scented smoke and zingy aromas of Ceylon cinnamon rolls, Colombian arepas and 100 other national and regional treats. Plate prices at the stalls here are capped: you’ll pay a maximum of $6 at each stall. Of course, one plate is unlikely to fill you up, so arrive hungry and plan to bag dishes from two or three (or, y’know, 10) different vendors. Start with Peruvian ceviche, working your way through flaming hot Korean noodles to deep-fried ice cream, via tacos, dumplings, satay skewers and more for the win.

Pro-tip: carry cash, as not all stallholders will accept card payments. NB: you can also stock up on cool retro apparel, artisan jewelry, local art and other souvenirs at this sprawling festival of a market. 

What’s next? The party starts at 4PM so check out Flushing Meadows before you arrive, ticking off the iconic 12-story Unisphere sculpture and the spectacled bears at Queens Zoo.

The air feels positively charged with creative energy at Williamsburg’s Artists & Fleas, a blend of curated flea and indie art bazaar, that runs weekly on Saturdays and Sundays. Here, dozens of local artists, makers, designers and vintage collectors conjure up one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, quirky apparel, fragrant candles and funky prints that your uber-dull walls will thank you for. 

This is the market for design lovers and gift hunters. Plus, it’s right off the Williamsburg waterfront, making for easy exploring pre- or post-browse. Don’t miss the market’s resident barista for a specialty cold brew, and go wild for the fresh pastries (anything from Earl Grey cookies to madeleines).

What’s next? A wander over to Marsha P. Johnson State Park for sublime waterfront views and a clear sightline to the Manhattan skyline beyond.

We finish up in Brooklyn which, it’s fair to say, hosts the lion’s share of essential NYC markets. The Dekalb Market Hall is an Insta addict’s paradise, crammed with colorful stalls and some of the most photogenic street food you’ve ever set eyes upon. We’re talking Katz Delicatessen’s famous pastrami-stuffed sandwich, available at A Taste of Katz’s, their first Brooklyn outpost. Then there’s Baby’s Buns & Buckets, an ingenious mash-up of Thai street bites and American fast food. Donuts from The Showroom Bakehouse look almost – almost – too pretty to eat; likewise the kaleidoscope of bubble tea flavors at Tea Makers.

You’ll find this indoor food emporium set below street level in Downtown Brooklyn, in an industrial-chic space that fairly thrums with big city bustle and irresistible foodie aromas. And there’s always something brewing behind the bar if you want to pair your food with a local craft beer, frosé or cocktail.

What’s next? Check out the nearby New York Transit Museum for a hands-on history of mass transportation housed inside a 1936 subway station.