Eastern Market originated in 1841 in Cadillac Square in downtown Detroit and moved to its present location in 1891. It’s the largest historic public market in the U.S. and each Saturday approximately 45,000 people trek here to buy their produce.
Most metro Detroiters have at least heard of Eastern Market and its ever-popular Flower Day. But spending a Saturday in the market can be much more than picking up a few tomatoes and some Michigan cherries. This is a great time of year to go to Eastern Market with the fall harvest coming in.
The market features farmers from Michigan, Ohio, and Canada but some of the products you find might not be so local. I mean, we all know we don’t grow bananas in Michigan, right?
So ask the farmers where the fruit and vegetables are grown. One notable stand to look for is the Grown in Detroit stall featuring leafy greens and herbs grown right in the city of Detroit.
Don’t forget to check out the meat market and the surrounding storefronts such as R. Hirt Jr. for their wonderful cheese selection. (R. Hirt Jr. also has goodies from around the world but I'm talking about buying local, so I won't mention that.)
A day at Eastern Market:
I highly recommend Russell Street Deli for a fresh and fantastic breakfast served by a delightful staff. We tried to eat at Supino Pizzeria the last time we went because I’ve heard such great things about their pizza. However, the wait was an hour. Not for a table. For the pie! We'll try Supino's another time.
What are your favorites at Eastern Market?