Shape Magazine's list of the top 10 farmers/public markets

-- The list from Shape Magazine

- Los Angeles Farmers Market
- Union Square Greenmarket, New York City
- Pike Place Market, Seattle
- Charleston Farmers Market, Charleston, SC
- Copley Square Farmers Market, Boston
- Portland Farmers Market, Portland, Oregon
- Eastern Market, DC
- Sweet Auburn Market, Atlanta
- Green City Market, Chicago
- Ferry Market Plaza, San Francisco


I've been to 6 of the 10.  And I haven't been to some of the great ones in Southern California like in Santa Monica or Hollywood.

I have been to some excellent markets that ought to be on a list of the top 10, unless the four I've missed are truly fabulous.

The Downtown Salt Lake City Farmers Market on Saturday is stupendous (as is the market on the list in Portland, Oregon).  I would argue that the DSLC market is better than Union Square's (but so is Portland's).

Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia is one of the nation's better public market buildings--better than Eastern Market, no question, and different but as good or better than the Los Angeles Farmers Market--although this market is part open-air, which gives it some advantages.

In Southern California, regular "average" farmers markets tend to be better than most of the markets in the DC-Maryland region, although there are some great outdoor farmers markets in Baltimore--the market buildings in the city are cool, but not all that great in terms of being fabulous markets.