A visit to the Jan Power's Farmers Markets at Brisbane Powerhouse is the perfect start to your weekend. The sights and smells will stimulate your senses while you get that slightly smug sense of satisfaction about buying food that’s good for you.
There’s also something very appealing about dealing directly with the people who grow or make the produce.
The majority of the friendly stall holders offer you a sample of what they’re selling, so you can try before you buy. Our favourite were the farmers, touting their goods: “Peaches - $6 a bag, or $7 if I like you!”
As the name suggests, there’s fruit and veg fresh from the farm. Everything we purchased was perfect – juicy peaches (the juice was literally running down our arms as we ate), spotless avocados (a big bag – some were ripe and ready to eat immediately, others were a bit harder and ripened in the cupboard over the course of a few days, so none went to waste), pineapples, passionfruit and mangoes. The prices were reasonable, too.
We also took home spicy, marinated olives, fresh Australian flower honey and Greek yoghurt.
Along with the fruit and veg you could get just about all the food you need for your weekly shop here – meat, seafood, coffee, bread, wine, cheeses, jams, marinades, cakes, biscuits, pastries. The list goes on.
There are also a few stalls offering items that aren’t edible, including handmade clothes, toys, jewellery and soaps.
When: 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, 6am to midday.
Where: The Plaza area out front of Brisbane Powerhouse.
Parking: Brisbane Powerhouse has a small carpark that fills up quickly on market days, so if you’re driving you’ll need to get there early.
Public Transport: The New Farm Park CityCat stop is a short walk along the river from Brisbane Powerhouse. Bus services 195, 196 and 197 stop at New Farm Park. Follow the riverside walk from the CityCat jetty. Service 199 stops on Merthyr Road within walking distance via Lamington Street. Bike racks are located at the Stores and Turbine buildings of Brisbane Powerhouse. Taxis collect and drop off at the Stores Building. A free taxi phone is located in the foyer of the Powerhouse opposite the box office.
Tip: There’s ready to eat food and fresh coffee to purchase so you can have breakfast/brunch while you shop.
