The Original Farmers Market
4.5(17K)google
4.2(1.7K)yelp
History
Overview
Established in 1934, The Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax is a beloved Los Angeles landmark featuring an open-air maze of over a hundred food stalls, specialty grocers, and artisan shops. Marked by its historic green clock tower, the market preserves an old-school LA charm where visitors can dine on global cuisines, purchase fresh local produce, and sample handmade candies. It serves as a bustling communal gathering space that bridges the city's historic agricultural roots with modern coastal living.
Practical Info
Mon–Sat9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sun10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeVisiting between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM on weekdays is ideal. The historic stalls are fully open with fresh offerings, but before the heavy midday crowds. You can comfortably sample famous toffees and sandwiches, then easily walk to the adjacent Grove shopping center.
Getting ThereLocated at the intersection of 3rd Street and Fairfax Ave. Drivers can park in the market's dedicated surface lots and get a validation stamp from any merchant for 90 minutes of free parking. Metro Bus Routes 16 and 217 provide direct service to the complex.
Travel Tips
- The market shares structural parking arrays with The Grove shopping center, but rules dictate that visitors must purchase from a merchant bearing an official green sticker to receive a physical chip validation stamp, mitigating high standard hourly baseline fees.
- • 【Transit, Parking & Cost Optimization】Avoid queuing into the congested southern ground-level lane off 3rd Street, which lacks structural clearance for modern full-size SUVs or heavy trucks; pivot into the newer multi-story parking garage structure on Fairfax Avenue for wider turn radiuses.
- To immortalize the 1934-era green wooden stall trusses, the signature white clock tower, or vintage gourmet operations, target mid-week mornings between 09:00 AM and 10:30 AM before local lunch crowds saturate the historic food stalls.
Reviews
Positive
- An open-air historic market from 1934; the green-and-white retro awnings and clock tower preserve warm, old-LA vibes.
- Hosting over 100 food stalls from legacy BBQ to crepes and fresh fruit, it perfectly satisfies diverse culinary tastes.
- Right next to the luxurious Grove shopping center, connected by a free vintage double-decker tram, blending old and new.
- The wooden tables and chairs in the dining common are kept clean; staff clear trash frequently, making management orderly.
Heads up
- Peak lunch and weekend crowds leave aisles tightly crammed; hunting for open stools with hot food plates is highly frustrating.
- As a major tourist hub, portions at some stalls can be small relative to prices, offering less value than local neighborhood markets.
- The parking lot offers validation, but stalls are notoriously tight, and peak lines to enter cause severe local bottlenecks.
- The overall commercial vibe runs high, losing the raw farmer's market essence to become a tourist-centric food hall.