The Phoenix Public Market: What to Buy and When to Go

The Phoenix Public Market on the corner of McKinley and 5th Street operates Saturday mornings from October through April and has become the most significant gathering point for Phoenix's local food producers. The Wednesday afternoon market runs year-round for those who can manage a midweek trip. The market's character is producer-forward: vendors must grow or make what they sell, which distinguishes it from farmers markets that allow resellers. The best reasons to go in winter months: citrus from Arizona growers arrives in force from November through March. Navel oranges, blood oranges, Meyer lemons, and grapefruit from small central Arizona farms appear at prices that reflect regional abundance. Local honey producers rotate through with varietals that reflect the Sonoran Desert's flowering calendar — mesquite honey in summer, wildflower honey through spring. The taste differences between varietals from different production regions are worth exploring. Tamale vendors tend to sell out by 10am. Arrive by 8am for the full selection. Food trucks and prepared food vendors cluster at the market's center. The weekend breakfast crowd is most manageable before 9am.