Preston Market

Yes Preston market is a bit of a kerfuffle, rife with plenty of overcrowding and madness, and that mixed market element to it. But so what, Queen Vic market is a little bit like that; lots of stores selling flea market and crappy toys, and it’s an eclectic mic of everything. Maybe not as well planned as some of the others, but it’s all there. For fruit and veg, the total area is smaller than queen Vic or South Melbourne, but the meat section is far larger. It isn’t as genteel as the others, and will test your patience, but cut away from the crowds, confusion and mayhem and it’s on track. But it will definitely test your prowess of concentration.

All your needs can be met at this market. If you need 100 toilet rolls they have it, fresh fruit and veg of course they sell it, if you need delicious sweet jam filled doughnuts they provide it. Good atmosphere and its only a few minutes away from public transport.

I’m not entirely sure what’s happening here. Is this a flea market? Fresh food market? General identity confused market offering a bit of everything. I think so.
There’s a lot on offer here. Squished into the space is fruit, veges, European infused deli plus the usual meat/​fish/​poultry. With a smoothering of food stalls from around the world.
Two things had me confused. As a regular market goer around town I couldn’t understand the lack of ATMs. Most of the stores didn’t accept cards and cash is king. One ATM line had around 20 people waiting.
Secondly the price of meat/​fish/​poultry was near identical across all the stores. A hint of insider collusion floated around. I find it hard to believe that every store uses the identical supplier, hence identical prices. Maybe it’s true?
Maybe it was just the deli vendors that I went to but ²⁄₃ were rude and borderline spiteful. Only buying for one I didn’t need a slab of pâté‘ or half a kilo of salami. Yes I did notice how after the first few centimetres you curved the knife to double what I had actually asked for. No I don’t think asking for 100gs of salami is cause for death stares.
All in all cost wise I wasn’t impressed across the meat-​fruit/​vege-​flower selections. Not compared to other Melbourne markets, which I frequent regularly.

Preston market comes to life on Wed, Thurs, Fri, and Sat.
The busiest of these days is Saturday where you will have to pull out your best ‘Asian driver’ move to score a parking. You snooze you lose at Preston market carpark. seriously.
On these market days, parking is free for the first 2 – 3 hours. If you visit on other days you have to pay metered parking, and yes they do check.
On non market days, the Asian store, Taco truck, some of the cafes, bakeries and discount store on site are still open. So will some of the random clothes, kitchenware and trinket stores
However it’s when the market days are on that this market truly comes alive.
Seafood and meat section is located towards the middle of the market. Nearby, beautiful fresh and cheap flowers are abundant and it’s hard to go home without one of these pretty bunches.
There’s a lot of fresh fruit and veg stalls and you will eve find some of the more tropical types towards the Asian grocer areas.
You MUST not miss the fresh pasta in the deli section where there is also homemade pasta sauces.
My other favourite stop is the Tip Top bakery stall where you can buy your usual bread, crumpets, breadcrumbs, raisin toast etc for a fraction of what they charge you at the supermarket, do not miss these ladies, they always put a smile on your face.
Come hungry, you will want to snack on some pizza slices, vietnamese street food, phở, or if you are sweet tooth like me, get the ricotta canoli and Greek donuts drizzled with honey.
Finally. You will want to get yourself those hot jam donuts and wine (spot the wine barrel!). If you really have to, there is an Aldi on site and Woolies across the road.

Preston Market has everything that one could possibly want in a market:
It is a real «markets market» and isnt about glamour, tourism or being too oversanitized. It is simply a place where everyday people can go and buy good quality food and average clothes.
The market is undercover and contains a «food court» type area selling every type of food you could possibly want in a hurry. There is an excellent meat section with very nicely priced fish and seafood as well as red meat.
The fruit and vegetables sold are high quality and it is possible to do a whole weeks worth of shopping in the market alone without having to set foot in a supermarket.
The atmosphere is as a market should be — with the old men standing around chatting and the greengrocers shouting at everybody about how good their produce is and the aroma of the doughnut van wafting through the air.
There is a nice amount of hussle and bustle and its a throwback to an era before this fast paced era of convenience which we live in now! I highly recommend a visit to this market — even if you arent going to buy anything!

Preston Markets has all the qualities of a great market.
It’s good value and they have a huge variety of goods from fresh fruit and veges to meat to cheap homewares. Plus it’s all undercover.
I have only recently journeyed to this market, (despite hearing for years about how good it is) but will be making weekly trips back to do the grocery shopping.

I have no doubt in saying Preston Market is Melbourne’s première market for food. Sure it isn’t pretty, and is not laid out terribly well. It is certainly necessary to have a good browse around the market before you commit to buy anything, in case there is a better stall at the other end of the complex. But for pure variety and price it is top of the list.
Preston Market feels a lot more like an Asian market than Queen Vic and South Melbourne markets. It just has that special smell and slightly dirty look. The fresh produce is also not always super fresh either. But if you know where to look you can find all sorts of quality.
I also like the fact that the fish and meat section of the market is separated by glass walls, keeping in the smell that permeates the area. My only real criticism is the fact that it isn’t open on Sundays. What is up with that?

Preston Market beats the hell out of any other market in Melbourne.
Whether you are after fruit, vegies, meats, fish, flowers, don’t go past Preston Market. Everything is always fresh and cheap. It smells like a market, and service is what you’d expect in a market (pretty low).
It gets very busy over the weekends, and I’m sure half the people driving around the carpark shouldn’t have a licence, so be prepared to hurl abuse out your window.

Preston Market ain’t a fuckin’ tourist attraction like it’s cousin in the city, it’s a fuckin’ market where real people buy real groceries for their real lives in the real inner-​northern suburbs. No, it isn’t big on decorum (what genuine markets are) and no, you won’t get a lot of service with an Ivanho smile; what you do get though is the real fuckin’ deal.
Like any suburban market, Preston has the trappings of cheap clothing and pretty crappy hawker food. Where it is superior is in the meat department.
This is the place for pork in Melbourne. Mostly due to the big Vietnamese population in Preston, pork related goods here move faster and therefore are fresher and the butchers really know how to cut them. The butcher we frequent is happy to de-​bone and give advice about cook times and general preparation.
The Asian grocers here are awesome too, and there’s a super place for socks. There’s a baker on the way in and though the delis maybe don’t stack up against a few others around town, there are still some bargains to be found.
There’s a piano in the centre of this place, where these cute old men will play on Saturday arvos if you’re lucky. I love this place, and I love it’s people.

Preston Market is a unique experience. Not only will you get good value fresh produce, but you will also get a dose of authentic multicultural Melbourne. It’s my favourite market in Melbourne, I love the atmosphere.
Getting there is no drama as it coincides with Preston Train Station and there is lots of parking, although at peak times it doesn’t feel like it. Located just off High Street it is handy to Preston’s shopping precinct and restaurants.
The market itself is easy to navigate as it is divided by food genre. Butchers, poultry and fishmongers, greengrocers, delicatessen and bakery sections. Then they have a clothing and gifts area. The central aisle is home to seating, more shops and many many quick eat options. Cafes and variety stores are dispersed throughout the market too, just to mix things up a little.
The produce is priced lower then their equivalent at Melbourne’s other markets, this reflects the atmosphere. Preston Market is a lot more ‘gritty’ then Queen Vic, South Melbourne or Prahran. Preston Market is no show pony, it’s a real market for real people.
The range of produce and eateries reflects the multicultural nature of the market. Asian groceries are opposite Greek cafes, Latin music is played as you chomp on sushi. Vietnamese Noodles are slurped near Polish deli’s. It is the mix of multicultural vendors that attract an even more diverse clientele.
This is the market to visit for a range of Asian, European or Middle eastern produce or to hear at least ten languages spoken, and that’s on a quiet day!

Yes, the food is fresh, cheap and you can get it large qualities. Fruit, veggies, meat and more — much given the label ‘Continental’ by the overhead signage (go on, count them!). The market bleeds out into the carpark — here you’ll find donut vans and street performers every now and again, along with the sounds of cooking demos echoing from inside. Here, like many markets, it’s the people and situations you find that are better than what you come to shop for. The meetings of people, the overheard conversations, the frantic rate at which the fruit sellers shout prices in an attempt to get you to buy. If you’ve got a morning free, grab a coffee in one of several shops within and simply sit and listen to the madness that surrounds. Then get stuck in to finding yourself some Continental treats.

Don’t go to Preston Markets expecting charm, decorum or any to derive any kind of aesthetic pleasure from your surroundings. You’ll leave disappointed. Do go to Preston Markets if you need to do a jolly good food shop at bargainous prices; have very sharp elbows and fancy a day out somewhere a little rough around the edges but nigh on perfect in the eyes of foodies.
Granted, Preston Market isn’t as pretty or atmospheric as central Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market or the South Melbourne Market but it’s still better — and miles cheaper — than shopping at your local big brand supermarket. Boasting over 130 shops — comprising 12 greengrocers, 7 delis, 6 fish shops, 6 poultry shops, 12 butchers and 2 supermarkets — Preston Market is a bit of a gem and a hugely busy and successful one at that.
Founded in 1970, Preston Market has the air of an old East London farmers market but is also the place to go if you’re after niche Asian or Middle Eastern ingredients for a fraction of supermarket prices. There’s even a rather good goslem store and a Turkish food shop selling some pretty exceptional Turkish Delight and things like spices and legumes in bulk. A true Melbourne gem.