Haymarket

Best place to get fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood with an incredible prices.
Everything on sell is fresh, beautiful and delicious as well. Highly recommend for students because of the low prices.

I come here mostly for cheap produce! For under $ 15 you can get enough produce for 7 – 10 days. I have a few tips to people who have never been: If a vendor doesn’t let you grab and inspect your own produce… DO NOT BUY IT! The vendors that do this put the nice, clean, freshest looking produce on display and then give you the not so great stuff from behind the table. Pay attention to how clean the vendors booth is. The cleaner the better! Visit every vendor to get the lowest prices and look for the freshest food. When it comes to the meat and seafood make sure you know how to pick out good meat and seafood and use it quickly!

The worst place I ever went to. This person told me I can’t see if I’m buying fresh vegetables or crap from him. Never go to the the last fruit stands because apparently it’s not about service in the good old USA where I was born. I laugh about all the Bull I went through with this fruit stand owner. Very, very bad experience. GL to all those that visit this awful place.

I thought the haymarket was super cool to walk around!!!
The freshness of the food looked stellar, the stall handlers were very personable and the atmosphere was very lively.
If I lived in Boston and had the option for that kind of fresh seafood, fruits, and veggies? I’d be cooking all the time and not have the stomach space to eat it all

Used to come here a lot with my Shanghai roommate during them college days. She’s a really good cook and because I can’t cook, it would only be right for me to buy groceries. A trip to haymarket is like a stroll down memory lane for me. :)
$ 20 can feed us the whole week. Ridiculously cheap. Strawberries can go down from $ 1 a box. Never really liked beets until roommate turned them into delicious smoothies after buying some from here. Most of the produce is fresh but not all, so make sure you choose wisely.
Note: Be aware though, don’t ever ever ever ever touch any produce! Sellers don’t want you to be touching their stuff and if you insist on doing so, you’re going to get yelled at and people will be staring at you. it can be very embarrassing. Trust. It’s didn’t happen to me, but I’ve seen people gotten yelled it. it was not pretty.
Cash only! Happy shopping!

Absolutely love coming to Haymarket. I love going on Friday mornings (10 am or earlier) since it isn’t too busy then. Most of the vendors are really nice and welcoming. Avoid going to the ones that don’t let you touch the product. The prices are also very very reasonable and cheaper than all grocery stores. I can get an asparagus bunch for $ 1.50 here instead of $ 3 at the store! Also, don’t forget your cash because its cash only! At the end of the market theres usually a flower guy as well. He has beautiful flowers for cheap prices some of his flower bunches have lasted me 4 – 5 weeks!

Here are the rules for shopping at Haymarket in order of importance:
1. If you can’t pick your own food, DON’T BUY IT! The dealers will try to sell you as much of their rotten produce as possible to get rid of it. They put all the good fruit & vegetables neatly on display to get you to believe that’s what you’ll be getting behind the counter.
2. Avoid the ignorant vendors that are rude with customers, swear, and smoke while working. That’s an obvious sign that they are nasty people and you don’t want them handling your food!
3. Visit every vendor before you buy anything. Some people have fresher produce and better deals than others.
If you follow these rules, I guarantee you will have a 4 star experience. Some people claim you have to get here early, but in reality if you know how to pick food, it doesn’t matter what time of day you come here. Be prepared for a crowd and make change because $ 1 goes a long way at Haymarket!

Haven’t visited Haymarket in years and it was great to be back. So many items both familiar and unfamiliar to pick from. Lots of vendors and all friendly and willing to chat it up. Everyone was good about all the questions I asked. Make sure to bring cash and your grocery list, otherwise like me you’ll walk out with more than what you need hahaha

Very reasonable prices for all fresh vegetables and fruits, I like the place, There are also some (halal) meat, however, it’s a bit crowded and difficult to find car parking
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Haymarket /​/​Friday Morning Ritual
Haymarket is my happy place, I come here every Friday morning in search of colorful fruits and vegetables, along the way i have found beautiful flowers, and an array of wonderful vendors.
Fruits and vegetables are 50−75% cheaper here than Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Needless to say that most of these vendors are sellers to large grocery stores. I’d rather contribute to local vendors and farmers and have the money go directly to them than corporate. Stands are up as early as 8am, the earlier you get there the better products and less crowded it is!
Im from Cali, thus, gotta have my guac… this is only place I have found ripe avocados for a decent price. I buy all of my veggies and fruits for the week here for under $ 10 – 15, definitely less than half of what I would normally spend at TJ or Whole Foods.
Catch me at Haymarket on Friday mornings, support your local vendors!

After shopping there for 10+ times, I have finally mastered the art of buying produce at Haymarket (aka «How to shop at Haymarket that lasts you for almost two weeks if not longer»).
1. Buy strawberries and blueberries IN season. They can last in the fridge for a week (strawberries) or two weeks (blueberries) or longer in the freezer! Raspberries last for 3 days though. Always check for mold at the bottom.
2. Buy raw shrimp at Garden Halal Meat and freeze them (always fresh with no fail). Don’t buy the packaged ones at the outdoor vendor (grainy texture is good, while smooth is bad).
3. Buy loose onions (I think only one or two vendors allows you to do so) instead of bagged ones, as they can last for weeks if not months.
4. Buy cheese at the specialty cheese store, as they are a bargain (e.g. 1 lb of freshly grated Parmesan for $ 4.5).
5. Eat fruits and vegetables that last longer later (e.g. kale, squash, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, mushroom, etc. can last longer than a week. You can also buy green bananas rather than ripe ones as you finish your strawberries.)
6. Store limes in the fridge to prolong their freshness, as they are normally very cheap in large quantities.
7. Asparagus typically only last for 2 days, so eat them first.
8. If it’s too good to be true, then it’s too good to be true (e.g. 3 avocados for $ 1).
9. Cilantro lasts longer than basil by a week or two. You can make pasta in bulk and just freeze them.
Evidently Haymarket produce is not Whole Foods grade, but why play to its weakness when you can play to its strength!

Haymarket is the equivalent to a dollar store grocery store! It’s awesome!
Obviously, Haymarket carries super cheap produce… but make sure you consume within a few days. These are wholesale produce that couldn’t sell to actual grocery stores because these items are too ripe. Hence, all these vendors are scrambling to sell their produce.
Haymarket is amazing that it’s practically $ 1 for any item. $ 1 for 5 lemons, $ 1 for a pint of blueberries, $ 1 for 2 pounds of brussel sprouts, etc. Some tips, though:
— take a walk and browse all vendors. Some have better deals than others. Some sold 4 avocados for a dollar, others sold 3, and others 2…
— Generally, the more expensive the item, the longer the produce will last
— when buying berries, either consume within 28 – 72 hours or freeze them for a future smoothie!
— Check all produce carefully, make sure they aren’t molding. I unfortunately missed that a lot of my blackberries were moldy after 24 hours :(
— Get produce that are more on the «crunchier» side. ie, broccoli, brussel sprouts, apples, jujube dates, carrots, etc. Things that are softer, like berries and asparagus, tend to go bad very quickly. If you find the crunchy items to have a little mold, you can just cut part of it out, as mold takes longer to «travel» across the whole item. However, with soft items, the mold has its hyphae, aka roots, contaminating the whole item!
— Can I recommend making fresh guacamole?
I swear, if produce pricing was just like Haymarket, we wouldn’t have the obesity problems we have now. It makes me excited to eat broccoli as a snack, and to eat my blueberries paired up with greek yogurt.
The only downside is that it gets pretty chaotic here, and sometimes the vendors won’t let you pick your own produce (shady). Also, it’s quite a trek for me to get here. If I lived in the area, I’d totally get my groceries here every week. It saves me maybe $ 20/​week. But then, I also think about the $ 4 roundtrip MBTA and 1 hour time getting produce.

I come here every single week because after I discovered this amazing market, I don’t think I could ever buy produce at a grocery store again.
It’s so cheap, the $ sign doesn’t even cut it. It should be like half a $ sign. I can get a week’s full meal including veggies, fish, & fruit for less than $ 20. If you read some of the reviews others have mentioned how low a price you can get certain food items.
Prices change occasionally and certain vendors won’t let you hand pick (don’t go to them because the fruits are usually overripe and you don’t realize until you get home and everything is smushed)
But I love this place and I don’t think I could ever starve because I can get stuff for like 25cents.

The selection is seasonal and approx. half the cost of what you’d pay at the grocery store, score! Produce is either ripe or overripe. Food goes bad pretty quickly so you must eat it fast. Venders can be a little rude at times. Overall, it is one of our favorite saturday traditions.

Always wanna hav a close look at those farmers markets every time when I travel to a different city. I bought some cherries yesterday and they were cheap and good. 2 dollars a pound!!! Isn’t it a good deal? I just came here for another pound of cherries and oranges to have some more vitamin c!

I have to say that coming for a culture that loves outdoor markets, Haymarket is a blast to go to while in Boston. This open air market is always bustling, impossible to get through without bumping into others, and bartering with the vendors is a blast.
The prices here are usually fair, but to be able to get a better deal since everyone and their mother is selling the same goods is a battle. We always enjoys shopping at some of their permanent shops which have incredible selections of cheese and seafood.
The final comment I have is if you are a raw bar fan then make sure you hit up the 4 oysters for $ 5 booth. The employees are a bit loud and pushy but that makes it more fun.
P. S. scout all prices before buying and if you don’t want to get massacred then try to find sneaky ways to look for the best produce without touching. Vendors get pissed!

How have I not sung the praises of Haymarket yet?
This is a pretty neat operation that runs on Fridays and Saturdays near the Haymarket T stop, and it’s cash only. For those living in the city and wanting to cut down on their grocery budget, look no further than here. Basically, surplus produce that have not been bought by restaurants and grocery stores are sold to the public at deeply discounted prices. Think about it as a great way to reduce food waste. However, since most of the offerings are at or past their peak ripeness, I recommend examining all selections carefully prior to buying and consuming anything bought within the next few days.
The vendors here sell a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and I can usually find what I need, including herbs and those unique ingredients (e.g. poblano peppers, chestnuts, portobello mushrooms). It also gives one an excuse to try new and usually expensive food items since it’s so cheap. For example, my love for pomegranates began with a purchase here.
For seafood lovers, there are usually a couple of stands that sell a variety of fish and scallops. Craving a snack? Buy some freshly shucked clams and oysters for a reasonable price. It may not look like the most sanitary operation, but I haven’t gotten sick yet!
In short, Haymarket is a magical place where quality produce abounds at prices that won’t break your bank. Like I warned though, make sure to examine your food before buying or else you may end up with a bunch of moldy blueberries the next day.

Most of the ground maybe covered with snow and ice, but the Haymarket is happening. It is an outdoor, crowded, mostly uncomfortable experience.
There are plenty of smelly fish. There are a ton of fruits and vegetables.
Walk around to make sure you check out all the vendors because prices vary, especially for produce. However, the prices cannot be beat in comparison to whole foods and the grocery stores in Boston.
Stock up and enjoy.

I was so amazed with Haymarket! We came across the space where I noticed fruits and veggies were selling for super dirt cheap. If you know me, I love a great bargain and I love fruit! Haha
We picked up a variety of berries from different vendors as I couldn’t resist the super cheap prices. We were only staying one more night in Boston so couldn’t get too much. At these prices, if we didn’t finish it was fine.
The place is a little dirty and like some others have said, some vendors can get a little aggressive and give you try and scare you off if you’re there for a free show. Some vendors were nice as, again, I only wanted a small quantity of each kind of goods and they let me buy for half a pound of some stuff. With rolling eyes of course.

If you know me, you know I love my fruits and veggies. Having an abundance of both, it’s hard for me to not love Haymarket by default.
However, it should be stated again that Haymarket is NOT a farmer’s market. It is an outdoor produce market that sells the leftover produce from grocery stores. That being said, you do have to be careful with what you buy. Flip it over and make sure the bottom layer is as fresh as the top layer appears.
The good: SUPER CHEAP PRODUCE. I spend about $ 10 each week and it has literally cut my grocery bill in half. If you don’t eat as much as I do, you might even spend less. I get a lot of blueberries ($ 1.50 a pint!) and strawberries to cut up and freeze for snacking and smoothies. 4 for $ 1 plantains are the norm. Thanks to Haymarket, I’ve been a lot more adventurous with my foods — trying out beets, figs, and eggplant for the first time. Happily eating celery and plantains every week. I even figured out how to prepare artichokes. My tummy is just so happy these days!
The bad: Raspberries. I’ve purchased them twice only to come home to a mess of wet, mushy berries. Never again. Also there are tourists taking pictures like they’ve never seen an outdoor market before, so you might get caught in the background (or foreground) of a picture.
Really though, there’s not much to complain about — go. Get your micronutrients. Remember that health is the greatest wealth (sorry, I HAD to!).