LA's best farmers markets by neighborhood

One of the quiet perks of living in Southern California is that the farmers market never really closes for the season. Citrus in winter, strawberries in spring, stone fruit all summer, persimmons and pomegranates in the fall. Most neighborhoods have a market within a short drive, and a few of them are worth planning a weekend around.

Here's a guide by area, with days and locations checked against each market's official site or Time Out's LA market roundup. Hours shift for holidays and weather, so confirm before you go.

Westside and the coast

• Santa Monica (Wednesday and Saturday, Arizona Avenue; Sunday, Main Street). The Wednesday downtown market is famous for supplying restaurant kitchens across the city. The city runs it and the Saturday market on Arizona Avenue from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (City of Santa Monica), plus a Sunday market on Main Street (city page) and a Saturday market at Virginia Avenue Park. See our Santa Monica guide.
• Brentwood (Sunday, Gretna Green Way). A stretch of Gretna Green Way closes to traffic for a market with seasonal fruit and baked goods (Time Out). See our Brentwood guide.
• Mar Vista (Sunday, Venice and Grand View boulevards). Produce from farms across the state, plus pasture-raised meats, seafood, juices and prepared food under dining tents, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Mar Vista Farmers Market). See our Mar Vista guide.
• Culver City (Tuesday afternoon, Main Street). A mid-week market downtown with produce and prepared food (Time Out). See our Culver City guide.

Beverly Hills and Central LA

• Beverly Hills (Sunday, Civic Center Drive). Held in the 9300 block of Civic Center Drive from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., with free two-hour parking in the Civic Center garage (City of Beverly Hills). See our Beverly Hills guide.
• Larchmont (Sunday, Larchmont Boulevard). A market in a lot on Larchmont Boulevard, at the village's tree-lined shopping street (Time Out). See our Hancock Park guide.
• Hollywood (Sunday, Ivar and Selma avenues). Running since 1991 and billed as the largest in Los Angeles, with more than 150 farmers, food makers and artisans, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Food Access LA).

Eastside and Downtown

• Silver Lake (Tuesday afternoon and Saturday morning, Sunset Triangle). Just east of Sunset Junction, with produce plus vintage clothing and jewelry stalls (Time Out). See our Silver Lake guide.
• Atwater Village (Sunday, Larga Avenue). A neighborhood market at 3528 Larga Avenue from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Food Access LA), known for fresh sugar cane juice (Time Out). See our Atwater Village guide.
• LA River (Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles State Historic Park). An evening-leaning market in the park near Chinatown, from 3 to 7:30 p.m. (Food Access LA). See our Downtown LA guide.

The Valley and the South Bay

• Studio City (Sunday, Ventura Place). On Ventura Place between Radford Avenue and Laurel Canyon Boulevard, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., with free parking in the Radford studio garage (Studio City Farmers Market). See our Studio City guide.
• Burbank (Saturday, Glenoaks Boulevard and Olive Avenue). A certified market with California produce (Time Out). See our Burbank guide.
• Torrance (Tuesday and Saturday, Wilson Park). At Charles H. Wilson Park from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Discover Torrance), with more than 60 farms (Time Out). See our Torrance guide.

A few tips

• Go early for fruit, late for deals. The best stone fruit and berries tend to go first. Some vendors discount near closing.
• Parking varies a lot. Beverly Hills and Studio City offer garages nearby. Street markets like Brentwood and Larchmont mean side-street parking.
• Bring bags and a cooler in summer. LA's inland heat is real by midday, especially in the Valley.
• Shop the season. The same stall can look completely different from month to month, so it pays to ask what just came in.

If you're getting to know a neighborhood before you buy, a Sunday morning at its market is a nice way to spend a few hours there. If you'd like a list of what's near the areas on your shortlist, just ask.

General information, not advice. Price figures are estimates from public data and may be out of date.