‘Best Farmers Market’ in the USA? It’s right here in Palm Beach County.
‘Best Farmers Market’ in the USA? It’s here in Palm Beach County
The county’s centerpiece green market just earned the title of best in the country for the second consecutive year. The West Palm Beach GreenMarket, which bustles on the downtown waterfront on Saturday mornings during season, was USA Today’s 2022 Readers’ Choice pick for “Best Farmers Market.” It scored first place on a top-ten list of markets in far-flung cities, including Honolulu, HI, Santa Monica, CA, St. Paul, MN, San Antonio, TX and Ephrata, PA.
The market is no stranger to honors. It was named best in the state by Cooking Light magazine in 2015. Of course, GreenMarket fans require no such distinctions to flock each Saturday to the lively event that brings together vendors, chefs, foodies, locals, tourists and so many waggy pups.
If you’re headed to the market this weekend, here’s a pro tip: go light on breakfast or skip it altogether. There are plenty of good bites to be had at the market and area restaurants just steps away. If you prefer a sit-down brunch, here are my recommendations for must-try spots near the market.
Market details:
Celebrating its 27th season, the market, which operates from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays (except for March 26), runs through April 16 this year.
It’s located on the downtown waterfront commons at the eastern end of Clematis Street.
Free parking is offered until noon in two city-managed garages, one at 400 Banyan Blvd. and the other at 333 Evernia St. If you’d rather sail over, you can dock your boat for free at any of the city’s public docks.
Restaurant openings and happenings
AquaGrille swims into Juno Beach
AquaGrille, a stylish spot by restaurant developer Stephen Asprinio, just made a quiet debut in Juno, transforming the space formerly occupied by The Malted Barley. Asprinio hired the talented chef Peter Bartalini, most recently of Voodoo Bayou, to head the kitchen.
The menu ranges from refined classics, like slow-roasted prime rib French dip au jus with sweet onion jam and horseradish-Granny Smith crema ($24) to creative coastal dishes like Caribbean mussels in tom kha broth with vadouvan curry and lacquered shiitakes ($14), fresh local catch served with crispy coconut fried rice “a la plancha” (market price) and tuna ceviche tostaditos served with seasoned avocado and a tropical shot of “leche de pantera” ($9, $15 for the boozy leche).
The restaurant’s take on steak frites presents butter-finished steaks grilled on a Chitwood Smoke Broiler and served with crispy potatoes and a blue cheese petite salad (market price).
Plant-based diners have options here as well, from a portobello burger frites ($17) to a seared tofu poke tostada ($10) to an ample Thai Cobb salad ($20) to other veggie-loving bites.
As for cocktails, expect an impressive selection of $13 house specialty drinks, many of them inspired by 90s-era cocktails but with scratch-made mixers.
Asprinio, the creative mind behind Jupiter’s 1000 North restaurant and the eateries at Charlie and Joe’s at Love Street, calls AquaGrille his “blood, sweat and tears project,” a restaurant he created from the ground up. His aim, he says, was to build something that was more than a restaurant – an experience.
“People come out for an experience,” he told me. “We want it to be fun.”
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AquaGrille: 14121 U.S. Hwy 1, Juno Beach, 561-355-0438, AquaGrilleJuno.com, open Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m.
Dinner is served at Casa Caña
Opened three weeks ago as a daylight café serving wood-fired bagels and breakfast sandwiches, the Miami-inspired Casa Caña has just added dinner service – and stopped its breakfast service. The café’s dinner menu offers a variety of Latino-leaning dishes like Caribbean sancocho stew ($12), shrimp ceviche ($15), loaded tostones ($15), ropa vieja empanadas ($13) as well as larger plates and vegan options. Plus, there’s a full bar serving a range of cocktails, wine and beer. Lunch service and weekend brunch are planned for sometime soon, says a restaurant rep.
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Casa Caña: 377 Tequesta Dr., in the Gallery Square North Plaza, Tequesta, 561-250-6350, CasaCana.co; serving dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m., plus happy hour daily from 4 to 6 p.m.
Before I sign off this week, I’d like to invite you to follow The Post’s food-and-dining page on Facebook @PostonFood. If you’re on Instagram, check out my food (and puppy) obsessions @silkpalm. And if you found this note on a browser and wish to subscribe to my full, free weekly newsletter, you can do that here.
Have a delicious weekend!
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Newsletter: ‘Best Farmers Market’ in USA? It’s in Palm Beach County.
