Fall brings apple cider and pumpkins to West Side Market.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, West Side Market opened in 1912, dazzling visitors with its lofty ceiling of yellow brick, a wide concourse arrangement that houses over 100 vendors, and a 137-foot clock tower that dominates the area around it.
Since 1912, West Side Market has housed vendors of fresh foods and produce in an architectural gem of a building.
It’s estimated that over one million people visited West Side Market last year. We’re thrilled to be counted among the guests this year as the whole marked amazed us with colorful produce, unusual offerings, and artful displays.
Up first — fruits and veggies. (And if you don’t know passion fruit from figs, someone will patiently explain all. We know because we asked a lot of questions.)
Inside the main hall, the variety is endless. From bacon with flavorings you’ve never heard of to links and sticks of sausages. And yes, even chicken feet.
And Bert’s favorite, though, had to be this packed-with-goodness apple provolone stuffed tenderloin!
Stuffed tenderloin bundled and ready to take home.
Baked breads were ready to purchase whole or sliced as were several varieties of fresh, homemade pasta.
And what could be wrong with a bagel topped like a pizza? Nothing we could find.
From the Pizza Bagel Lady’s booth: yum!
Sweets like French macarons had delectable names like Salted Caramel, Red Velvet Cake, Pistachio, and Dreamy Mango.
Cookies were big: you could hardly get your hand around them!
How many calories?
Pretzel sticks lay in waiting, covered in chocolate and nuts, drizzled with icing. To die for.
At last: a snack you can eat while walking!
But I really wanted to try something I had never tasted: a perogi.
Perogies ready to take home — but where could I find one cooked?
It was easy to find ready-to-cook perogies, but not the ones ready to eat. When I asked the perogi vendor where I could taste one, she suggested that we have breakfast in West Side Market Cafe, the restaurant in the back. Which we did. Immediately.
West Side Market Cafe in Cleveland, Ohio
After ordering a plate of corned beef hash with an over-medium fried egg and crispy toast, I felt a little sheepish asking for a perogi on the side. But how else could I taste one? The waitress brought out two freshly cooked perogies so we could both try one.
On a diner plate (what else?) was piled-high corned beef hash at West Side Market Cafe
One bite of a hot perogi — a tasty bit of fried dough wrapped around creamy potatoes — and I knew I could live in an area that served this on a regular basis. Carb heaven, perhaps. But soooo good.
A perogi on the side!!!
If you live in the neighborhood, don’t take West Side Market for granted.
And if you’re a visitor, start your day here. Just be sure to bring along a cooler. You’ll want to take something — or a lot of things — home for later!
Historic West Side Market filled with edible treasures!
Do you have a favorite market you like to visit? If so, we’d love to hear where.
Other markets we love:
Decatur Farmers’ Market in Alabama
Red Stick Farmers Market in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Capital City Public Market in Boise, Idaho
For more information:
West Side Market, 1979 West 25th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113; westsidemarket.org
Open Year-round: Mondays and Wednesdays, 7 to 4; Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 6; Sundays, 10 to 4; Closed Tuesdays and Thursdays.