Who doesn’t love a good market? There’s nothing quite like waking up early and heading out for a rummage through someone else’s trash which is waiting patiently to become your treasure, or picking up the freshest, quality ingredients from a local farmer. We’ve put together a list of 14 of the best markets in Adelaide, from weekly hives and monthly affairs to seasonal marketplaces too – to make your moseying and browsing decision a little easier. Whether you’re on the hunt for fresh produce, secondhand treasures, or antiquated gems, there’s a market in Adelaide fit for your needs – take a look!
1. Stirling Market, Stirling
Once a month – usually in the latter half – from 10am until 4pm, head into the Adelaide Hills for the Stirling Market. Mosey around the local artisan’s stalls that line the street and find everything from dried fruit, fashion, plants, ceramics, olive oil, jewellery, and crafts, while listening to live music and breathing in that fresh hills’ air. There’s always heaps of tasty food to enjoy too, not to mention that Stirling is a summery hotspot, a vibrant autumn affair, a cosy winterscape, and a wonderous spring setting too.
Where: Druid Ave, Stirling
2. Gathered Design Market, Adelaide
Gathered Design Market comes about seasonally between 10am and 4pm at the Torrens Parade Ground in the city. The marketplace boasts a carefully selected range of local makers and designers. Think: clothing, homewares, art, jewellery, bags, candles, ceramics, skincare, and cosmetics, to name a few. And what’s a wander around a market without a spot of brunch and lunch? Savouries and sweets are always on hand, as well as gin, juice and of course, coffee for that morning hit of energy.
Where: Torrens Parade Ground, Adelaide
From the same team behind the seasonal Gathered Market, Adelaide’s latest browsing destination is Market In The Mall, a monthly Sunday marketplace from 9am to 5pm underneath the Gawler Place Canopy in Rundle Mall. The brand-new market boasts similar goods to the seasonal Gathered Market – a carefully selected range of local makers and designers which includes clothing, homewares, art, jewellery, bags, candles, ceramics, skincare, and cosmetics, to name a few. Brunch and lunch is up for grabs too with gozleme, stuffed arepas, and donuts on the cards, as well as wine, gin and juices.
Where: Gawler Place Canopy, Rundle Mall
3. Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market, Wayville
The super pleasant Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market is held every Sunday throughout the month from 8:30am until 12pm. Here, you can find the best seasonal produce and market goodies from local stallholders. It’s a foodies’ heaven and a mighty fine way to start the day, rain or shine! As well as the farm fresh fruits and vegetables, local cooks offer their homemade fare so you can warm your soul from the inside out.
Where: Rose Terrace, Wayville, Adelaide Showground
4. Gilles At The Grounds, Wayville
Once a month from a crisp 9am until 3pm, Gilles At The Grounds enlivens the historic Brick Dairy at the Wayville Showgrounds. There are over 100 market stalls for all your browsing needs from vintage clothes to retro homewares and eco products,as well as delicious foods like plant-based lamb yiros and delicate cupcakes, plus live music by local musicians. Your dog is so welcome too.
Where: Brick Dairy, South Boulevard, Adelaide Showground (entry via Leader Street entrance)
5. Adelaide Central Market, Adelaide
Debatably Adelaide’s biggest and best, the Adelaide Central Market is world-class and comes with no shortage of dang good food. Having opened its doors in 1869, the gourmet grounds houses over 80 stalls making it one of the largest, undercover fresh produce markets in the Southern Hemisphere. Along the vibrant indoor laneways, you’ll come across plenty of local produce, flowers, health shops, patisseries and bakeries, continental meats, artisan cheeses, and more. Plus, a multicultural selection of eateries old and new, as well as bars, cooking demonstrations, and live music.
Market tours and culturally significant days like Bastille Day are also celebrated in style at the Adelaide Central Market. You can even enjoy a coffee from an edible cup, and indulge in treats from a dedicated Turkish delight shop.
Where: 44-60 Gouger St, Adelaide
6. Brighton Sunday Market, Brighton
Held on every second and fourth Sunday of the month, Brighton Secondary School is the place to be for the Brighton Sunday Market. This particular market is one of South Australia’s biggest open-air markets where you can find fresh produce, food stalls, snack bars, local arts and crafts, antiques, collectables, and secondhand gems in all forms of the word. All funds raised by the non-for-profit market go towards supporting students during their musical studies – how good!
Where: 305 Brighton Rd, North Brighton
7. Brompton Community Market, Brompton
New on the Adelaide markets scene, the Brompton Community Market is all about supporting small and local businesses. Whilst on the smaller side of things, the indoor market slings everything from pet accessories as well as fashion of the human variety, face-painting, handmade works of art, jewellery, and gemstones, amongst a few of the stallholders. Artisans also offer up their foodie creations too with the likes of dried fruits, cannoli, and even a range of vegan baked goods too. Stallholders vary from each market date, which appear to occur every six weeks or so.
Where: 15 Wood Avenue, Brompton
8. Old Spot Farmers Market Direct, Salisbury Heights
It’s all the name, ‘farm’ and ‘direct’ – in other words, fresh produce from the farm direct to your plate. The Old Spot Farmers Market Direct in Salisbury Heights kick it old-school, and sometimes that’s all you need for a pleasant, bare bones morning. Grab some top-notch ingredients as well as delicious homemade cakes, honeys and jams, fresh oysters, and even handmade bath bombs and natural skin remedies. Frequenters of the Old Spot Markets is Bonnie’s Vegan Van with their plant-based Chinese fare which is highly recommended by the herbivorous and omnivorous alike. Keep an eye out for Farmhouse Bakery too!
Held in the gumtree-lined carpark of the Old Spot Hotel, you can have a gander around followed by a pub feed all whilst warming up in the olde worlde venue on those cooler days, or simply take a stroll along the Little Para River. It all goes down between 8am and 1pm every Saturday.
Where: Old Spot Hotel, 1955 Main North Rd, Salisbury Heights
9. The Original Open Market, Christies Beach
With beginnings in 1982, The Original Open Market in Christies Beach is a favourite amongst the locals. It’s a KISS (keep it simple stupid) kind of market – people’s cars and fold-out tables are what make up the marketplace, with a capacity of 100 ‘stalls’. At this particular flea market you’ll find secondhand goods and clothes, home-grown fresh fruit and vegetables, plants, homemade jewellery, crafts, antiques, collectables, bric-a-brac, and plenty more. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure – that’s The Original Open Market’s vibe – and you can get in on the action on the first and third Sunday of every month from 9am until 2pm.
Where: 121 Beach Rd, Christies Beach
10. Markets in Prospect, Prospect
The suburb of Prospect just north of Adelaide is rather community-driven, and wholesome vibes are exuded all around. This means that a number of different markets are hosted in the neighbourhood and are a highlight when visiting the locale. Although there’s no specific market to make mention of, the Markets In Prospect Instagram page rounds them all up for your discovering needs. There’s the Prospect Rummage Market, Christmas and Christmas In July Market, seasonal markets, and the Prospect Road Autumn Fair, to name a few! You just have to be in the know to catch these intermittent markets around Prospect.
Where: Various locations, Prospect
11. Ebenezer Night Markets, Adelaide
Jot this one down in your diary for those summer nights, this seasonal market is abuzz no doubt. The Ebenezer Night Markets max-out Ebenezer Place and Vardon Avenue in Adelaide’s East End for an al fresco affair where local artisans sling their goods, surrounded by wine bars and pubs of the laneway. Tables and chairs spill onto the street, Euro-style, so you can enjoy a beer on the bitumen, nibble into a cupcake, pop a new pair of earrings on, buy a candle for your bestie, and soak up the summery, nighttime ambiance.
Where: Ebenezer Pl, Adelaide
12. Torrens Island Market, Port Adelaide
This one goes out to the early rises – from a day-breaking 6am until 1pm every Sunday, the Torrens Island Market marquees are pitched along the Port Adelaide waterfront. Here, you’ll find super cheap fruits and veggies, and the freshest of seafood straight from the local fishers of Port Adelaide. The Torrens Island Market is no frills – it’s down to earth and it’s all about quality ingredients.
Where: 31 Moorhouse Rd, Port Adelaide
13. Magill Sunrise Market, Paradise
Every second Sunday of the month between 9am and 2pm, around 35 stallholders come together at the Campbelltown Memorial Oval for the Magill Sunrise Markets. Both indoor and outdoor stalls offer up a variety of all sorts, from crafts to wattleseed sourdough loafs, and homemade hot food to nourish your tum. Regulars at the Magill Sunrise Market include What The Croque with their homey egg and bacon sandwiches, and what are said to be ‘legendary’ zucchini fritters from Robyn’s. And for a mere $7 you can get a breakfast plate loaded with sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, cheesy fritters, and onions – perhaps the cheapest breakfast in Adelaide!
Where: Campbelltown Memorial Oval, Paradise
14. Christmas Markets
There’s just something about a good old-fashioned Christmas market that gets you right into that Chrissy spirit. And if you’re into the festivities that complement the silly season, then Christmas markets are the place to be for the whole joyous kit and kaboodle. We’ve put together a list of eleven poppin’ Christmas markets; from smaller community markets to traditional German marketplaces in the Adelaide Hills that might just be up your alley. Check out our full guide here.