What farmers markets are open in San Diego each day of the week?

5 min read Checked November 3, 2026 Report a correction

San Diego County has certified farmers markets six days a week, and Monday has just one, Welk Resorts in Escondido. Sunday has 10 markets, including Hillcrest (9 a.m.-2 p.m.) and La Jolla (9 a.m.-1 p.m.), and Saturday has 9 running plus one 'coming soon', led by the Little Italy Mercato (8 a.m.-2 p.m.). That's from the County of San Diego's official certified market list dated August 17, 2026. Weekday staples are Pacific Beach and Coronado on Tuesday, Ocean Beach on Wednesday evening, and North Park on Thursday afternoon.

Busiest days: Sat and Sun
Biggest claims: Little Italy (Sat), Hillcrest (Sun)
Only Monday market: Welk Resorts, Escondido
EBT accepted: North Park (Thu)

The short version

The County's August 17, 2026 list shows 10 certified markets on Sunday, 10 Saturday listings (one 'coming soon') and only 1 on Monday (Welk Resorts, Escondido).
Little Italy Mercato (Saturday) and Hillcrest (Sunday) both call themselves the county's largest market on their own sites.
Hillcrest has 175+ vendors but does not take EBT; North Park's Thursday market takes EBT and Market Match (market sites).
La Jolla's Sunday market gives all proceeds to La Jolla Elementary School, per its site.
Winter hours started in November: several weekday markets now close at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. (County list).

Our schedule comes from the County of San Diego's list of certified farmers markets by day (Agriculture, Weights & Measures, dated August 17, 2026). A 'certified' market is one where farmers sell produce they grew themselves. We then checked the bigger markets' own websites for what they're known for. Hours below are the November winter hours where a market changes by season. Markets do change sites and hours, so check the market's own page the morning you go. For more weekend ideas, see free things to do in San Diego.

Which San Diego farmers markets are open each day?

Certified farmers markets by day (winter hours)

Day	Markets in the City of San Diego and close-in	Elsewhere in the county
Sunday	Hillcrest 9-2; La Jolla 9-1; Broadway Pier downtown 10-2; Carmel Valley (Torrey Pines HS) 10-1; San Carlos last Sunday 11-2	Chula Vista 10-2; Leucadia 10-2; Rancho Santa Fe 9:30-2; Solana Beach 12-4; Santa Ysabel 10-6
Monday	None	Welk Resorts, Escondido 3-7
Tuesday	Pacific Beach 2-7; Mira Mesa 2:30-6	Coronado 2:30-6; Escondido 2:30-6; Otay Ranch 4-8
Wednesday	Little Italy Mercato 9:30-1:30; Ocean Beach 4-8	Carlsbad State St 2:30-6; Santee 2:30-6:30
Thursday	North Park 3-7:30; Linda Vista 2-7; Scripps Ranch 3:30-7:30	Oceanside 9-1; Ramona 3-6:30; Lakeside 2-6
Friday	Rancho Penasquitos 4-7; Bernardo Winery 9-1	La Mesa Village 3-7; Grossmont (every other week) 9-2; San Marcos 4-8; Borrego Springs 8-12 (Nov-Apr)
Saturday	Little Italy Mercato 8-2; Mission Valley 9-1	Vista 8-12; Poway 8-1; Del Mar 12-4; Cardiff 10-2; Fallbrook 9-1; Backroads, El Cajon 9-1; Santa Ysabel 10-6

Sunday
Markets in the City of San Diego and close-in
Hillcrest 9-2; La Jolla 9-1; Broadway Pier downtown 10-2; Carmel Valley (Torrey Pines HS) 10-1; San Carlos last Sunday 11-2
Elsewhere in the county
Chula Vista 10-2; Leucadia 10-2; Rancho Santa Fe 9:30-2; Solana Beach 12-4; Santa Ysabel 10-6
Monday
Markets in the City of San Diego and close-in
None
Elsewhere in the county
Welk Resorts, Escondido 3-7
Tuesday
Markets in the City of San Diego and close-in
Pacific Beach 2-7; Mira Mesa 2:30-6
Elsewhere in the county
Coronado 2:30-6; Escondido 2:30-6; Otay Ranch 4-8
Wednesday
Markets in the City of San Diego and close-in
Little Italy Mercato 9:30-1:30; Ocean Beach 4-8
Elsewhere in the county
Carlsbad State St 2:30-6; Santee 2:30-6:30
Thursday
Markets in the City of San Diego and close-in
North Park 3-7:30; Linda Vista 2-7; Scripps Ranch 3:30-7:30
Elsewhere in the county
Oceanside 9-1; Ramona 3-6:30; Lakeside 2-6
Friday
Markets in the City of San Diego and close-in
Rancho Penasquitos 4-7; Bernardo Winery 9-1
Elsewhere in the county
La Mesa Village 3-7; Grossmont (every other week) 9-2; San Marcos 4-8; Borrego Springs 8-12 (Nov-Apr)
Saturday
Markets in the City of San Diego and close-in
Little Italy Mercato 8-2; Mission Valley 9-1
Elsewhere in the county
Vista 8-12; Poway 8-1; Del Mar 12-4; Cardiff 10-2; Fallbrook 9-1; Backroads, El Cajon 9-1; Santa Ysabel 10-6

Source: County of San Diego AWM, 'CFM List by Day', dated Aug 17, 2026; checked Nov 3, 2026. Marina District (Fri) and City Heights (Sat) were listed as 'coming soon.'

Crates of fresh vegetables and fruit at a farmers market stall — Weekends have the most choice: 19 certified markets running across Saturday and Sunday on the County's August 2026 list.
Photo: Shelley Pauls / Unsplash

Which is the biggest farmers market in San Diego?

Two markets claim the title on their own websites. The Little Italy Mercato says its Saturday market is the county's largest, stretching six blocks of West Date Street from Kettner Blvd to Front St. Its Wednesday market covers three blocks. The Hillcrest Farmers Market calls itself San Diego's original and largest, with 175+ vendors every Sunday, rain or shine and on holidays. Hillcrest has more international hot food. The Mercato's Saturday market leans toward farm produce, pastured eggs, meat and fish, with artisans at each end.

The two big weekend markets

	Little Italy Mercato (Sat)	Hillcrest (Sun)
Hours	8 a.m.-2 p.m., year-round	9 a.m.-2 p.m., year-round
Where	W. Date St, Kettner Blvd to Front St	University Ave between Herbert St and Park Blvd (moved from Normal St in Jan 2025)
Size	Six city blocks	175+ vendors
Known for	Produce, eggs, meat, fish, bread, olive oil	Produce plus international hot food and live music
EBT	Not stated on its page	No EBT; some farms take WIC market checks

Little Italy Mercato (Sat)
Hours
8 a.m.-2 p.m., year-round
Where
W. Date St, Kettner Blvd to Front St
Size
Six city blocks
Known for
Produce, eggs, meat, fish, bread, olive oil
EBT
Not stated on its page
Hillcrest (Sun)
Hours
9 a.m.-2 p.m., year-round
Where
University Ave between Herbert St and Park Blvd (moved from Normal St in Jan 2025)
Size
175+ vendors
Known for
Produce plus international hot food and live music
EBT
No EBT; some farms take WIC market checks

Which San Diego farmers markets take EBT/CalFresh?

Check before you go, because policies differ. North Park's Thursday market says it accepts EBT and takes part in Market Match, which adds extra money for produce. Hillcrest says it does not take EBT, though four of its farms (Smit Farms, Valley Center Growers, Ken's Top Notch and Heritage Family Farms) accept WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks.

Baskets of strawberries for sale at a farmers market — North Park's Thursday market accepts EBT; Hillcrest's Sunday market does not.
Photo: Vincent Balderas / Unsplash

What are the other San Diego farmers markets known for?

La Jolla Open Aire Market (Sun, 9-1): 120+ vendors on Girard Ave at Genter St. All proceeds go to La Jolla Elementary School. It started in 1998 with 14 farmers.
North Park (Thu, 3-7:30): on North Park Way between Ray St and Granada Ave, behind the North Park Theatre. Organic produce and hot food, plus a loyalty card: $5 in market tokens for every 10 visits and 20 vendors.
Vista (Sat, 8-noon): says it is the county's longest-running farmers market (since 1981) and the most plastic-free in the US. It lists 50+ farmers and hot food from 14 countries. Its site gives 345 S Melrose Dr, while the County list gives 355.
Ocean Beach (Wed, 4-8 p.m.): on Newport Ave between Cable and Bacon St, one of the few evening markets in the city (County list).
Broadway Pier (Sun, 10-2 in winter): downtown on the waterfront at 900 W Broadway, with 9-1 hours from April to October (County list).

Is this still right?

We last checked this tip against its sources on November 3, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.

Nature runs on its own schedule: seasons shift with the weather and the ocean, so treat the timing here as typical, not guaranteed.

This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.

KEEP READING

Farmers market guideEdible San Diego · Checked November 3, 2026

SOURCES

Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.

PrimaryCertified Farmers' Markets list by day
County of San Diego, Agriculture, Weights & Measures · August 17, 2026
Every market's day, hours and address
PrimaryLittle Italy Mercato
Little Italy Association · Checked November 3, 2026
Hours, six blocks, 'largest' claim
PrimaryHillcrest Farmers Market
Hillcrest Farmers Market · Checked November 3, 2026
175+ vendors, no EBT, WIC farms, location move
PrimaryLa Jolla Open Aire Market
La Jolla Open Aire Market · Checked November 3, 2026
120+ vendors, school proceeds, history
PrimaryNorth Park Thursday Market
North Park Farmers Market · Updated March 25, 2026
Hours, EBT, Market Match, loyalty card
PrimaryVista Farmers Market
Vista Farmers Market · Checked November 3, 2026
Since 1981, vendor counts; site partly dated

Coming up where this tip helps

Calendar

Markets

Rancho Peñasquitos Farmers Market

Nov 6 – Dec 18 · 3:30pm

Radiant Life Church · Rancho Bernardo & Poway

A weekly community market featuring local vendors. Ideal for neighbors looking to pick up fresh produce or goods.

2 tips for going

Food & drinkGood for kidsDate night

La Mesa Village Farmers Market

Nov 6 – Dec 18 · 3pm

La Mesa Blvd between Palm Ave. and 4th St.

A recurring weekly market on La Mesa Boulevard featuring local produce and goods. It is a suitable destination for families and couples.

2 tips for going

MarketsGood for kidsDogs welcome

Little Italy Mercato

Nov 7 – Dec 19 · 8am

Piazza della Famiglia · Little Italy

This farmers market features local produce, artisanal food products, and crafts from various regional vendors.

3 tips for going