We love our farmers markets, including those that are open year ‘round with a variety of food, wine and other vendors.
Those include the Stockton Market in Stockton, N.J., the Newtown Farmers Market in Newtown, Wrightstown Farmers Market which has winter and summer locations, and the Stangl Factory Market in Flemington, N.J.
Add to that list the Easton Public Market, located in a circa 1800s building just a few blocks from Route 611 in Easton.
Vacant for eight years, the sprawling building was brought back to life by the nonprofit Greater Easton Development Partnership as an extension of the popular Easton Farmers Market, which has the distinction of being the longest-operating outdoor farm market in the United States.
But the market is much more than the farmers market, which is open outdoors on Saturdays during warm-weather months and on alternate Saturdays during the winter.
Designed for a balance of restaurant and grocery vendors, it has become a popular dining destination with six restaurants, a bakeshop, chocolate shop, coffee roaster, wine shop, butcher and craft distiller.
Mr. Lee’s Noodles is among the market’s most popular restaurants. An offspring of the James Beard-nominated Bolete restaurant in Bethlehem, it offers a menu of hot and cold noodle dishes.
A local favorite, More Than Q Barbecue in Lambertville, N.J., has had a stand at the Easton market since it opened in 2016, selling Texas- and Southern-style smoked meats and side dishes.
More Than Q owner Matt Martin recently opened a second restaurant in the Easton market, Taylor Taco Shop, offering customized tacos with a variety of fillings and flavorings.
Full of Crepe serves a variety of sweet and savory crepes, while Scratch sells beer, bread, pizza, Bavarian pretzels and sourdough and using many ingredients grown or made at a local farm.
Soon to come will be Silvershell, a New England-style clam bar from the owners of Bolete and Mr. Lee’s Noodles. It will serve chowder, lobster rolls and fried clams, to name a few dishes.
One of the objectives of the market is to support local farms, and much of the foods for sale are made using them. Customers also can purchase produce as well as ready-to-eat soups at the Farmhouse stand.
The Easton market is easily accessible for those living in Upper Bucks or New Jersey, as well as those from Central Bucks who are making a trip to the Crayola Factory, located a half block away. It’s also not far from the Sands Casino in Bethlehem or Coca-Cola Park in Allentown.
