Where Napa shops, snacks and lunches: the markets worth your morning.
Napa's market landscape is anchored by two institutions: the Oxbow Public Market, a permanent indoor gourmet food market on the First Street riverfront that opened in 2008, and the Napa Farmers Market, which operates outdoors at the Oxbow on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. The Oxbow is the most concentrated gourmet food market in the North Bay: 20+ vendors under one roof, with Hog Island oysters, Ritual Coffee, Model Bakery, Fieldwork beer and C Casa tacos, all year round. The Farmers Market adds fresh produce, cut flowers, honey, olive oil and seasonal Valley Farm goods from May through October.
Oxbow was conceived by developers at the same time the Napa River was de-concreted and turned back into a walkable natural corridor. The result is a permanent indoor market that functions as the social and culinary centre of downtown Napa, open seven days a week with a rotating mix of permanent vendor stalls. It is the most visited food destination in the city by foot traffic and the best single building to understand what the local food culture is producing.
The Napa Downtown Farmers Market runs Tuesday mornings 08:00-12:30 (May-October) and Saturday mornings year-round at Oxbow Public Market. The Saturday market is the more significant in scale, with valley farms bringing fresh strawberries, tomatoes, stone fruit, greens and honey from Napa Valley growers who also supply the restaurant kitchens on First Street.
Oxbow Public Market is Napa's gourmet food hub with 20+ vendor stalls: Hog Island, Ritual Coffee, Model Bakery, C Casa and Fieldwork Brewing. Open seven days.
Tip: Mon-Thu happy hour at Hog Island (15:00-17:00) gives $1.75 oysters. Arrive at 09:00 for the full Model Bakery selection before the weekend crowds arrive.
The Napa Farmers Market runs Saturdays year-round and Tuesdays May-October at Oxbow, with valley farms selling seasonal produce, honey and olive oil direct.
Tip: Opens at 08:30 on Saturdays. The best produce sells out by 10:00 in summer. Restaurant chefs shop here on Saturday mornings from local farms.
Oxbow Public Market is a permanent indoor gourmet food market at 644 First Street, open seven days a week. Individual vendor hours vary: most open 07:00-09:00 and close 19:00-21:00. It is best visited between 09:00 and 15:00 for the widest range of vendors open simultaneously.
The Napa Downtown Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings year-round at Oxbow Public Market (08:30-13:00), and Tuesday mornings May through October (09:00-13:00) at the same location.
Yes. The Saturday Napa Farmers Market sells direct-from-farm Napa Valley produce, honey, olive oil, and jams. The Model Bakery at Oxbow vacuum-seals its English muffins for travel. Whole Spice and Oxbow Wine Merchant sell shelf-stable valley goods.