For a foodie obsessed with quality, navigating Lincoln Park’s Green City Market—the best and biggest farmers’ market in Chicago, with 60 stands, open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.—can be a challenge. Nicole Pederson, the chef at Evanston’s acclaimed restaurant Found, shares six of her favorites.
Chef Nicole Pederson’s Favorite Farmers
Leslie Cooperband and Wes Jarrell
“Their fresh goat cheese has an unbelievably clean flavor.”
Farm Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery, Champaign Stand West of mulched path
Beth Eccles
“Incredible greens—a lot of varieties of Asian mustard greens. And always the best tomatoes.”
Farm Green Acres Farm, North Judson, Indiana Stand East side of market
Mick Klug
“His fruit is the sweetest, most delicious. I love his peaches, plums, and blackberries.”
Farm Mick Klug Farms, St. Joseph, Michigan Stand Southeast corner
Lloyd Nichols
“Lloyd has these little Turkish eggplants that nobody else grows. They cook down soft.”
Farm Nichols Farm & Orchard, Marengo Stand Just south of info booth
Kathe Roybal and Tracey Vowell
“Their sweet corn is amazing. We get their white corn grits all the time. Fun herbs, too.”
Farm Three Sisters Garden, Kankakee Stand North side near food court
Vicki Westerhoff
“Vicki’s beets are perfect, like shining-golden-stars perfect. She also grows, like, five different colors of carrots.”
Farm Genesis Growers, St. Anne Stand South side of main path
Pederson’s Easy Farmers’ Market Meal
“In my fridge I always have boiled potatoes, so I’ll take those and make a nice little salad. Mint Creek Farm [also at the Green City Market] has nice, tender cuts of lamb, which you can just salt and pepper and it’s ready to go on the grill. Then I roast some beets, hard-boil some eggs, take some goat cheese, and put that on greens. My dressing is usually just red wine vinegar, mustard, fresh thyme, and olive oil, topped off with some Aleppo chili flakes.”
Where to Find Your Favorite Vendors
1. Information
2. Tomato Mountain
3. The Flower Garden
4. Oriana's Oriental Orchard
5. Phoenix Bean
6. Three Sisters Garden
7. Nordic Creamery
8. Zullo’s
9. Matt's Urban Garden
10. Cookies & Carnitas
11. River Valley Ranch
12. Abby's Crepes
13. Burton’s Maplewood
14. Heartland Meats
15. Mint Creek
16. Meadow Haven
17. Jake’s Country Meats
18. Amazing Shrimp
19. Iron Creek Organic
20. Garden Offerings
21. Green Acres
22. River Valley
23. Hillside Orchards
24. The Nomad Food Co.
25. Earth First
26. Quality Organic
27. Potter's Crackers
28. Co-op Hot Sauce
29. Wisconsin Fermentation
30. Underground Meats
31. 1871 Dairy
32. Moss Funnel Farm
33. Growing Home
34. Savory Accents
35. Bennison’s Bakery
36. Prairie Pure Cheese/Gayle's
37. Hoosier Mama Pie Co.
38. Mick Klug Farm
39. Smits Farm
40. Brunkow Cheese
41. Verzenay
42. Seedling
43. Genesis Growers
44. Ellis Family Famrms
45. Bushel and Peck's
46. Prairie Fruits Farm
47. Chicago Honey Co-op
48. Crumb Bakery
49. Ludwig
50. Majestic Nursery
51. Chicago Indoor Garden
52. Marigold Hill
53. Tuscan Hen
54. Nichols Farm
55. Growing Power
56. Leaning Shed Farm
57. Earth and Skye