Sydney's best market feeds

Stocking up the fridge, pantry and wardrobe used to be the main reasons for a visit to the markets, but these easy-going pop-up shopping havens also make a brilliant spot to stop for brekkie, lunch or dinner. Here are a few of our favourite Sydney markets to graze through.

Marrickville Market - produce, gourmet goodies

This sprawling, mainly outdoor market is perfect for picnicking. The temptations start right at the front gate where Waroo sell their spit roast lamb and gravy rolls and the cute Serendipity ice-cream truck is parked. Long-time favourite Fritter House does a swift trade in corn fritters with a variety of toppings, while Eat Fuh serves up soul-restoring beef pho and Brooklyn Boy Bagels tempt with authentically boiled-then-baked rolls and schmears.

Sunday 8.30am-3pm, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville, organicfoodmarkets.com.au

Hawkesbury Harvest Farmers' and Fine Food Market - regional produce

An epic queue for bacon and egg rolls is a familiar Sydney market sight, and this twice-monthly market is no exception with the stall in question simply called 'Famous Bacon & Eggs'. Our advice? Get in early. The Vietnamese beef noodle soup stall, Eat Fuh, also works this market, along with Golden Pig & Co, specialising in gluten-free potstickers (dumplings). Plenty of spoils for home from the Hawkesbury region, too.

The 2nd and 4th Saturday monthly, 8am–noon, Showground Road, Castle Hill, hawkesburyharvest.com.au/markets/

Glebe Markets - clothing, jewellery, gifts

Something of a Sydney institution, Glebe's market is dominated by wearables, but there's also a solid line-up of food stalls. Eatabella serves up spring rolls plus banh mi and vermicelli salads topped with charcoal barbecued meals. There's also The Fancy Banger for grilled snags - Moroccan lamb merguez included, served with caramelised onion, preserved lemon and mint yoghurt on a ciabatta-like roll, raw and paleo cakes from 80/20, and liquid nitrogen-set ice-cream at Leiden Frost.

Saturdays 10am-4pm, Glebe Public School, Corner Derby Place and Glebe Point Road, Glebe, glebemarkets.com.au

Chatswood Mall Market - fresh produce, jewellery, plants

Located in the pedestrian mall alongside Westfield Shopping Centre, this is the market you shop at when you're all shopped out. Refuel on Bao Dao Taiwanese Kitchen's famous gwa bao - steamed buns filled with braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, coriander and crushed peanut - and a mix of burn-your-tongue-hot takoyaki straight off the dimpled hot plates at Colo Tako. There's also chorizo rolls from Mojon Picon and more.

Thursdays and Fridays, 11am-9pm, Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, willoughby.nsw.gov.au

Bondi Farmers' Market - fruit, vegetables and ready to eat food

Bondi's sun, sand and surf are enough to draw us in - and the market food offerings are a cherry on top. Get sandwiches at Ruby & Rach, corn fritters at another Fritter House outpost, a mushroom-y brekkie burger at Sammy & Bella's Burger Bar, a chilled out chai from the Chai Tent, and don't miss the fresh and flavourful Hawaiian-style sushi at Poke. Aloha, Bondi!

Alternating Saturdays, 9am-1pm, Bondi Beach Public School, Campbell Parade, Bondi, bondimarkets.com.au/farmers

The Sydney Morning Herald Growers' Market - fresh produce, meat and gourmet products

Don't take its close proximity to a casino as a sign this monthly waterside market is anything but a safe bet. Top picks include the reuben sandwich from Ruby & Rach, a red leaf lamb roll from a stall by two-hat Bowral restaurant Biota Dining, and spit-roasted meats from Feather & Bone. Add a lemon drizzle cake or lamington from Flour & Stone to end on a sweet note. Catch the cooking demonstration on the Market Chef Stage, too. The Pyrmont Growers Market is run by Fairfax Media, publisher of this website.

First Saturday of the month, 7am-11am, Pyrmont Bay Park, Pirrama Road, Pyrmont, growersmarketpyrmont.com.au

The Beaches Market - fresh produce including organic

There's something for everyone at this big northern beaches market - from a petting zoo to a smorgasbord of eats: try the gluten-free potsticker dumplings at Golden Pig & Co's, real-deal Cornish pasties from the Dick Plumb Cornish Pasties stall, and real-deal Brooklyn Boy Bagels, too.

On a health kick? Try quinoa porridge from Seed by Shen & I, or Potion by Mim's cold-pressed juices and green chia smoothies.

Friday, 8am-1pm, Pittwater Rugby Park, 1472 Pittwater Road, Warriewood, facebook.com/thebeachesmarket

Liverpool Night Markets - food, entertainment and gifts

A newer addition to Sydney's market scene, this night market's global food offerings include Jamaican food at Mamma's Jerk Chicken stall, Argentinian barbecue by Parrilla Argenchino Catering and STARTTS Community Kitchen - a social enterprise that showcases the authentic homeland cuisine and skills of newly settled residents in the area. Check online for details on the one-hour local food tours running at the December 6 market.

First Saturday of the month, 4pm to 9.30pm, Macquarie Street, Liverpool, liverpool.nsw.gov.au

Eveleigh Farmers' Markets - fresh produce, dairy, sweet treats

Set undercover in the historic Blacksmith's Workshop at Carriageworks, Eveleigh Markets has about 70 stalls including dozens of stellar food stalls. There's Vietnamese noodle soup at Bar Pho, hot off the barbecue snags from Eumundi Smokehouse, seaweed-spiked brekkie plates at Phyco Food Co, and from chef Alex Herbert's Bird Cow Fish stall, indulgent sweet treats and hot brekkies such as the 'crooked madam' - a toasted sourdough sandwich with ham, gruyere, fried egg, barbecue sauce and Dijon mustard. (Note: Kylie Kwong's stall is on hiatus while the chef focuses on her new restaurant).

Saturdays, 8am-1pm, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh, eveleighmarket.com.au

Chinatown Markets - food, clothing, accessories

The bustle factor of Chinatown increases tenfold with these weekly markets where the highlight is the food stalls - from the famous Mamak's Malaysian roti and satay, to Colo Tako's moreish takoyaki (creamy octopus balls), and on to Mr Bao's Bun stall for Taiwanese steamed buns with crisp tofu, panko prawns, pork belly or karaage chicken. And don't miss Dragon Beard Candy - coconut, peanut and sesame cocooned in strands of spun corn syrup.

Friday, 4-11pm, Dixon Street, Haymarket, chinatownmarkets.com.au

ALSO TRY...

Ramsgate Organic Foodies Market, Ramsgate Public School, Saturdays, 8am-2pm, organicfoodiesmarket.com.au: Try Chilean street food from Pochito, corn fritters from Fritter House, pho at Eat Fuh, Stevensons pies.

Blacktown Markets at Blacktown Drive-In Theatre, Prospect, Sundays, 7am-2pm, blacktownmarkets.com: Try The Hangi Waka's Maori food, Master Sticks for Malaysian satay and Xinjiang lamb skewers.

Orange Grove Market, Lilyfield, Saturdays, 8am-1pm, organicfoodmarkets.com.au: Try Bowens' legendary, queue-worthy bacon and egg rolls, plus lots of great baked goods.

Parramatta Farmers Market, Centenary Square, Fridays, 7.30am-2pm, parracity.nsw.gov.au: Seasonal Inspired Table by Courtney's Brasserie (a stalwart Good Food Guide featured local restaurant) does an awesome sticky apple cake with an orchard's-worth of fruit in it.

EQ Village Markets, Moore Park, Wednesdays and Saturdays, early-3pm eqmoorepark.com.au/EQ-Village-Markets: Try Taste of Ethiopia's spicy beef key wot, Brooklyn Boy Bagels, Eat Falafel's made-to-order falafel rolls.

North Sydney Market on Miller (2nd Saturday of the month, 9am-3pm) & Northside Produce Market (3rd Saturday of the month, 8am-noon), Civic Park, North Sydney, northsydneycentre.com.au/markets: Try Pardon My French's toasted sandwich with aged pork loin, vintage cheddar and béchamel, Eat Fuh's pho.