Munching Our Way Through Ballito Farmers Market
Every weekend and public holiday from 8 a.m. till 3 p.m., you can indulge all your senses at an amazing outdoor space filled to the brim with vendors bringing you a shopping and eating experience like no other. Ballito Farmers Market is a vibrant and bustling market with various food vendors for you to choose from, making it the perfect spot for an out-of-this-world food safari, enjoying several meals from various spots. Come along with us on our recent foodie journey!
We started the day off with breakfast, choosing different options from a few vendors. At The Orange Tree, we grabbed their popular Fancy Bacon Roll filled with a fried egg, crispy bacon, caramelised onions, chilli jam and hollandaise mayo – as well as a chicken and mayo jaffle (a round, sealed toasted sandwich) from 3 Gen Jaffles – perfect for an easy breakfast. A must-have is Yoli’s Breakfast Bun, served on a brioche bun and filled with crispy bacon bits, a fried egg, delicious herbed butter and sauce. We grabbed creamy iced coffees from Science of Coffee and feasted on the delicious start to our adventure.
After a much-needed digestive break and some time spent browsing the various stalls offering clothing, toys, beauty products and other goodies, we headed back to eye out what was for lunch. A crispy chicken wrap is always a great go-to and Oak provides to a greater community with their Halaal certification. The most exciting part of any market is finding unique food dishes – enter The Smokin’ Barrel! From a cleverly titled menu, we were intrigued to try their Bangin’ Brisket Burger, slow-cooked pulled beef brisket on a bed of tangy slaw with smoky BBQ sauce, served on a brioche bun. Chef Rum knows exactly how to satisfy vegans and vegetarians with their fresh falafel salads (or you can take it as a wrap) with handmade falafels and artisanal tahini sauce with a drizzle of mild chilli.
Whether you visit the market for breakfast or lunch, you can also find so many spots with great snacks to enjoy while you browse the retail spaces. Offering sweet and savoury bites, A Taste of Portugal will have what you crave. You must try their mouth-watering prawn, chicken, sweet corn or spinach and feta Rissois – these are their top sellers so get them while they are hot! You can also nibble on traditional Portuguese treats, from pasteis de nata and pasteis de coco to farturas (churros), cavacas and so much more.
What’s next to drink? Bubble, bubble, pop!
Ballito Farmers Market has many vendors pouring the most refreshing beverages, but we had to try a Watermelon High from Bobar, a fizzy bubble tea with bursting boba. If you’re not looking for fizz, then the Strawberry and Peach Iced Tea Bubble Tea from Bamboo Bar will quench your thirst.
For something even more unique, there’s Sugarcane Juice Bar. That’s right, sugarcane juice! Fresh sugarcane pressed through a juicer with a few slices of lime to create a drink every sweet tooth will love. For our healthy locals, Vovo’s has you covered. I sipped on a healthy juice to aid my immune system, especially after the day’s food escapade.
If you’re over 18 and want something boozy, The Pumphouse is the place to start. We could not say no to their classic Aperol Spritz and Scarlet G&T to cool down while enjoying the music. You can also be adventurous and try their draughts of local beers and ciders!
Final stop… dessert! We started ‘stark’ (strong) with Bavarian Nut Works and their tantalising vanilla, cinnamon and sugar-roasted glazed nuts. At SpritzU, we indulged in their irresistible Spritzkuchen – soft puffs in their original glaze, cinnamon-dipped, coconut-dusted or coffee-drenched.
You can’t leave without a bag of their old-fashioned, handmade cookies to pair with your morning coffee – you won’t regret it!
Next door, you’ll find a child’s dreams, J’s Temptation, adorned with fun sugar cookies, colourful macarons, baked treats and a classic favourite, pancakes! We had to get their milk tart and banoffee pancakes, and my, oh, my, what a treat! A new edition to the market is Choux Eclairs. From classic chocolate eclairs to their signature flavours, you’re in for a surprise. A must-try is their Paris Brest, an eclair made in honour of the Tour de France in the shape of a wheel. On a hot day, nothing is better than gelato! Grab an irresistible scoop or two from Salt Rock Gelato to hit that sweet spot and dream about a summer day in Italy.
And just like that, we munched our way through Ballito Farmers Market from breakfast and lunch to dessert and everything in between! I hope this inspires you to head down to the market soon and indulge in all their delicious delights.
www.ballitofarmersmarket.co.za
Words by Kai Coates
