Small Bites: A hater’s guide to the Dane County Farmers’ Market

Or, practical guidance for the radish lover navigating Madison’s largest weekly social event.

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“Small Bites” is a column about exploring the broader world of food and drink in Madison through approachable and specific experiences.

During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, when promoting the upcoming Wisconsin season of Top Chef, lead judge and executive producer Tom Colicchio mentioned that the Dane County Farmers’ Market is one of the best farmers’ markets in the world. He then brought up that market-goers will chide you if you don’t follow the counterclockwise flow of traffic. The Dane County Farmers’ Market has incredible produce, but let’s face it—the whole “everyone walks in a constant revolving pattern in one direction” isn’t the best way to foster the actual purchasing of said produce. See some fresh spring peas you want to snag? Good luck moving horizontally to the booth before the current drags you further along. 

Look, I get it: here in Madison, we love to be outdoors and celebrate local excellence; and, more than anything, we love social ritual. The Farmers’ Market satisfies all three of those criteria extremely efficiently. But sometimes I just want a lovely bundle of fresh radishes. Maybe some ramps. I don’t besmirch anyone for planning a Saturday morning outing for their friend group to walk the Square. Snagging some empanadas for an impromptu picnic under the shade of the Capitol building is truly a delight. It’s just also an impediment for the savvy shoppers out there who are on the lookout for green garlic to round out their stir-fry dinner plans. 

Don’t get me wrong: I love the Dane County Farmers’ Market. But for those weeks in which you just can’t handle being swept into a churning mass in line for cheesy bread when you were hoping to find zucchini, I have built out a five-part game plan:

Take your bike, take it slow, take a break

What’s the rush? Parking at the Dane County Farmers’ Market is always a hassle, costs money, and requires a few blocks worth of walking, anyway. If you live close enough to the Square, consider jumping on your bike. For one, your limited carrying capacity prevents you from overbuying produce that’s doomed to wilt in the fridge before you get around to roasting it. Secondly, bike travel is one of the best ways to meander through the city. As an east-sider, I love to pop by Cafe Domestique for an espresso and then grab a treat from Batch Bakehouse. I usually stop by B.B. Clarke Beach Park and watch the bass boats float by while eating my morning bun in the shade of the grassy hill. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of purple asparagus at the stalls—take some time to enjoy the nice weather and Madison’s extensive network of public parks. 

Take a detour

Another boon to biking into town is Madison’s system of bike paths. Did you know it’s easier for me to bike to the Henry Vilas Zoo than it is to drive? The lakefront paths that wind around Monona Bay skip the worst of the city’s downtown traffic congestion, and with limited parking spaces, the Henry Vilas Zoo can be tricky to navigate. Sure, the Zoo has had a recent history of controversy, but it also has a new red panda, and that little thing is so stinkin’ cute. With the Market drawing a big crowd, the Zoo is less crowded on Saturday mornings, giving you a chance to watch the polar bears swim laps without needing to fight your way up to the glass. And hey, if you’re at the zoo, you’re already on the west side. Maybe you should go check to see if Strictly Discs still has that Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane original pressing of The Elements. I mean, $100 is too steep for your vinyl budget, but it’s a rare find and in great condition. Maybe just stop in and take a peek one more time. If it’s gone, it’s gone. Wait? It’s gone? Truly? Oh. Well, that’s probably for the best—time to mosey on to the Square, finally. 

Take a lunch break

The key to avoiding the toughest crowds at the Market is to show up late. More conventional guides tell you to go early. But most people who have the intention of showing up early arrive around 9:30 a.m., and the people who think they’re going to avoid the crowds by showing up later realistically land on the Square around 10:00 a.m. Popping by around noon means that most booths are still going strong, but crowds have started to wander off toward brunch. Stay savvy, avoid sit-down establishments, and grab an arepa instead. The pabellón arepa from Caracas Arepas is one of life’s true pleasures. If you’re not familiar with an arepa, it’s basically the cornmeal version of an English muffin that’s a staple in Venezuela (with regional variants in a handful of other South American countries). The pabellón version comes stuffed with stewed shredded beef, seasoned black beans, sweet fried plantains, and crumbly white cheese—a tribute to pabellón criollo, the national dish of Venezuela. It’s handheld, surprisingly light, packed with flavor, and perfect for fueling up your market push. For vegetarians, Caracas Arepas also offers a version without the beef.

Take a shortcut, take the outside track

By this point, it’s around 12:30 p.m. and you’ve only got a half-hour to grab your buys. Okay, so maybe your detour took longer than you thought. Maybe you’re on a time crunch. Even with a thinned-out crowd, there’s still some maneuvering to be done. And that’s where cutting through the Capitol comes into play. Even though the building is open to the public, the Capitol is surprisingly empty on Saturdays. Not only is it the fastest way to get from one corner of the Square to the next, there are public bathrooms and carved-into-marble drinking fountains. Personally, I love to pause and stare at the ornate ceiling art and archways before I barrel out the other side toward my favorite stand for salad greens. But even with the shortcut, you might still have traffic-flow issues. If you spot a stall with primo green beans that’s behind you, no need to fight upstream. Just cross the street and take the outside track. Popping in and out of Square traffic lets you hunt down those coveted radishes like a peregrine falcon spotting prey from 200 feet in the air.  

Take a coffee break, take a bottle of wine home

I know we already had an espresso on the way in, but I love any chance I get to swing by Bradbury’s Coffee at 127 North Hamilton. I’ve been coming to this spot for over 14 years—long before I actually moved to Madison—and the shop’s sunny vibes and incredible crepes are only beaten by its incredible espresso program. Bradbury’s gives you a chance to sample locally roasted coffees next to roasters from around the world; but if you’re swinging by on a Saturday, make a stop after your marketing to avoid the extensive breakfast crowd who can very quickly form a line out the door. Once you’re properly caffeinated, the last stop of the day is Square Wine to pick out a bottle to complement the dinner you’re planning with your market haul. Square Wine tends to host wine tastings on Saturdays to coincide with the Farmers’ Market crowds, so feel free to sip away while their extremely helpful staff can help you pair a lovely white with your green spring risotto. 

From there on, it’s time to freestyle it. Maybe you need some cheese from Fromagination or feel like grabbing a patio beer at Working Draft on your way home. The important thing is that in the time it would have taken to drive, park, and wait in line, you’ve already had a full day throughout the entire city. Just don’t dwell too much on what to do for the afternoon. Go open your living room windows and take a breezy couch nap. You’ve still got a few hours before you need to start trimming your vegetables.