At Austin’s weekly farmers markets, shoppers can find anything from handcrafted leather to goat milk soap. The rows of tents overflow with local produce as visitors walk around the pavilion with bouquets of fresh flowers and stuffed paper bags. But the markets also remain home to Mexican cuisine that continues to flourish as the city celebrated Día de los Muertos last week. The Daily Texan has compiled a list of local market businesses to try to expand your palette.
Located at the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley and held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., this bakehouse made its name with popular mole sticky buns seasoned with chili powder and chocolate. The cottage bakery specializes in Mexican-inspired pastries and sourdough bread as their menu flaunts conchas, orejas and rosemary winter loaves. They also run a tent every first Sunday at the Chaparral Crossing Farmers’ Market from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For organic corn masa tamales, try this tent at over six Austin farmers’ markets including SFC Downtown and Barton Creek, which are open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The business, family-owned since 2010, serves meat, vegetarian, vegan and sweet filling tamales, and it serves the traditional dish in two different kinds of natural wraps: corn husk and banana leaf.
Originally a salsa pop-up, the Qué Sazón stand at the Mueller Farmers’ Market opens Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Their salsas include La Tetamada, a “roasted green peppers and garlic” salsa with spicy kick, according to their website, and creamy La Adobada, with hints of smoked peppers. As the business expanded, they also added gluten-free chilaquiles over black beans topped with cotija cheese, crema, fresh onion and cilantro to their list of goods.
Also at the Mueller Market every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mercado Sin Nombre attempts “to capture the wonder of Mexican mercados through Mexican coffee, maíz criollo and homemade tortillas, according to their website. Their Mexican-sourced coffee extends from Veracruz to Guerrero as they sell hot coffee, cold brew, horchata and coffee bags at their stand.
Rooted in family recipes from Mexico City, this business serves their famous vanilla flan — a Mexican dessert made from scratch with eggs, milk and cane sugar. They can be found at the Mueller Market every Sunday with coconut flan, aguas frescas and homemade tortillas at their table with a traditionally-inspired jaguar as their logo. Austinites can also find Mesocano’s flan at La Concina de Consuelo and One Taco restaurants.
