Eastern Market has recovered after the fire that devastated it in spring 2007. But while finishing touches are put to the original brick building, you'll find it in an extensive marquee opposite.

It's like a street farmers' market, but established long before anyone had head the word farmers' market in the U.S. and open every day of the week and under cover - though it also has a variety of farmers' market stalls outside. Come here for a proper butcher, fish and cheesemonger. And if you don't want to buy ingredients, tuck into one of the best hamburgers in that part of town.

Southern Maryland Seafood sells fish in its whole state! So you can check their gills and eyes for freshness. The range runs quite widely. Larger fish, like tuna, are of course sold filleted but this is not Bordeaux. Find shellfsh from clams to scallops and marinated fish.

Market Poultry sells chickens with more flavor, I think, than Bell & Evans'. It sells various eggs, poultry sausages of exotic persuasions, and poultry gibblets and innards to make a fine pate.

Union Meat Company is your best off-line source in town for game. (Think about any Whole Foods' extensive counter called "Fresh Poultry" and the fact that they basically contain only chicken, chicken, chicken and sometimes turkey...). At Union Meat you can order - if they aren't selling it that day - venison, partridge, guinea fowl and more during the game season. Meanwhile, you'll certainly see parts of the pig you won't find at the Giant and Whole Foods, like pigs trotters and ears, brains and skins, along with thick-cut bacon, chops and country hams. Its a good lunch stop, if you're not tempted by the hamburger counter, for hot dogs and half-smokes.

Brewers Fancy Dairy Products is a limited in range but good cheese counter, with its cheeses generally in ready-to-eat condition. Try their Brillat Savarin, one of the most decadent French cheeses you can find. They also sell Pennsylvania butter in a bucket.

Eastern Market Grocery makes a wide range of fresh ravioli and tortellini in different flavors. Make your own sauce and you can pass them off as your own.

Canales Delicatessen cooks whole roast chicken on a spit and sells barbecued chicken and various other chicken dishes to take away.

Paik Produce sells the regular vegetable and fruit basics. But also has some unusual items, like Oriental fruits, as well as Oriental canned goods.

Fine Sweet Shoppe makes pies and cookies, bagels and cannolis, hamentashen, bread pudding and breads.

For the most recent update on what's going on behind the scenes, check out Mike Licht's post on his NotionsCapital blog.

Posted on Tuesday 04th November 2008 in

1 Comment

1. Luke

   The Eastern Market once the premier fresh food market in the Waashington area with a national reputation for quality food and nob-food vending, attracted crowds that actually spent real money every weekend. Now it's just a block long junky yard sale. Someone need to fix the problems with all the management, DC Government, office of property management, Eastern Market ventures, and the biggest problem Councilmember Tom Wells, before there is no business at all.