The best markets in Sydney
For farm-fresh produce, vintage finds or homespun arts and crafts, check out our ultimate guide
Sydney has many weekend markets to choose from, whether you’re looking for fruit and veg straight from the farmer or to rifle through pre-loved clothing. Take a look at our list of the best permanent markets too, such as the Fish Markets in Pyrmont and the Flower Markets in Flemington.
Upcoming markets
Permanent markets
Sydney Fish Market
This working fishing port – with many types of fishing vessels in Blackwattle Bay, wholesale and retail fish markets, shops, a variety of indoor and outdoor eateries, and picnic tables on an outdoor deck – is well worth the journey to Pyrmont. Get up early and catch the noisy wholesale fish auctions; they start at 5.30am, with tours for public starting at 6.40am. It’s the largest market of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and you won’t find more varieties of fish on sale anywhere outside Japan: it trades more than 100 species a day and over 1400 tonnes of fish a year. The Sydney Fish market is also the home of Sydney Seafood School which offers a wide range of classes in handling and cooking seafood (from $85-$155), some held by well-known local chefs. Behind the Scenes Tours are held every Mon, Wed, Thu and Fri (except Public Holidays and between Christmas and New Year). Bookings for these tours are essential. Adult: $35; child $10.
Paddy's Markets - Haymarket
Brothers, sisters, mums and daddies, you know this is the market you’re supposed to be at. The 150-year-old institution spans two locations – Haymarket and Flemington – and as well as the usual food, fashion and bric-a-brac, Paddy’s stallholders hawk knock-offs, tourist tat and so many mobile phone covers.
Sydney Flower Market
These mammoth flower markets supply some 75 per cent of all the wholesale flowers sold in Sydney, but they’re open to the amateur flower enthusiast as well and offer an incomparable variety of stalky stock. It’ll be an early morning trip – it opens in the dark hours and you wanna be an early bird – but if you can get yourself up then the effort is more than worth it. Beeline for... Whatever is in season and looking beautiful – even seasoned and professional florists don’t show up to the markets with a concrete list of what they need in hand. Flower shopping is about seeing what’s on offer and buying the most divine blooms on the day.
100 Squared: Emerging Designer Market
Found on the lower levels at Westfield Sydney, Westfield Bondi and now in the ‘Shire at Westfield Miranda, 100 Squared is more like an incubation space for up-and-coming fashion designers and retailers. The markets run whenever the shopping centre is open and revolving stallholders have varied from the boisterous bold print label Show Pony to clean, classic tailoring from Vanessa Rogers (formerly Coco & Rogers). Beeline for… Sydney-based fashion label Minty Meets Munt for a club-ready flirty neon number.
