If you have ever found a recipe for some exotic dish and been daunted by the prospect of locating the ingredients this market is for you. Or if you are from a foreign country or lived in a foreign country and you really want to make the food you grew up with or grew to love this market is for you. If you are REALLY CHEAP this market is for you.
The market spans from New York to Florida avenue NE and from
Fourth to Sixth streets NE. The market consists of business that are mostly wholesale-oriented, with restaurants, ethnic markets, and institutions as their primary customers, but many of the businesses sell to retail customers. There is also a few places that you can sit down or get food to eat while browsing. The DC Farmers Market building, though privately owned, functions as a public market similar to Eastern Market.
There is so much to this market it is a lot to tackle. Go early on a Saturday for the full day experience of visiting the shops and flea market. Also, the market is kinda dirty, smelly and slightly shady -not the yuppie hangout that is Eastern market. I suggest you visit the market with an open mind, a couple of recipes and cash in hand.
P.S. Writing this review was like writing a paper for a MA program. I had to do research that consisted of plowing through web pages, newspaper articles and a few maps - in addition to obligatory site visit to see what it was all about with my own two eyes. I also plagarized a bit cause there are a ton of folks out there that really care and know more about the market. See the links below for my sources.
To add to the confusion this market area seems to have at least two different names which really seem to depend upon which author you are reading. I listed both. So enough complaining.
For a map and a list of restaurants and a whole lot more information see http://www.flickr.com/photos/rllayman/2440756405/.
For a whole ton of information see http://capitalcitymarket.blogspot.com/ read more