West Side Market, Cleveland Ohio

Since our farmers' market was closed for a few weeks around the holidays, we finally had the needed incentive to go visit the West Side Market. It is, as its name suggests, on the west side, so we had to...dun, dun, dun!!...get on the highway and cross the river to get there.

Actually, it only took about 25 minutes to get there, and it was totally worth it.

There's a big "L" or "U" shaped warehouse-type building with vendor after vendor selling fruits and vegetables, and a rectangular building with refridgeration, etc. with row after row of people selling fresh meats, smoked meats, sausages, fresh pasta, pies, bread, spices, pastries, cookies, cheese, eggs. We saw a place with whole suckling pigs and bought some of the best chicken we've ever had somewhere else. There are also people selling coffee and someone else selling sausages to eat there. We got a sausage with all the fixin's and MY GOD was it good.

Many of the vendors, I think, are local stores who maintain a booth at the West Side Market in addition.

We were there on the day of New Year's Eve, which we had off, and it was PACKED. We can't wait to go again.