Shopping In Georgia - Dekalb Farmers Market

I had pretty much resigned myself to chain grocery fare and BBQ when we moved to GA. We are approx 150 miles from Atlanta in the piney woods of the Southeast. We usually drive the 45 miles or so to a Publix store near Warner Robins for the few more "upscale" items they have because of the international flavor of the troops at the airbase.

Imagine my surprise when we ventured to Atlanta last week and stumbled across Dekalb Farmers Market. It's not a traditional farmers market as it is owned by one family. But I'm willing to forgive any claims of "mis-branding" here. The place is phenomenal at 140,000 SF. In the hour or so we had to browse we came across a full produce and fruit section (surprise item: jackfruit from Jamaica); a full-line bakery using organic flours and producing everything from Jewish rye to filled croissants; a hot line where you can get an entire meal for less than $5; a selection of flowers and plants; a coffee roasting operation; and, a huge meat and deli section. The place opened at 9 on Sunday, and there were around 100 people there when we arrived shortly thereafter.

I can't say enough about the meat and fish. There were live dungness crabs and lobsters, fresh conch, squid, octopus, 4 to the pound prawns, Georgia wild shrimp, bacala, and on and on. The meat section had fresh organic chicken, as well as nice looking pork and beef. There was goat meat and ostrich. Fresh and smoked sausage; dry-cured bacon (Broadbent's from KY). About 50' of cheese counter.

The best thing is a comment overheard where a shopper said it was pretty good, but Buford's was better. Now I have to find that spot as well.

I only lived in Atlanta for a short period of time almost 15 years ago, but I really miss that market. We're getting there in Chicago, but we haven't yet found anything like it. I really miss the coffee that's roasted right there.

Do they still have employee nametags that list all the languages that employee speaks? Those were very cool.

Mhays wrote:I only lived in Atlanta for a short period of time almost 15 years ago, but I really miss that market. We're getting there in Chicago, but we haven't yet found anything like it. I really miss the coffee that's roasted right there.

Do they still have employee nametags that list all the languages that employee speaks? Those were very cool.

Yes. It was interesting that the cashiers represented multiple ethnicities (and presumably, languages), but they flew through the basket in short order. There weren't any bar codes, just a scale and a cash register.

Alton Brown did a show on this market. It has a great humanitarian story behind it.

I spent 6 years in Atlanta and made a few trips here -- wasn't quite the cook in college and first couple years out of school I am now... but did cook some even then. The variety of good available was incredible, almost like merging all the various ethnic markets under one roof. And the selection of meat and seafood! They had all sorts of tanks of live fish and would butcher it right there for you. Also, lots of live crabs, etc. I really wish we had something comparable here in Chicago!

One memory I have of the DFM is buying some live blue crabs and having quite an ordeal getting them in the pot because they kept latching onto my tongs... and my kosher-keeping roommate sure didn't appreciate the strong crab smell that lasted for days.

I lived about a mile from the DFM during my junior and senior years of college. Awesome place. At the time, I loved eating what seemed like crazy weird foods, such as fish roe in what looked like a toothpaste tube, that would make my roommates squirm. I adored the multicultural prepared foods section, where I would sit and happily dip veggie samosas in sriracha before shopping.

I might be the rare LTHer in that I've been to Dublin, GA. Two college friends from there. Vaguely recall a Chinese restaurant with cocktails in entertaining Tiki mugs with paper umbrellas.

Ronna

REB wrote:

I might be the rare LTHer in that I've been to Dublin, GA. Two college friends from there. Vaguely recall a Chinese restaurant with cocktails in entertaining Tiki mugs with paper umbrellas.

Ronna

Ronna, I don't believe we have a Chinese restaurant with a 3-way license at present. We do have a couple of Chinese buffets and a Japanese Steakhouse. Fine dining in Dublin is 'que. We've already had two BBQ cookoffs in 2010.

REB wrote:I might be the rare LTHer in that I've been to Dublin, GA.

That makes two of us, been there several times when I worked for the electric cooperatives. Just about the only sign of civilization between Macon and Savannah on that G-dforsaken I-16.

Also love YDFM and visit every time we come to Atlanta to visit family. Love the hot food line, love their sesame snacks and bulk lavender even more. I seem to remember that the brothers who started YDFM had a parting of ways in the 1980s and one of them (Harry) opened up his own stores (Harry's Farmer's Market), which were ultimately gobbled up by Whole Foods in the early 2000s.

Your Dekalb Farmers Market - A World Market
3000 E. Ponce De Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 377-6400
http://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com/

I just came back from a visit to Atlanta and was at the most amazing grocery store I have ever seen. It is called Buford Highway Farmers Market. http://www.aofwc.com/ . It is not a farmers market - it is a grocery store. Produce section was amazing. I can't tell you how many produce items were there that I have never heard of. They had 12 varieties of eggplant. There is a very large Korean section. There are 5 aisles of Eastern European foods. There is fresh goat. They have every part of a pig that exists including intestines. I have never seen so many varieties of whole fish. They had a huge bin of lime leaves.

If you are ever in Atlanta, it is a very fun place to see.

Buford Farmers market
5600 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
770.455.0770