The Avondale Sunday Market is a hop, step and very comfortable drive in the Audi Q7 away from my home, so I try and get there often to do my fresh produce shop. Fresh is the word here, with stall after stall of market gardeners offering their just-picked produce at ridiculously good prices.
If it’s in season, it will be here and it has a strong Asian and Pacific influence so it is also here that you will find such things as green papaya, so you can make salads almost as good as those at Mekong Baby in Ponsonby.
The surfer in my life passes this way regularly as he heads to the West Coast beaches, but it wasn’t until we got the Audi Q7 that I persuaded him to combine the two — the Q7 is big enough to throw the boards in the back, along with all the chilly bins for our purchases . . . and there are always plenty of those! You could spend hours at this market because beyond the fresh produce it’s also a flea market selling clothing and bric-a-brac.
Why you'll love the Avondale market
You can buy the best, fresh seasonal produce direct from the growers and it’s cheap, cheap, cheap. It’s here you’ll find the ingredients that sometimes elude you when cooking authentic Asian dishes, such as:
Vietnamese & Thai: Green papaya, Vietnamese mint, fresh lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves (you can also buy small trees)., dried shrimp, hot chillies, holy basil.
Indian: Sparkling fresh ginger and turmeric, baby eggplants, pea eggplants, small long eggplants, okra, fresh curry leaves, cowpea beans.
Chinese: Bok choy, choy sum, gai larn, and beyond; fresh tofu and noodles, mushrooms, snake beans, Chinese chives.
Pacific Island: You'll find plenty of puha and watercress for the boil-up and plenty of fresh, locally caught fish from Toby's seafood. You'll also find squid and live crabs here too.
Trees and plants: In addition to those kaffir lime trees, you'll find a variety of citrus and other less common plant varieties.
There’s even a car boot sale where people set up just for the day to sell whatever they want. It’s a treasure trove for fancy dress and other themed party items. But if you have surfers in tow you can be in and out within minutes, once you know who sells what and where.
All combined — car, market, surf – it’s a brilliant way to start a Sunday.
Avondale Sunday Market
Every Sunday from 5am to midday
Ash St, Avondale - the market takes place at the Avondale Racecourse
Parking is available on the showgrounds for $3, or park on surrounding streets.