A relaxing time with friends and family while you browse stalls for anything from clothes and accessories to food and drinks – sounds like a great idea if you visit Johannesburg, doesn’t it?
The city boasts a number of food and craft markets and you’ll be spoilt for choice when you visit. Here are just some of the top markets in Joburg:
Fourways Farmers’ Market
Located just opposite Montecasino in Fourways, the Fourways Farmers’ Market makes it easy to forget that you’re in a metropolitan area. This outdoor market is built on an old farm and, true to its name, a rustic feel is apparent as soon as you arrive.
The market boasts over 100 stalls with carefully selected products such as handmade clothes, fresh produce, colourful fruity drinks, and accessories from local farmers, creators and artists. Of course, being a farmers’ market, expect to find farming products such as seedlings and fresh produce in abundance.
To relax, there are seating areas populated with wooden logs under trees, where you can enjoy fresh or prepared foods from the vendors or a selection of drinks that includes coffees, juice, milkshakes and cordials.
The market is open six days a week, from Sunday to Friday, and is closed on Saturday. The Sunday market is the most popular.
Neighbourgoods Market, Braamfontein
Braamfontein is a busy neighbourhood on any day of the week, and especially so on Saturdays – but the Neighbourgoods Market has added another layer of activity to Saturdays in this popular student hub.
The Neighbourgoods Market is divided over several floors, with the ground floor housing food and drinks stalls where you can buy colourful cocktails, samoosas, gourmet burgers, biltong and even sushi. An added bonus for foodies is that there are several stalls that sell cooking ingredients such as sauces and curries that you can use to create culinary masterpieces at home.
Two more floors make up the rest of the market – the first floor is used mainly for seating and hosts the occasional music performance, with some promotional bars setting up shop from time to time; and the top floor houses stalls offering clothing and accessories, and also has its own bar offering a variety of drinks.
The market is open on Saturdays from 9am until 3pm. Once you’re done there, there are numerous restaurants, pubs and other hangout spots in Braamfontein.
Market on Main, Maboneng
Like the Neighbourgoods Market, Market on Main is spread over more than one floor. The Sunday market, which is a staple in the buzzing and growing Maboneng precinct, offers a great way to wind down the weekend.
The market is located on Main Street, but the hub of activity extends far beyond the building it is housed in. Before you even get to the entrance, you will be greeted by food trucks, and stalls selling clothes, accessories, decoration items and art. On a good day, you might even catch some entertainment by singers, dancers or musicians.
The Vilakazi Street Night Market, Soweto
Soweto has carved out an impressive tourism industry and Vilakazi Street is right at the heart of it. The street – known for once being home to two Nobel Peace Prize laureates – is located in Orlando West, and in addition to the buzzing restaurants, museums, arts and crafts stalls, and various accommodation venues, it now has a monthly night market hosted by fashion boutique Shova Lifestyle Origin.
The Vilakazi Street Night Market was created with the aim of giving local artists and entrepreneurs a platform to showcase their wares and talents, and has become a popular part of Soweto nightlife.
It takes place from 5pm until 11pm on the last Thursday of the month, and you can look forward to arts, crafts, performances and more. The market also occasionally has themes related to current events or times of the year, such as a Youth Month-themed market in June; Women’s Month in August; a spring/heritage theme in September; and the finale market in the December.
The popularity of markets, not only in Johannesburg but in the rest of Gauteng, has grown immensely. Outside of Johannesburg, you will find the Market @ The Sheds and the Cowhouse Market in Tshwane; The Hood Hangout and the Sharpeville Arts and Crafts Market in Sedibeng; the West Rand Social Market; and the East Rand Food Market in Ekurhuleni. Buy your ticket at www.flymango.com to explore Gauteng.