The Melbourne Farmers Markets take place every Wednesday of the semester from 10:30am - 2:30pm outside Union House at UniMelb. It's not only a quicker and cheaper alternative to Melbourne's cafés, but it's also a way to connect with others who are passionate about fresh, ethically-sourced food. Here are just some of the awesome options you can find at the farmers market.

Bee Rescue Melbourne

coffee, wine, tea, beer
Yaoli Wang

The first thing that caught my attention was the distinguishable

spice and sweetness of soy chai with honey tang. The stall has a great variety of bee products from honey to beeswax candles, harvested and made by a group of bee removers and beekeepers aiming to rescue bees from pest controllers.

Cocoa Rhapsody

I was amazed by how many creative chocolate flavours can exist in this world—and they're all handmade! From plain flavour to salted lime or pear and almond, there's something for everyone, even vegan-friendly. Their chocolate is entirely organic, made from cocoa mass rather than vegetable oil mass. 

Tabouli Rasa

meat
Yaoli Wang

Calling all vegans and vegetarians! This is the stall for you. The $8 small lunch box has three falafels and two salads with tahini—and that's just the small! Just looking at those awesome colours makes my mouth water. You also can't miss their pretty dips (baba ganoush, matbucha, and Moroccan carrot) and hummus (natural, beetroot, and pumpkin).

Nougatine

espresso, tea, coffee
Yaoli Wang

I love the pretty, minimalistic setup of this stall—but nothing compares to their delicious macarons with creative flavours like salted butter lemon and caramel and avocado, all made with only a few ingredients. Everything about this stall, from its design to the macarons screams simple beauty.

Five & Dime Bagel     

sweet, cookie
Yaoli Wang

Five & Dime Bagel Co.'s founder, Zev, a New Jersey native, couldn't find any competitive bagels in Melbourne to his hometown—so he brought the top-quality bagels here! Five & Dime's bagels can't be beat, with a large variety of flavours all handmade in a traditional way—especially at only $2.20 a pop.

Westernport Mussels

beer, beans, coffee
Yaoli Wang

I'd like to see you try to pass up one of these big bowls of mussels, completed with Westernport's unique toppings. Try the adventurous Asian fusion coconut with various spices one, or the classic tomato and basil. Gathered fresh from Western Port, located in Southern Victoria, these mussels are guaranteed for their freshness.  

Benny's Berries

tea
Yaoli Wang

The vivid colour was the first thing about this stall that caught my eyes. Benny's Berries is from Yarra Valley, less than an hour away from the CBD. Their jams are so tempting: strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, summerberry (mix of four berries), and spiced fig with pear and walnut. One of each, please!

Melbourne Farmers Market supports local businesses that are all about fresh, delicious, affordable food. Every stall here has a story and a philosophy behind it—which makes it all the more difficult to pass up the free samples, right?