The 20 best markets in Sydney

Go here for: vintage clothes, books, rugs, eco food wraps to healing crystals, rice bread and tarot reading.

Best time to visit: Sundays at 11 when the sun is high in the sky

Pick up a paper lunch bag filled with sweet, mini plums and stop by Brooklyn Boy Bagels for a poppy seed dough with cream cheese, lox, dill and caper schmear. Head over on Sundays from 9am at the Addison Road Centre.

Go here for: Brekkie by the river

Held at Anderson Park, Meadowbank on the Parramatta River every second and fourth Sunday of the month, this food market is full of seriously delicious surprises. Head down from 9am to 2pm to browse fruit and veg, jewellery and candles, children’s clothes and distillery offerings. The best bit? Grab a market brekkie and eat it with your legs dangling off the wooden wharfside. You’ll find crêpes, bao, arancini, pho, dumplings, burek and more. Still hungry? Try a pandesal, a traditional pastry filled with salted caramel, choc hazelnut or purple ube, from the Filipino Australian Pastries stall. 

Go here for: fresh produce, and the trendiest foodie finds in town

Best time to visit: Bright and early – 8.30am on Saturdays is prime-time

It’s imperative that you do not eat before you visit the Carriageworks Farmers Markets. You’ll want to save maximum belly space for your personal version of The Bachelorette where you decide who gets your dollars and what delicious produce gets to come home with you. This delectable experience is on every Saturday from 8am to 1pm. Head down for fresh (and fairly cheap) flowers, freshly baked sourdough, artisan coffee and mind-blowingly good cheese toasties. Also, your dog is allowed. 

Go here for: gourmet French food and gifts

Best time to visit: Swing by for a lunchtime wine, Paris-style

Spend a leisurely Sunday morning in France without the jet lag at these fabulous French markets in Sydney’s north. Le Marché pops up on the first Sunday of every month, bringing a bevy of French delights to the Entertainment Quarter. Here, you can say bonjour to more than 45 talented Frenchies selling everything from raclette and rillettes to choux buns and Champagne. 

Go here for: a utopia of pre-loved finds, record crates, antique jewellery, crafts and gozleme 

Best time to visit: 10am on Saturdays

The schoolyard of the Rozelle Public School has been a hive of weekend crate-digging for more than 20 years, and while some stalls have almost earned long service leave, there are always newcomers keen to swap their good and chattel for some cold hard cash. Hit them up from 9am to 3pm every Saturday for your chance to unearth a solid-gold bargain. 

Go there for: Great food, local makers and a whole lotta history. 

Best time to visit: The afternoon vibe is perfect pre-dinner in the city

From 10am to 5pm every Saturday and Sunday, Sydney's cutest historic district comes alive with the hustle and bustle of a food-filled arty marketplace. This much-loved weekend market is all about showcasing local cusines, epic street food, and an overwhelmingly emphasis on local talent. Start off your Sunday with a free yoga sesh, dance to live music, and eat your body weight in food from all over the world. At the Rocks, a good time is to be had. Stay in the know, right here. 

Go there for: Locals, vintage clothes and homemade remedies.

Best time to visit: Come early to get the gems

Going off on the 3rd Saturday of every month from 8am to 4pm at Manly Village Public School, this locally-run market is an oasis of vintage clothes, natural remedies and hand-crafted treasures. Set in the heart of Manly, this institution has been running for over 30 years. A fabulous place to pick up pre-loved bargains, local honey and tinctures, this heartwarming locale is good for everyone. Plus, it's close to the beach. 

Go here for: Bowen's bacon and egg rolls, Flour and Stone's lemon cake, condiments, small goods and fresh produce 

Best time to visit: Get in early

Head to Leichardt every Saturday from 8am to 1pm for organic produce, fair-trade goods and really good food. You'll be spoilt for choice for truss tomatoes, plump berries, technicolour capsicums and leafy greens. The popularity of the bacon and egg rolls from Bowen’s has reached celebrity status, with queues long enough to make you think Taylor Swift is signing autographs at the end of the line. 

Go here for: kitsch bric-à-brac, art, design, bohemain flair and vegan cookies

Best time to visit: Swing by early-afternoon, then hit one of Paddington's charming pubs

Open since 1973, this food-meets-fashion extravaganza is open every Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Many of the stallholders return week on week, like the elderly Japanese couple selling Bonsai trees and the Spanish shoemakers selling espadrilles. It’s predominantly an art, clothing and design market – and alongside the kitsch bric-à-brac and Australiana-print tea towels, leather satchels, beach photography prints and patterned baby rompers are two a penny.

Go here for: street food for lunch, succulents, hearty quiches and take-home foods

Best time to visit: Get in early for the freshest goods

This weekly food market is all about hot food and fresh produce. Going down at Centenary Square in Parramatta every Wednesday from 7.30am to 2.30pm, this one if for everyone who are serious about their tastebuds. Find everything from lengthy flat beans to exotic-looking chillies, trays of fresh berries and eggs to traditional crusty Italian spelt and rye, and family-sized quiches. 

Go here for: beach-ready snacks, fresh produce, retro hauls and backpacker-chic giftware

On Saturdays and Sundays, head down to Sydney's iconic beachside suburb to check out their craft market. Open from 9am to 5pm every weekend, this weekend fiesta is all about artisan food, pretty homewares, interesting arts and crafts and exceptionally beautiful flowers. Plus, all the shopping goes down just 50 metres from the beach.  

Go here for: posh condiments for humans and pooches, buckets of blooms and leafy friends

Best time to visit: 1pm for a lunchtime browse

Open every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, this foodie paradise is full of curated offerings that are diverse enough to ensure you have a gloriously full basket and belly. They also pack up at a hangover-friendly 2pm, meaning you can scarf a crackling spiked pork pancake and impulse buy a house plant without having to get up at sparrow’s fart. 

Go here for: locally grown produce, homemade goodies, fresh flowers and activities for the kids 

Best time to visit: Get in early at 9am on a Sunday

Every Sunday from 9am to 3pm, you’ll find stalls popping up in between the beloved Tramsheds cafés, restaurants and boutique stores. You'll get to peruse (and sample) the wares of local cheesemakers, artisans, winemakers and bakers, along with a whole lot more. 

Go here for: gourmet goodies

These gourmet markets pop up on various dates across the city with a carefully curated line-up of stallholders selling everything from artisan cheese to vintage fashion to piping hot gozleme. There's a regular market in Green Square every Saturday, plus pop-up markets acorss the city throughout the year. Keep an eye on their website for dates and locations.