Lifestyle

The best flea, street and farmer’s markets in South Africa

Seth Thorne

 ·13 Jul 2024

The Victoria Yards market in Johannesburg remains the top rated market in South Africa, according to a recent analysis.

In the modern era, dominated by shopping malls and digital commerce, the time-honoured marketplace tradition remains vibrant, particularly in South Africa, which boasts some of the continent’s and the world’s top-rated farmers, street, and flea markets.

These dynamic centers are key to nurturing lively communities, as they boost local businesses, supply vital products, and highlight cultural diversity, entrepreneurship, and creativity.

“Markets bring people together, generate economic opportunities, and provide essential goods such as food and clothing,” remarked Marcela Guerrero Casas, co-founder of Local South. Consequently, South Africa is renowned for its array of coveted markets scattered throughout the country.

With the last update of a market ranking system done on information collected in December 2023, BusinessesTech looked at publicly available data from Tripadvisor.

Looking at markets with at least 40 reviews on the website, we calculated which have the highest proportion of 5-star rankings.

Earlier this year, Merchant Machine published a ranking which outlined the world’s and Africa’s top rated markets (using the same methodology) based on data collected in 2023.

This ranking saw the Victoria Yards market, which maintained its top spot, clenching the title for being the seventh top user-ranked market in the world, with Market @ The Sheds placing 15th.

These two markets also grabbed the top spots in Africa. The Playground and Pretoria Farmers Market placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

South Africa’s top five markets (based on proportion of 5-star reviews on Tripadvisor)

5 – Pretoria Farmers Market/ Pretoria Boeremark

Going strong for over three decades, “the Pretoria Boeremark is an open-air informal trading platform established for farmers to sell essential foodstuff directly to the public.”

When most people are still asleep on a Saturday morning, the Farmers’ Market site is already buzzing as exhibitors set up their stalls and fill them with fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, baked goods, handmade goods and much more.

The first buyers usually get there at just after 5h00, with the market running from 5h30.

It can be found at 665 Moreleta Street, Silverton, Pretoria, every Saturday.

4 – The Playground

“The Playground,” formerly known as Braamfontein’s Neighbourgoods Market venue, has reopened under the management of Play Braam.

It now hosts weekly Saturday markets from 11h00 – 19h00, featuring gourmet street food, cocktails, live music performances, and DJs.

Sunday events with live music are coming soon, emphasizing a vibrant visitor experience and supporting young talent in Johannesburg.

Activities include creative workshops, artisanal food stalls, and live music, all set against the iconic Nelson Mandela Bridge.

It can be found at 73 Juta St, Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

3 – Lourensford Market

The Lourensford Market at Lourensford Wine Estate in Heldernerg features 60 permanent stalls offering a diverse selection of food and drink, including estate wines and craft beers, along with handmade wares, original artwork, artisanal produce, and more.

Additional activities like putt-putt, archery and pellet gun fun at the Clay Pigeon Adventures Hub.

Live music by resident DJs, acoustic artists, or bands adds to the ambiance on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, while vintage car enthusiasts can admire classic automobiles at the MOTOR Studio.

Note that the market is closed for the season, and can be found at Lourensford Wine Estate, Lourensford Estate, Somerset West, Cape Town when it reopens in September 2024.

2 – Market @ The Sheds

Pretoria’s 012central hosts what it labels as the city’s “trendiest inner-city market,” blending city market vibes with South African flavors.

“Market@theSheds is the place to start the rediscovery of the Pretoria you thought you knew. It is a project of the Capital Collective, a non-profit organisation promoting rejuvenation efforts in the inner-city,” said the market.

The event features over 50 stands from local entrepreneurs, designers, artists, and musicians, offering live music, art exhibitions, and creative activations.

Trading hours are 11h00 to 20h00. Entry fees vary throughout the day: R80 before 12 PM, prices adjust before 2 PM and again after 2 PM. Entry is free for kids under 13, Vespa riders, and cyclists.

While the market is usually held on the first Saturday of each month, dates may shift, especially over long weekends. Updates are available on social media.

It can be found at 387 Helen Joseph St, Arcadia, Pretoria.

1 – Victoria Yards Market

Africa’s top-rated market and the world’s seventh-largest, the Victoria Yards Market, is held on the first Sunday of every month at 16 Viljoen Street, Johannesburg.

It recently won Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award for 2024 and is listed as the #1 out of 193 things to do in Johannesburg.

The flea market started in 2016 at Victoria Yards with just a handful of stalls but has since grown to host over 40 vendors. It offers a wide selection of unique and handmade goods, vintage finds, and diverse food options ranging from baked goods to pickled items, catering to a broad audience. As of now, it boasts 53 tenants.

“Our market is a perfect destination for discovering unique and handmade goods, and we encourage local artisans to share their creations,” said the market, which is known to also present a vast array of food and drink stalls.

Apart from the market, there are daily tours of the facility which boasts artisan and visual studios, urban farming, and more.

Read: South Africa ranked as the friendliest country in the world