Howick Village Market

There is no better start to a weekend than to meander among the quality stalls laid out like a traditional bazaar in and around the Information Centre at 91 Picton Street.

The air is full of the most tempting food aromas, there’s always a free tasting of one thing or another, and the friendly and affable stallholders have a gentle banter that suits the pace of a leisurely Saturday morning.

The food stalls represent a wide variety of cuisines while the woodcrafts, jewellery, garden adornments, roses, lavender soaps and creams, woollens and other hand-crafted products are all of the highest quality.

The fresh produce is consistently the best you’ll find in an Auckland market. The fruit and vegetables have that ‘picked this morning’ freshness – many are just that! There’s always a strong seasonal theme to the produce.

Apart from the fresh harvests of vegetables, crisp salads and flavoursome tomatoes, there are fruits in season. And you haven’t tasted fresh or smoked fish until you’ve tasted Howick market seafood. Meanwhile, the cheeses, fudge, cakes, sweet and savoury pastries, cured meats and other deli products make the perfect picnic or laid-back weekend food.