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Nashville Farmers Markets: Where to Find the Best Produce, Grass-Fed Beef, Food Trucks, Live Music & More

A “farmers market” used to mean actual farmers selling bushels of beets and pecks of peppers out of the back of roadside pickup trucks. Remember when you could buy 10 ears of sweet corn for a dollar? Sure, you had to pull the husks back and pick out the caterpillars. But it was a dollar well spent.

While those days are pretty much gone, farmers markets have never been bigger business. Nowadays, most farmers markets feature a truckload of options: fresh fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, food trucks, restaurants, artisans, live entertainment, and more. Heck, last week I went to a farmers market to buy some bok choy and a tomahawk rib-eye and ended up walking through a flow yoga class. It happens in Nashville, where the farmers markets are bountiful—and no one can agree whether an apostrophe is needed (farmer’s market, farmers’ market, or farmers market). We’re going with the latter.

In and out for some vine-ripe tomatoes? Looking for a monster cut of meat for the grill? Taking the family out for lunch or dinner? Free entertainment (we are Music City)? Stick around for our list of the Best Farmers Markets in Nashville. Or, skip the farmers markets and go right for one of Nashville’s Best Patios. Your call.


Best Farmers Markets in Nashville

  • Go Big: Nashville Farmers Market
  • Day at the Park: Richland Park Farmers Market
  • Tuesday Stop: East Nashville Farmers Market
  • Tuesday Hang: 12 South Farmers Market
  • Farm Fresh: Franklin Farmers Market
  • Buy Local: Nolensville Farmers Market

Nashville Farmers Market

You’re gonna have to make a day of it—if you want the full experience. More than 100 farmers, artisans, and eateries are typically featured at this year-round market that includes a massive food hall, two covered sheds, and a 24,000-square-foot garden center. There’s something for everyone, including wood-fired pizza (Bella Nashville), tomahawk rib-eyes (Hext Quality Meats), live music, and enough fresh produce (Smiley’s Farm, Plano Produce, Hancock Family Farms, and more) to make a vegetarian green with envy.


Richland Park Farmers Market

Richland Park routinely boasts more than 60 vendors in its scenic outdoor setting, including a sizeable selection of eateries. Bring your dogs and your kids (there’s a fantastic playground) for some fresh air on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Pick up the freshest trout (outside of catching your own) from Bucksnort Trout Farm or a filet from Elk River Wagyu. And if you want one of the best sandwiches in ALL of Nashville, stop by Fatbelly Pretzel for a muffuletta (pre-order it, because they sell out almost immediately).


East Nashville Farmers Market

You can soak up East Nashville’s low-key, artistic vibe year-long at its pop-up Farmers’ Market . . . but only on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Get your Tuesday taco fix (Tacos by Tam), pick up a fresh loaf of sourdough (Maritime Bread), and score some seasonal fruits and veggies (we love strawberry season).


12 South Farmers Market

Live music and food trucks are the name of the game at the 12 South Farmers Market. The family-friendly seasonal soiree at Sevier Park (May through October) takes place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. There’s a healthy selection of locally grown produce, meats, and more. In addition, this weekly shindig brings the live music (so bring a blanket) to go along with it mobile menus, including The Grilled Cheeserie, Daddy’s Dogs, and Jackalope Brewing Company.


Franklin Farmers Market

We don’t want to spill the “beans,” but Nashville natives in the know, know the Franklin Farmers Market is well worth the 30-minute drive south each Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Franklin puts the “farm” in farmers market with produce selections from some of the nicest farming folks around, including Kirkview Farm, Paradise Produce Farm, Rose Creek Farms, Beaverdam Creek Farm, and more. And you can snag a tomahawk pork chop from Bear Creek Farm or pick up some locally grown flowers for mom at Southern Flora Farms.


Nolensville Farmers Market

You only have a four-hour window on Saturdays (8 a.m. to noon) to take advantage of everything the Nolensville Farmer’s Market has to offer. Inside and outside the historic Nolensville school house (about 25 minutes south of Nashville), you’ll find fresh flowers and produce (Blue Heron Farmstead), delicious corn-husk tamales (Get Tamales), killer cinnamon rolls (Bantam Farm), pasture-raised chicken (Baker Family Pastures), and more.