There’s nothing more wholesome than a market day. Shopping local, away from sterile fluorescent shop lighting, usually alongside the scent of fresh coffee and maybe even crunchy pastries, with a friend or two in tow.
Whether you’re after the freshest fruit and veg from local producers, fish and seafood straight from the ocean, goods crafted by the city’s top local creatives, or second hand bargains to revamp your wardrobe — Melbourne markets are some of the best, providing all the goods and guaranteeing a fun day out.
Melbourne Markets At A Glance
- Jump To Pop-Up Markets In Melbourne
- Jump To Farmers Markets In Melbourne
- Jump To Artists’ & Craft Markets In Melbourne
- Jump To Vintage Markets In Melbourne
We want you to be the first in the know. Join Urban List Insiders, we’ll shoot you all Melbourne’s best things to eat, drink and do every week.
From iconic food markets that have run since the mid 1800s to pop-up markets that will keep you warm and toasty over winter, there’s a market for every type of shopper, browser or hunter.
So grab your reusable bags and keep cup, because these are the best markets Melbourne has to offer in 2025 according to Urban List:
Pop-Up Markets In Melbourne
These Melbourne markets are here for a good time, not a long time. Here are the best pop-up markets worth checking out right now:
Queen Vic Winter Night Market
Queen Street, Melbourne
Image: Winter Night Market Melbourne | Visit Victoria
Night markets might traditionally seem like more of a summertime activity when the sun sets late and the evenings are warm, but Queen Vic’s Winter Night Markets are worth rugging up for. Wrap your hands around a hot cup of mulled wine or spiced milo and you’ll warm yourself up from the inside out.
There are over 50 food stalls spanning all sorts of flavours and cuisines (our personal favourite is leek and potato soup served inside a freshly baked cob loaf from The Soup Factory). And with over 60 retail stores and stalls, there’s plenty to cast your eyes on at this Melbourne night market and a good chance you’ll pick up a treasure or two.
It wouldn’t be the Winter Night Market without performers. Guru Dudu is back again with the silent disco so you can get your boogie on. Also keep your eye out for the French Gendarme Mime and Mr Marmalade Magic. It's open every Wednesday from 5pm to 10pm, now until 27 August.
The Little Food Market
Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton
Foodies, this one’s for you. The Little Food Market features Australian tastemakers from all across the country. Think fresh cheeses, artisanal pantry goods, handcrafted spirits, small batch wines, ceramic goods. And you guessed it, there’ll be a fair share of sampling going on. Make sure you’re hungry when you start wandering the aisles. Running from Friday 18 July to Sunday 20 July, make sure you book your tickets.
Fruit & Veg Markets In Melbourne
Doing your weekly shop at the markets turns a chore into a fun activity. Here are the best markets Melbourne has to offer for all your fresh produce needs:
Queen Vic Market
Queen Street, Melbourne
Image: Queen Victoria Market Melbourne | Supplied
If Melbourne is home, then the Queen Vic Market is a part of the furniture. Operating for more than 140 years, this mammoth-scaled market offers a bit of everything — from produce stalls for all your grocery needs, to restaurants and food trucks for a bite.
While tourists might visit to browse the traders slinging clothes, souvenirs, and the occasional knock off, it’s where the locals come for fresh, cheap produce. Peruse the outdoor undercover market for fruit and vegetables, head into the meat market for fresh fish, seafood, sausages, and other meat products, and then wander into the deli where you’ll find cheese, olives, baked goods, fresh pasta, and even a natty wine store.
Hot tip: The jam numbers from American Doughnut Kitchen reign supreme and pair perfectly with some of Melbourne’s best brew from Market Lane Coffee. The perfect market day accompaniment.
It’s closed Monday and Wednesday and if you’re heading here on the weekend, arrive early to avoid the crowds.
Prahran Market
163 Commercial Road, South Yarra
Image credit: Prahran Market | Supplied
With free-range butchers, sustainable seafood sourced daily and certified organic groceries, this Prahran establishment provides one of the best foodie experiences out of the Melbourne markets. Drop by for lunch at Mr Bratwurst for a sausage cooked over coal, or Maker & Monger’s not-so-average cheese toastie made with farmhouse and artisan cheeses matured onsite.
For those sustainability savvy, this market practices a number of initiatives, including being Melbourne’s first market to donate food to SecondBite—an organisation determined to end hunger and food wastage in Australia.
Prahran Market is closed Monday and Wednesday, so plan your trip around those days.
Dandenong Market
Clow Street & Cleeland St, Dandenong
With a timeline dating back to the mid-1800s, the Dandenong Market has been acclaimed as one of the best markets Melbourne delivers. Spanning over 150 nationalities, it’s a multicultural hub and meeting place. There’s a fruit and veg hall, a meat, fish and deli hall, and a range of specialty shopping stalls as well.
Another thing that makes Dandenong different to the other markets Melbourne offers, is the various food tours and tastings on offer every weekend. The 90-minute street food tours are especially popular. Once you’ve got your hands on a ticket, expect to eat your way through different traders for tastings and insider cooking tips, in an intimate guided group. There are also specialty tours where you’ll learn to make a dish such as paella or Sri Lankan curry. Check out all the upcoming events here.
The Dandenong Market is open Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
You might also like:
South Melbourne Market
322-326 Coventry Street, South Melbourne
Image: Agathe Patisserie at South Melbourne Market | Supplied
Established in 1867, the institution that is South Melbourne Market reigns on as one of the best markets in Melbourne — offering Melbourne’s finest fresh produce, premium meats, deli goodies, flowers, crafted gifts, street food and cafe culture.
Must-visits include the famous South Melbourne Dim Sims, who have been selling their ridiculously large dimmies like hotcakes for almost 60 years, and Agathe Patisserie for authentic French pastries (think basque burnt cheesecake, buttery croissants and custard flans) that are worth lining up for.
The standards are high at the South Melbourne Markets — you won’t find any caged eggs, inauthentic Indigenous art, or unethical animal fur. You will find eyebrow bars, tarot readers, hat stores, dog clothes, and a knife sharpener. Seriously, there’s everything you could dream of under this roof.
Head to South Melbourne from 8am to 4pm, every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Footscray Market
18 Irving Street, Footscray
Image: Footscray Market Melbourne | Supplied
A true reflection of Footscary’s diverse community, this is one of the Melbourne markets truly celebrating multiculturalism. Expect a plethora of local produce, meats, nuts and spices, along with more specialty items, like Asian grocers and seafood vendors showing off live lobster and abalone to pick from. If you’re after a bargain, this is your spot.
No trip to the Footscray Markets is complete without a sought-after Vietnamese drip coffee from Scarlet Corner Cafe in one hand, and a renowned Banh Mi from Nhu Ngoc Bakery in the other.
Footscray Market is open 7am to 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
Melbourne Farmers Markets
Various Locations
Image: Farmers Market Melbourne | Supplied
When it comes to the best farmers markets Melbourne has to offer, you can’t go past these guys. From the ground to the market to your kitchen, Melbourne Farmers Markets are totally dedicated to supporting Victoria food producers and sustainable farming practices. At these markets you can meet the person responsible for producing your food, a wholesome and meaningful way to do your grocery shopping.
Operating since 2002, there are now three locations of this fresh produce haven. Visit Coburg and Carlton on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm, and Alphington on Sundays 9am until 1pm. Also check out their Market Brunch, on the first Sunday of every month, where foodmakers share their stories and serve up and brunch you’re sure to remember.
Preston Market
30A The Centreway, Preston
Preston Market is another Melbourne icon. The colourful brick exterior is filled with murals painted by various Melbournian artists (our fave is by Filthy Ratbag, near the Aldi entrance). The venue is emblematic of the vibrant multicultural food and experiences the Preston Market offers. We’re talking Daily Fresh Gozleme’s signature savoury Turkish turnover filled with spinach and cheese, or the iconic South Melbourne Dims Sims (branching out to the other side of town).
You can also pick up your weekly groceries at numerous fresh produce, meat and poultry, and deli stalls. The Asian grocer at Preston Markets is also a true winner, with loads on offer including decently priced fruit and veg.
Preston Market is open for shopping 8am to 3pm, every Wednesday to Sunday.
Artists' & Craft Markets In Melbourne
Melbourne is home to some seriously talented creatives, and local markets are one place you can spot their goods. From paintings to jewellery and all sorts of hand-made specialties in between, here are the best artists’ and craft markets Melbourne has to offer:
The Rose Street Artists’ Market
60 Rose Street, Fitzroy
Image credit: Rose St Market | Supplied
On-brand with Fitzroy’s aura, the Rose Street Artists’ Market has a lineup of Melbourne’s best original artists, designers and crafters. Inspired by markets found in London, Berlin and New York, this market is nestled in a former junkyard in the back streets of Fitzroy and displays the work of up to 120 creatives.
Explore one-of-a-kind paintings, clothes, crafts, and jewellery while making connections with fellow creative minds. Think cat shaped salt and pepper shakers, tiny embroidered avocado earrings and knitted pet hats. There’s also a bunch of art galleries and cafes nearby, so you can make a day out of it. Open from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday, if you’re after the best weekend markets Melbourne has to offer, this is a hot contender.
These markets are open for your perusing 10am to 4pm, every Saturday and Sunday.
CERES Makers & Flea Market
Corner Roberts Street & Stewart Street, Brunswick East
Image: CERES Makers & Flea Market Melbourne | Supplied
Favouring quality over quantity, CERES Makers And Flea Market showcases up to 20 stalls, featuring locally and ethically made crafts. Sitting next to the CERES Grocery and Bakery — which offers an urban farm shopping experience to Melburnians — this intimate market adds to the charm on Saturdays, with handmade, eco-friendly and upcycled treasures on offer. It runs from 9am to 2pm every Saturday.
St Kilda Esplanade Market
The Esplanade, St Kilda
Image: St Kilda Markets Melbourne | Supplied
With the scenic backdrop of Port Philip Bay, and just 15 minutes out of the city, visiting St Kilda Esplanade Market is the ideal weekend activity. It’s got a bunch of locally-made jewellery, art, fashion and well-being goodies on offer, as well as take-away treats like Dutch pancakes, decadent doughnuts and souvlakis.
Quite literally on the foreshore, bring your pooch along for a dip in the water and then dry off wandering through the market vibes. Looking for the best Sunday markets in Melbourne? These run from 10am to 5pm every Sunday.
Second Hand & Vintage Markets In Melbourne
Thrifters, op-shoppers, bargain hunters and the sustainably-minded — these are for you. Here are the best Melbourne markets where you’ll find pre-loved clothing and accessories:
The Fitzroy Market
75 Rose Street, Fitzroy
Inside a grungy old warehouse whose walls are covered in street art, just a short stroll from the Rose Street Artists’ Markets, you’ll find Fitzroy Market. This is all your vintage and second hand clothing dreams come true. There are racks and racks of clothes for you to peruse, as well as shoes, bags, accessories and jewellery.
Grab a sausage sandwich or hashbrown from Ms Sizzle and a coffee from the specialty cafe, and suddenly that Sunday morning hangover is nothing but a distant memory and you’re ready for some serious bargain hunting. Running every Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 2pm.
Camberwell Market
Market Place, Camberwell
Despite being tucked away in the suburbs, Victorians travel far and wide to hit up the Camberwell Market for quirky finds. This thrift-shopper's dream, run by Rotary International, brings the Camberwell Junction car park to life every Sunday.
For decades, routine punters have arrived in the early hours to snatch up antiques, pre-loved clothes, collectables and handmade goods. There are often buskers performing and hot jam doughnuts (there’s a theme here) being served up — adding to your wholesome Sunday vibes. Head here from 7:30am to 12:30pm, and then check out the best restaurants in Camberwell for a cute lunch spot.
Hunter Markets
10 Balcombe Road, Mentone
The team behind Hunter Markets are on a mission to reduce the amount of clothing that goes to landfill. So if you’re due for a wardrobe revamp, why not shop someone else’s beloved one? This second hand clothing market offers a thrift utopia for all things designer, on-trend and secondhand slay, situated in a groovy purple warehouse in Melbourne’s southeast. Since its birth in 2015, this market has become all the rage on social media and now operates on both Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 1pm.
Main Image credit: Visit Victoria | Josh Robenstone
Urban List Best Of: has our highest stamp of approval—curated lists of the very best recommendations for you to eat, do, see, buy or book, carefully chosen by our Editors.
Your 2025 Guide To The Best Breakfast In Melbourne
Melbourne's breakfast scene is unmatched—often imitated in cities around the world but never replicated. With so many stunners out there, some truly iconic brekkies have emerged. We gotchu covered with the best breakfast Melbourne has to offer for 2025.
23 Date Ideas In Melbourne That Aren’t Dinner And A Movie
Stuck for unique date ideas in Melbourne? The sheer number of options is overwhelming, but don't worry we've got you. If you're looking for the best, fun, cute, cheap, cool, free or first date ideas we have something good for everyone.
Your Guide To Melbourne’s Best Day Spas In 2025
We live in spa country. There’s really no excuse to drown in stress with these tranquil, blissful oases all around us. We’ve got some of the best spas in Melbourne and beyond with Daylesford and Sorrento bringing the goods. Breathe out, relax your shoulders and get booking. Here is Urban List's guide to the best spas in Melbourne and Victoria for 2025.