Here in Wine Country, we’re no strangers to the farm market concept. On
Saturday mornings, you can practically trip over dozens of local
purveyors hawking everything from honey to zucchini. Capturing that
passion for fresh, local meats, cheeses, fruits and veggies, the new
Oxbow Market in downtown Napa is 40,000 square feet of the region’s
best food. Under one roof.
Yes, start hyperventilating right now.
The marketplace features about 30 local purveyors (including several
cafes) and ten local farm stands open daily. Similar in concept to San
Francisco’s Ferry Plaza Market Place or Pike Place Market in Seattle,
it’s both a tourist attraction and a gathering spot for residents.
Located next to COPIA, the Center for Food and Wine (and home of
Julia’s Kitchen), the market is the newest addition to a larger plan to
revitalize the Oxbow region. Plans are in the works for nearby hotels
and condos and a walk-able greenbelt around the region.
The current lineup:
- Roli Roti:
The much-loved mobile rotisserie and farm-market fixture gets a
permanent home here. All organic-free range meats. Start the queue. - Fatted Calf:
Bay’s Area’s swoon-worthy charcuterie. House-made sausages (more of the
classic pork, rabbit and duck-style than the fruit and cheese-filled
type); pate, bacon, salumi, heirloom pig pork chops and other meaty
goodness. - Taylor’s Automatic Refresher: A vintage St. Helena burger spot with a Napa twist–Ahi tuna burgers and sweet potato fries anyone?
- Pica-Pica: The
key offering at this Venezuelan kitchen are flatbread corn arepas (a
cousin to El Salvador’s pupusas) filled with meat, cheese or veggies.
Also on the menu, tequeños, cachapas, polvorosa de pollo, yucca fries,
salads and a variety of South American beverages and desserts. - Three Twins Organic Ice Cream: A San Raphael newcomer using all-organic products in their delicately flavored-ice creams.
- The Model Bakery: A St. Helena gathering spot featuring tasty salads, espresso and fresh baked goods.
- Whole Spice: Petaluma retailers offer up hundreds of different spices from around the world.
- Five Dot Ranch: Premium producer of sustainable beef.
- Plus,
Oxbow Cheese Merchant, Annette’s chocolates, The Olive Press, Tillerman
Teas, Kitchen Library, Heritage Culinary Artifacts and Fete
(entertaining provisions). -
Kanaloa Seafood, the heralded
environmentally responsible seafood purveyor from Santa Barbara, California. Kanaloa is the only ISO 14001 Seafood
Company in North America. ISO 14001 certification is a framework
following international standards which helps organizations to better manage
the impact of their activities on the environment and to demonstrate sound
environmental management standards.
CLARIFICATION: BiteClub attended an opening preview, in which many of the merchants were open. Here is the updated opening schedule:
The following are open:
Anette’s Chocolate Factory, Fête, Heritage Culinary Artifacts, Kitchen Library, Tillerman Tea, Whole Spice, Folio Enoteca & Winery, Three Twins Organic Ice Cream, The Olive Press
By next weekend, January 5th/6th, these are expected to open:
Five Dot Ranch, Pica Pica Maize Kitchen
Mid to late January, these tenants are expected to open:
Oxbow Cheese Merchant, The Fatted Calf, The Model Bakery, Oxbow Wine Merchant & Wine Bar, Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, Rotisario
Farm stands open (not every day)
Bera Ranch with oranges, DeSantis Farm with a variety of citrus, walnuts, persimmons and pomegranates