Your Dekalb Farmers' Market

12/23/2007 Posted by atlantaguy333

I've been shopping here for years and wouldn't think of shopping anywhere else. The baked goods, meat, and seafood are the freshest that you can find here in Atlanta. I also had the experience of a funny smell in my baked goods a few months ago. Some of the other reviews say it smelled like fish or a chemical smell. I don't know how to describe it but I haven't noticed it here lately. So, if anyone is interested I talked to some of the bakery and cheese employees and they said that the market recently changed all of the plastic that they use to pack all of the cheese and baked goods. And I haven't noticed the smell since in any of the cheese or baked goods. Sounds like it was the plastic that was causing the odd odor.

Pros: everything is bought direct from the source around the world

Cons: spent all of my money

09/06/2007 Posted by atlgirl3929

Let me just say that I love the Farmer's Market. It's a straight shot up on Ponce: it has very reasonable prices, an extensive range of produce (local and organic), and lots of imported items. I enjoy making the trip out every weekend to get a better selection than Whole Food's at half the price. And the atmosphere is great, reminds me of the markets we have when I lived in New York. However, for some reason there is a weird smell which permeates all the baked goods. I don't know if it's fish, or what it is, but EVERY time I have attempted to purchase some sort of freshly made product there...cheese, muffins, cookies, bread, there has been this really weird smell and taste that seems to have seeped into everything. The last time, it affected the muffins so badly I had to throw them away, they were inedible. I'm not sure what causes this or how to resolve it, but it's pretty nasty and unappetizing. I know the food itself is good, because when you order something from the cafe it's delicious. So in a nutshell; check it out for the produce and the packaged items, but beware (sadly) all the delicious looking baked goods and suspect cheeses.

Pros: Huge selection, great prices, local and organic produce

Cons: Strange smell and taste seeps into some foods

07/22/2007 Posted by davidjb

Like most, I believe this place is incredible and unmatched in its selection. Given that, there's one thing that may keep me away in the future--the odor.First, when I got into my car I could smell it on my clothes--but it didn't stop there. The odor was easily detectable on the bags and products when I got home. The worst thing about it is how it affects the taste of food. I purchased a loaf of sourdough bread and a package of muffins. Both are apparently made on site. Yesterday, I noticed that the bread had a funny taste and tonight I tried to eat a muffin but couldn't get past the first bite because of how its taste was affected by the odor! If I do go back, I will stay away from such items. (If not for the odor problem, I'd give at least 4 stars)

Pros: Selection of items

Cons: Odor that affects the taste of its food. Often crowded.

06/22/2007 Posted by ymorgan

We have loved the Dekalb Farmers Market for years and years. The smell when you walk in is somewhat of a different story, but this place has alot of foods from all countries and nationalities all over the world. We buy many baked goods from this market along with other fruits and vegetables. We never experienced anything wrong with this place until this week and last week, when we purchased muffins and bread from this market and it smelled VERY bad. We had the smell of fish in our clothes, in the food, and on our skin after leaving the Market. We contacted the Manager Mike, who disputed our claims, which led us to this page to read more unanswered complaints. Great Market, but something is smelling too fishy in this place. I hope that they will get this together soon.

Pros: Many foods

Cons: Smells BADD

06/21/2007 Posted by chriscrat131

Well, we have loved the Farmer's Market in Decatur for many years. Good food at great prices including good choices in organics, all the stuff they make there and the restaurant where you can eat there. We drive in from the suburbs since we left the city of Decatur 17 years ago. I have always noticed "the Farmer's Market Smell" when you walk in. It smells kinda chemical like a cleaner or disinfectant. Only this last week did I notice it on my clothes and the food when I got home. I said something about it to Tori and she said that she did not understand the way people complained about the Farmer's Market Smell. This is the first I knew that some others had a serious problem with the smell. It was all in the bread and nuts and muffins I had bought to the point that I can't even eat them. Wow! I searched the internet and wound up here reading about how the Farmer's Market products smell bad and the market's management is unprepared to do anything about it. Well I think it probably come from the fish processing nearby and seems vaguely like the source when you walk around the place. That whole fish preparation area has always looked frightening to me with all the apron wearing rubber suited workers and sluices of fish guts. So now I have written to the Farmer's Market to complain and will watch here for more feedback and hope that they will respond. I heard once that everyone at the Farmer's Market is required to take EST training but that was years ago. Everyone working there seems to be from Pakistan or someplace like that. They are all pretty nice and friendly and helpful. Hope they can get the stink out of the Golden Pecan Loaf because it is musch better than any store bought bread ever and I will gladly drive in from Gwinnett to get it. But not if it stinks with a chemical smell.

Pros: Great Forever

Cons: Suddenly Really Smelly

06/12/2007 Posted by melsmorgan

I have read on here about the weird taste some products at the Farmer's Market seem to have and I agree with these posters. My interpretation (like another poster) is that this is a smell from the seafood which is also sold fresh in the store and the "fish" smell is circulated through the store's air vents. Anything with a thin plastic covering is susceptible so just be wary of what you purchase and when it was bagged/packaged. If you purchase things on the date they were packaged (i.e., bread or cheese) you generally will be able to avoid your products smelling and tasting of this strange odor. In any case, the Farmer's Market is still the best place for fresh produce in town and also for fresh meat. Additionally their prices are extremely reasonable. I have found them far cheaper on most produce than a regular grocery store. Despite the occasional weird smelling package of cheese or bread when I forget to pay attention to packaging dates, I still think it is a wonderful store and I do the vast majority of my shopping there.

Pros: so fresh and cheap

Cons: watch dates or your cheese or bread may smell/taste funny

06/04/2007 Posted by magicgarden

I have shopped here for 18 years and will continue to do so, but have quite purchasing some item for the following reasons: There is some smell (a cleaner or disinfectant) that seems to seem through the plastic wrap in the cheese department. I DO NOT think it is the fish as another poster stated. I can taste it on the on-site cut and wrapped cheese. I have not bought store wrapped cheese in months. The smell now has begun to seep into the tortillas (thin plastic, I guess). I now have quit buying those. I have told them about the problem repeatedly and they ignore me. My clothes have started to smell like this stuff after I leave there. Maybe this stuff is air freshener. I really wish the staff would be willing to solve this problem, but they continue to ignore my complaints.

Pros: Produce is still great and the organic produce is reasanably priced

Cons: The in-house wrapped cheese takes on a weird cleaner/sanitizer aroma.

11/14/2006 Posted by jaymaygm

We've been shopping the Dekalb Farmer's Market for years. This is the grandfather of "Harry's Market" the now defunct legendary grocery destination. It never stops to amaze us with international fresh produce, meat, fish, and spices from around the world. Dozen's of different languages are spoken here, and you realize what an International City that Atlanta has become. You can also have a very nice lunch, with the International Buffet. All the food is prepared on-site, from the wonderful selections. I always learn something new when we come here- Receipes, Food finds, and just mingling with the terrific international staff. And all those hard to find spices, that you read about in your ethenic cookbooks, are easily found. Very busy especially on the weekends.

Pros: International Spice & Produce Selections!

Cons: Weekends Very Busy!

10/16/2006 Posted by effect04

I visited Dekalb Farmers Market for the 1st time on 10/14/06. Never knew about it. It was a wonderful food experience. Such a wide variety of all sorts of meats, veggies, pastries, & wines, etc!!! But I was overwhelemed with the lines, and the large amounts of customers. Staff was friendly and helpful, but the customers need to learn how to push the baskets bearing to the right. Kinda like driving a car! I will definitely go back. But now, I feel cheated in the "regular" grocery store!!

Pros: Wide Variety of Foods

Cons: Customers should guide baskets to right.

10/10/2006 Posted by lessm

Anyone who lives in the Atlanta area knows that this is the place to go for fresh produce of any kind. It also has a superb lunch buffet. I find it a great place to get a fast, reasonably priced, fresh, healthy lunch. You know it's fresh, because the fresh produce that made it abounds all around you.

Pros: Huge selection of super fresh everything

Cons: Strange experience, not a regular grocery store