Foodies & Fun Seekers Love Findlay Market
Big-city market houses are fantabulous places to find fun and food. Boston has its Quincy. Seattle has its Pike Street. Cincinnati has its Findlay—market house, that is.
Our cherished market is named after General James Findlay (1770-1835), among Cincinnati’s founding families, whose estate donated the land on which the market stands. Today the Findlay site is the oldest surviving market house in all of Ohio. Findlay Market was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. But that’s history; what about now, today
Physically, the market takes up the length of a city block, with entry doors at each end and at the mid-way point. In and about the market house there are some 40 fixed stalls or storefront establishments selling everything from homemade sausages to cheeses imported from many thousands of miles away.
Spice lovers will find Colonel De’s Gourmet Herbs & Spices, offering an unbelievable array of everything herby-spicy, available by the pinch or pound or any amount you want. You’ll find exotic flavors—truly global in reach—from places like Madagascar and Thailand and islands of the South Pacific.
Or just go nutty, as we Cincinnatians do, over the Taste of Belgium. It’s a waffle emporium, where Chief Waffle Officer Jean-Francois Flechet turns out waffle creations that are magnificent. No other word fits—magnificent! Flechet’s waffles can be loaded with confections and fruit, or they can be savory as well. Try the chicken waffle. It’s lick-the-plate good!
Ever had a genuine German knockwurst? You could at Findlay Market, because at least one stand offers the garlic and herb sausages. Knockwurst sausages are loaded with flavor, great on a bun, or with warm German potato salad.
On warm-weather weekend days, there are day-stands (set up at the start of the market day and taken down at its end) that make kettle corn (yummm!), grilled sausages with onions and peppers, burgers and bratwursts, soups, teas and more. The aroma alone will drive your taste-buds crazy. Seasonally, you might run into roasted corn, slices of watermelon, apple cider and more.
Since May can be warm, be sure to stop at Dojo Gelato, where Italian-style ice cream and sorbetto are made fresh daily. The folks behind the counter are the makers of the product, which is made at the market house. They use only fresh ingredients, including milk free of growth hormones, and whenever possible, ingredients from local farmers.
Speaking of local farmers, each weekend (especially Saturday) during the growing season, you will find truck farm-stands adjacent to the market’s main building. These farmers are all small and local, within 50 miles or so of the market. They bring in field-fresh produce, eggs and cheeses; oven-fresh breads and pastries; locally harvested honey; and so much more. This time of year, the early spring crops are in and the quality is superb.
Or if you are feeling more like settling down behind some good, old fashioned comfort food, stop by a stand such as Gramma Debbie’s Kitchen. There is macaroni and cheese, made with three cheeses (and a spicy buffalo version too); braised kale and beans, a greens and beans dish that has a spicy kick to it, and more. Soups and salads and many heat-it-yourself items round out Gramma’s menu.
The point is, you can find just about anything you want to eat, along with gifts to buy and take back home, and sights to see as well, at Cincinnati’s one and only market house—Findlay Market.
See you there!