Two Cities, Two Farmers Markets: How NYC and San Francisco Shop Local Heading Into National Farmers Market Week

As National Farmers Market Week kicks off August 2nd, Square data shows two very different local food cultures – and one striking story unfolding at New York City’s markets this summer

Farmers markets in New York City and San Francisco tell two distinct stories about what shopping locally means in each city. Square data from vendors in both markets shows that each has developed its own specialisms over the past five years. Trending caategories aside, New York’s markets in particular are seeing a surge in leafy greens that’s worth a closer look.

Two markets, two personalities

Though both major cities have longstanding connections to their market cultures, the data makes clear that these aren’t just two versions of the same farmers market experience taking place on opposite coasts. They’re each shaped by unique local tastes. New York City’s markets lean into artisanal beverages and preserved goods: cider is the standout, with tens of thousands of units sold over the last year and roughly 200% growth over five years, even as cider sales in San Francisco have waned. Kombucha and oyster products have also seen explosive multi-year growth across New York City vendor stalls, each climbing off a small base into a more substantial category.

San Francisco’s markets, by contrast, lean Asian-influenced: kimchi is a genuine staple (with thousands of units sold in the most recent year, up 84% over five years), whereas it’s still an emerging category in New York. Tofu and almond products round out SF’s specialty. Interestingly, “almond” products are dominated by baked goods on both coasts – specifically almond croissants – but at different scales. San Francisco vendors sold over 88,000 almond croissants in the most recent year, about ten times New York’s volume.

One category is thriving in both cities: vegan products. New York vegan item sales are up roughly 424% over five years (largely driven by prepared sauces like vegan vodka sauce and vegan pesto), while SF’s vegan category has grown about 189% over the same period. Whatever the local interpretation, plant-based prepared foods are clearly a growth category for farmers market vendors in both cities.

A few more worthwhile trends we observed:

• Hot sauce had strong growth in both markets: SF is +2,160% from a menial base to a thriving category, while NYC hot sauce is up +951%
• Dried goods are exploding in SF: +3,348% YoY dominated by freeze-dried packs and dried mafaldine pasta, but declining in NYC, where the preference has been for dried flowers including lavender
• Kombucha has taken hold in NYC, with product sales +416% over 5 years and +94% growth YoY
• Pickles and pickled products show consistent, double-digit growth in both SF and NYC

This summer’s standout: a leafy green boom at NYC markets

The biggest story in this year’s data is what’s happening with greens and herbs at New York’s farmers markets. Nearly every leafy green and herb category grew in June–July 2026 compared to every June-July of prior years on record, pushing total greens and herb units from roughly 17,000 in 2021 to about 36,000 this summer – a 112% increase over five years.

Kale is the standout comeback story: after declining steadily from 2021 through 2024, it surged 89% year-over-year and is up 183% over five years, making it the primary green behind the broader “lettuce” product term. Basil more than doubled year-over-year (+103%) and is up 122% over five years – the strongest herb growth in the dataset. Lettuce remains the dominant category by volume (15,820 units this summer) and the steady #1 seller every year, but still climbed at a healthy 27% year-over-year. Cilantro quietly doubled over five years and then jumped 68% year-over-year, while generic “Greens” posted the highest percentage growth in the dataset (+173% year-over-year, +444% over five years), albeit from a smaller base.

A possible link to this summer’s food safety headlines

The timing of this surge is worth noting as occuring in tandem with a multistate parasite outbreak linked to recalled iceberg lettuce. It’s plausible that some of what’s showing up at New York’s farmers markets this summer reflects shoppers who are wary of bagged, industrially-sourced greens. Perhaps they are now in greater numbers turning to vendors they know and trust for their produce – opting for cilantro, kale, and basil in a canvas tote, rather than of a bag of lettuce from the supermarket.

That said, we must acknowledge what the data can and can’t directly show. “Lettuce” is a broad term at farmers markets that often includes iceberg, the variety being nationally recalled. However, Square findings suggest a broader shift toward specialty greens over the past five years. In 2026, this may be partly accelerated by ongoing health concerns and partly a continuation of a local produce trend that was already building before this summer. Both forces are plausibly at play.

What this means heading into Farmers Market Week

Whatever the exact mix of causes, the direction is clear: New York shoppers are buying meaningfully more fresh greens and herbs from farmers market vendors this summer than in prior years, at a moment when food origins are front of mind. San Francisco’s market, meanwhile, continues to thrive around its own strengths: kimchi, tofu, almond croissants, and a fast-growing vegan lineup. Both are useful reminders, heading into National Farmers Market Week, that “local” doesn’t look the same everywhere, but it’s growing coast to coast.

Methodology: Figures reflect item-level sales data from Square vendors at farmers markets in New York and San Francisco. Greens and herbs figures reflect the June–July window each year, 2021–2026. Broader category figures reflect rolling 12-month windows (July–June) over a five-year period, 2021–2026. All figures reflect Square sellers only and are not a total-market estimate.