The Westside Market of Cleveland, Ohio is a place that is great for the whole family. It has something for everyone, but is also a unique experience to recognize the long history that Cleveland has to offer. It is located over the river, on the Westside of the Cuyahoga River, and is a short drive from downtown.
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We had a chance to go and check out the West Side Market of Cleveland, which we always like to see and smell local foods and goods. The Westside Market dates back to the 1840s and is Cleveland’s oldest owned market by and for the public. It began as an open marketplace but has grown into its current recognizable brick and stone building. The center of the market was designed by architects Benjamin Hubbel and W. Dominick Benes who also designed the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Wade Memorial Chapel in the Lakeview Cemetery. The market’s 137 foot clock tower has been recognized as a Cleveland landmark for almost a century.
The market currently has a 100 vendors creating diversity of ethnic foods and goods which range from fresh vegetables, a wide assortment of fine meats, local and fresh seafood, baked goods, dairy and cheese products, and other foods to be found. The market draws world travelers and tourists and has been featured in T.V. shows on the Travel Channel and Food Network. A 2011 estimate puts visitors at over a million.
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Being avid fans of farmers markets and outdoor markets and any market that offers local foods and things you cannot find in a big box store, it was a neat experience and made us jealous that we do not have something like this in our city. If we were spending more time in Cleveland, the Westside market would offer a lot of choices for foods to eat and cook and would be a great way to experience the wide array of diversity that Cleveland as a whole has to offer. Click here for directions and hours.
Even if you’re looking for just a small snack, or something to take home, the Westside Market is a great place not only for foods, but also for something to do and somewhere to take the kids. The little ones will enjoy the experience of what life was like before supermarkets, and how foods have been prepared and created by individuals and families for many generations and us older ones will enjoy it all!
 
For more information on the market checkout the Cleveland Westside Market website.
What a neat experience! Such a beautiful building. How I would love a place like this wherer I live too.
The West Side Market is one of my favorite places in Cleveland.We like shopping for fruits and vegetables right before closing time when they are practically giving stuff away