Napa Valley is blessed with some of the best farmers markets in California, the bounty of which spills over into almost every month of the year.

The Calistoga Farmers Market is open year-round every Saturday from 9:00am–1:00pm. In addition to its abundance of seasonal, regionally grown fruits and vegetables, the Calistoga market also offers a wealth of delicious and ready-to-take-home food products. Food purveyor Santa Rosa Seafood Company has an incredible array of options, which include cioppino and clam chowder, cooked Dungeness crab and chunk crab meat, smoked salmon and steamed octopus, wasabi tuna salad, and their ever-popular crab cakes. All of this is in addition to their ultra-fresh fish and seafood. Consider pairing one of these seafood options with fresh-made focaccia from Farruggia Baking Company or a perfect loaf of organic sourdough bread from West Won Bakery. Round this out with a salad of sliced heirloom tomatoes and Italian red onion slivers drizzled with local olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and the meal is complete. For dessert, indulge in exotic chocolates with peach cardamom and lemon hazelnut fillings from Katryana Zide Chocolates. These chocolates are as beautiful as they are delicious and provide the perfect ending when paired with premium organic teas from Napa Valley Tea Company. // 1311 Washington Street in Calistoga // www.calistogafarmersmarket.org

West Won Bread

Just down the road, tucked between vineyards and shady Crane Park, is the St. Helena Farmers Market. This market is open on Fridays from 7:30am to noon from May through October. Especially delicious are the sausages, salumi, patés, and specialty prepared meats from Woodlands Charcuterie. Proprietor Thibault Dottie’s French roots come through in his handcrafted products, with recipes passed down from his father’s shop in Paris and with more contemporary variations created by Dottie himself. Popular are his many sausages – bratwurst, calabrese, rabbit boudin blanc, Italian, and more. He also offers classic salumi such as brandy smoked ham, saucisson sec and mortadella, traditional pork and duck liver patés, and specialty prepared meats such as crown pork roast, duck leg confit, porchetta, and stuffed Guinea hens—A foodie’s delight.

The St. Helena market is well-known for its breakfast fare, which is substantial. Ray Ray’s breakfast tacos are the most popular and come in four or five variations each week. If one has a craving for pastries, Patisserie Angelica, West Won Bread, and Naysayer Coffee have all bases covered. As one might imagine, Patisserie Angelica has exquisite French pastries, including, of course, the perfect croissant, as well as traditional quiches and cakes. West Won has the valley’s best scones, puff pastry danishes, cinnamon rolls, and more. Also among the breakfast fare, but great for lunch, are the bagels and bagel sandwiches at Toasted, which has every imaginable topping – cream cheese schmears, lox, capers, and every manner of vegetable. And there is always a wide assortment of their hand-rolled bagels, from the popular everything bagels to pumpernickel to poppyseed and sesame.

Other great prepared foods in St. Helena are the Pakistani delectables at Roti Hayward, which include stuffed roti and naan, samosas, pastes and pickles, and a wide assortment of dips and traditional entrées. Natalia’s Dacha features Ukrainian specialties, whose flavors vary seasonally but include sweet and savory variations on pierogi and crepes. They also carry traditional soups like beet borscht and rich quiches. Yolanda Tierrafri of Mi Fiesta is a favorite, long-standing vendor among the booths in St. Helena–her cheerful smile and incredible made-from-scratch Mexican standards are irresistible. Mi Fiesta offers a variety of meat and vegetarian tamales, enchiladas, and chile rellenos, with homemade tortilla chips and a variety of fresh-made salsas.

Naysayer Coffee

When heading back to the parking lot, many find it difficult to pass up the wood-oven-roasted pizzas emanating from Effren Barrero’s Cheese & Crust booth. Don’t walk by imagining there’s no time to wait—these pies fly out of the oven at lightning speed. As the pizza cooks, cross the aisle to pick a delicious, fresh, organic juice from Fruit Tree. All of their exceptional juices pair perfectly with Barrero’s pizzas.

NOTE: Many of the St. Helena vendors continue pedaling their wares on the off months at the nearby Long Meadow Ranch Farmers Market, which is open every Friday from 8:00 am–noon, November through April. // 360 Crane Ave., St. Helena // www.sthelenafarmersmarket.org

The Napa Farmers Market is the largest in the county and a model for markets throughout the state with its widespread support from and for the community and exceptional offerings that draw visitors from all over the Bay Area. Offerings in the prepared foods arena are exceptionally substantial. This market is open on Saturdays from 8:00am to noon year-round. This market is also open on Tuesdays during the same timeframe from April through December.

Breakfast options at the Napa market are vast. Start by choosing one of the many gourmet coffee and espresso drinks available at Naysayer Coffee or Ohm Coffee Roasters. Especially enjoyable in the morning in the food realm are the hearty and healthy breakfast sandwiches emanating from Earth’s Bounty, which is owned by popular, local Gen-Z guy, Quintin Miller. Their multi-grain bread is exceptional, as are all the fresh ingredients in between. Toasted has a booth at this market, in addition to the one in St. Helena, and its popularity is evident by its ever-growing line of customers once the market is in full swing. If you’re looking for something really special and savory (or sweet) to go with your smoothie from Green Smoothie or juice from Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade, consider crepes or croque monsieur sandwiches from Delicieuses Crepes or French Corner. Great cinnamon rolls can be found at Rollz Baking and assorted pastries at Moulin Bakery and West Won Bread. For the health-conscious, grab one of the super creamy, full-fat yogurts from Frenchy Gourmet—try the lemon, sour cherry, mixed berry, and fig flavors. For those looking for a UK twist to their morning nourishment, swing by Bailey’s Best English Sausage Rolls for what else…. English sausage rolls.

For those looking to incorporate all that excellent fresh produce into the day’s lunch, additional provisions might include Mediterranean accouterments from Greek Table, The Hummus Guy, and JuJu’s Mediterranean Kitchen. Be sure to pick up some hummus, olives, baba ghanoush, falafel, dolma, tabouleh, and fresh pita for the ultimate spread.

Wow Wow Lemonade

Other great lunch and dinner options from the Napa market include classic Sicilian fare from Chef Andrea, ravioli and chicken marsala from Italian Corner, and fresh-made pasta and lasagna from Pasta Poetry. Fusion 2 Go has all types of dim sum and noodle dishes, and Sushi Monkey is at-the-ready to assemble custom sushi rolls. Exceptional vendors among those serving lunch and dinner items are Roadside Rotisserie and Southern Stoke BBQ. Southern Stoke is serving up BBQ brisket sandwiches, and pork belly burnt ends with an assortment of southern sides. At the same time, Roadside Rotisserie offers some of the best roasted chicken in the region, plus spare ribs, and bacon-wrapped pork loin, all done on the rotisserie.

Make the weekend’s cooking (or should that be “provisions assembling”) a breeze by incorporating these fresh and nutritious prepared foods into your farmers market shopping. The markets are a great place to get the region’s freshest, highest quality food goods. Also enjoyable is rubbing elbows with neighbors and meeting face-to-face with the hardworking people who put the food on our tables. // 1100 West Street, Napa // www.napafarmersmarket.org