Findlay Market is the place locals shop and a good place to understand Cincinnati. It sits at 1801 Race Street, at the northern end of Over-the-Rhine, where the market house has stood since the nineteenth century, and it is open six days a week. Inside the cast-iron market house and in the sheds around it are meat counters, bakeries, produce sellers, coffee roasters, cheese, spice shops and prepared food, and on weekends the Farm Shed adds a year-round farmers market. Browsing is free, and most visitors end up buying something to eat on the spot, which makes it a lunch destination as well as a sight. If you want a guided taste of the market, the streetcar food tour described elsewhere on this site starts here, but you can also just walk in.
Hours and closing day
The market house is open Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 6pm, Saturday from 8am to 6pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. It is closed on Mondays. The Farm Shed farmers market runs year-round on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm and Sundays from 10am to 2pm. Holiday hours differ, and the market publishes a holiday hours sheet on its hours page, so look at it before a trip around Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year.
Getting there
The market is at the top of the streetcar line, a short walk from the Findlay Market stop, which means you can ride the free streetcar from The Banks or downtown, shop for lunch, and ride back. If you drive, the area has street parking and lots, but they fill on Saturdays, when the market is at its liveliest.
How to visit
There is no ticket and no entrance fee. Go hungry, walk the aisles once before buying, and then pick from the prepared food stands for a market lunch. Saturday is the most atmospheric day, with the farmers market, the bakers and the crowds, while a weekday morning is calmer if you want to talk to the merchants. Sunday is the shortest day, so arrive early and allow time to eat. Bring a bag for market purchases, and consider buying local specialties such as goetta, the breakfast sausage of the region, as souvenirs.
Combining it with other stops
The surrounding blocks of Over-the-Rhine have bars, restaurants and shops, and the Hidden Brewery Caverns Tour and Music Hall are in the same district. For a structured version of the market, the streetcar and Findlay Market food tour covers six stops and a ride through the neighborhood. If you are staying downtown, the market works well as a morning outing before the afternoon at the Freedom Center or the Museum Center. Be aware that Monday visitors will find it closed, so move it to Tuesday or later in the week.
If you are building a food day, a sensible order is to arrive on a Saturday around opening, walk the farmers market in the Farm Shed first, then the market house, and eat late morning before the biggest crowds arrive. Vegetarians and travellers with dietary needs can usually find something among the produce, bakery and prepared food stands, and the merchants are used to questions about ingredients. After lunch, the streetcar back downtown takes only a few minutes, or you can wander the nearby Over-the-Rhine blocks on foot.
What to expect
The experience
A free, self-guided browse through a market house and sheds with food stands, farmers market stalls and specialty shops.
Best time
Saturday morning for the full atmosphere, or a weekday morning for a quieter visit.
How long
One to two hours, longer if you eat there.
Tips
Remember it is closed on Mondays, bring a bag and an appetite, and check the holiday hours sheet around public holidays.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Food lovers and anyone who wants to see how Cincinnatians shop and eat.
- Families
- Free entry and plenty of snacks make it an easy stop with children.
- Couples
- A market lunch, then a streetcar ride back downtown.
- Pair with
- The Hidden Brewery Caverns Tour or the streetcar food tour.
- Time needed
- Two hours with lunch.
Good questions
Is Findlay Market free?+
Yes, there is no entrance fee. You pay only for the food and goods you buy.
What day is Findlay Market closed?+
Mondays. It is open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm.
When is the farmers market?+
The Farm Shed farmers market runs year-round on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm and Sundays from 10am to 2pm.
Where is Findlay Market?+
At 1801 Race Street, at the northern end of Over-the-Rhine, near the end of the streetcar line.
Is there a guided tour of the market?+
Yes, a streetcar and Findlay Market food tour is described elsewhere on this site, though walking in on your own is free.
