A Guide to the Best Guernsey Markets

Home to a wonderful array of fresh fruit, vegetables, fruity jams, spiced chutneys and other artisanal produce, landing on Guernsey can feel a little like walking into Eden’s pantry. And to celebrate the island’s fruitfulness (alongside the islanders’ foodie ingenuity), food markets pop up like molehills – everywhere! If you fancy trying some of the local produce, or simply want to tease your taste-buds while staying at the elegant Duke of Richmond or the island’s first and only five-star hotel The Old Government House, take a look at our guide to the best Guernsey markets and food festivals.

1.Farmer & Fisherman’s Market
9am-12pm, every Saturday
St Martins Community Centre

With a long history and an unbeatable pedigree, the Farmer & Fisherman’s market is considered the best of the island’s fresh food markets. Browse stalls selling Sark lamb, homemade pies and fresh-off-the-boat crab and lobster or go leafy with local salad crops, herbs and mushrooms. Whatever food you’re after, stall-hopping at this foodie fair is a must.

2.Castel Parish Farmers Market
9am-12pm, fortnightly Saturdays
Le Friquet Garden and Lifestyle Centre

Selling foodstuffs that include meat, veg, fish and homemade Guernsey gâche, Castel Parish Farmers Market also flirts with the sweeter side of life, with a range of local ice creams and cakes. Perhaps its strongest suit, however, is that most quintessential of Guernsey dishes, the Guernsey Bear Jar (a cassoulet-style bean stew).

3.The Normandie Markets
9am-5.30pm, TBC
St Peter Port Town Centre

Crossing the English Channel (or ‘la Manche’ – the sleeve, as the French prefer to call it), the Normandie Markets usually make their way to Guernsey at the end of spring and summer each year. Selling all the items they’re famous for, from crepes to cashmere, from pottery to cider, St Peter Port hums with the sounds of a good Anglo-French haggle, when the best of Normandy rocks up to do business.

4.Seafront Sunday with Taste Guernsey
All Day, 11 May, 11 June, 6 August, 20 August 2017
St Peter Port Town Centre

With the brighter, warmer weather of summer comes the pedestrianisation of the entire St Peter Port seafront, which counts as excellent news for markets such as Seafront Sunday. Hosting all sorts of activities, from cookery demonstrations to free tastings, locals and visitors mingle and indulge in some al fresco dining before promenading along one of Britain’s prettiest harbours.

5.Guernsey International Food Festival
All Day, 14-24 September 2017
Island-Wide

Hosting everything from buzzing cocktail bars to live shows (in which audience members are selected to contribute) The Guernsey International Food Festival has taken the island by storm. Now in its third year, its animated cooking demonstrations, unusual overseas cuisines and generous helpings, mean it’s popularly considered a first class introduction to global food for both islanders and visitors.

6.The Tennerfest
October-Mid November
Island-Wide

The Channel Islands’ fixed price food promotion, The Tennerfest, does what it says on the tin and reduces the menus of over 170 participating restaurants to price bands of £10, £12.50, £15, £17.50 and £20 options. This guarantees that gourmands of every budget can splash out on their favourite foods, or on dishes they’re yet to try.