Kansas City's City Market has operated continuously in the River Market district since 1857 — one of the longest-running public markets in the United States. The Saturday morning market is the main event: from 6am until mid-afternoon, dozens of vendors sell fresh produce, flowers, herbs, baked goods, honey, and prepared food from a mix of local farms and international vendors. The surrounding permanent stalls include several international grocery stores specializing in Asian, African, and Latin American ingredients.
The market square itself is a handsome open structure from the 1930s, surrounded by the 19th-century warehouse buildings of the River Market neighborhood. On warm days the surrounding streets and restaurant terraces fill up. Sunday brings a smaller but still worthwhile market. The international food court in the eastern section of the building, open seven days a week, is an excellent cheap lunch option — Vietnamese, Ethiopian, and Mexican food all represented at very low prices.