Kaiser-Josef-Market
The largest farmers market in Graz.
Behind the opera house, Kaiser-Josef-Platz square is home to the largest farmers market in Graz.
Even before the sun comes up over the famous tiled roofs of Graz, its farmers’ markets are in full swing. The huge number of farmers in the region (350 in Graz alone) fill their market stalls with wares picked just hours beforehand. It doesn’t get much fresher than that!
Opening hours:
Mon - Sat, 6 am - 1 pm (closed on Sunday and public holidays!)
Good to know
The Kaiser-Josef Market is the largest farmers’ market in Graz and one of the city’s most popular culinary hotspots. Located directly behind the Graz Opera House, it offers visitors the chance to experience the culinary diversity of Styria through fresh products sourced directly from regional producers. Anyone wishing to discover Graz as the Foodie Capital of Austria should not miss a visit to the Kaiser-Josef Market.
At the Kaiser-Josef Market, you can find many typical Styrian specialties, including pumpkin seed oil, Styrian beans (Käferbohnen), Styrian apples, farmhouse bread, bacon, smoked meats and homemade pastries. Many of the products come directly from regional farms and are sold without long transport routes.
The Kaiser-Josef Market is located at Kaiser-Josef-Platz in the centre of Graz, right next to the Graz Opera House and close to the Heilandskirche. Thanks to its central location, a visit to the market can easily be combined with a walk through the UNESCO World Heritage city centre of Graz.
The Kaiser-Josef Market is open Monday to Saturday from 6 am to 1 pm. The market is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Visitors looking for the widest selection of products should plan their visit in the morning.
The Kaiser-Josef Market brings together regional products, traditional specialties and Styrian food culture in one place. Fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat products, flowers and seasonal produce make it a popular meeting place for both locals and visitors. For anyone seeking authentic culinary experiences, the market is one of the highlights of Graz.
Details
What originally was called Holzmarktplatz (wood market square) was renamed Kaiser-Josef-Platz in the 19th century. In gratefulness to the emperor who had granted religious freedom to the Protestants. The first Protestant praying room installed in Graz after the Edict of Tolerance had been issued was also built in this square. It is today's Heilandskirche.
But Graz people rather associate Kaiser-Josef-Platz with culinary delights, with typically Styrian specialities offered in this square by the farmers every day. Much of the produce is organically grown. Or/and has a special tradition in Styria: Käferbohnen (scarlet runner beans), apples and, of course, pumpkin-seed oil.
Buy it directly from the farmer, and you will get the best quality. He needs 30-35 pumpkins, has to take out the seed, dry and grind it, heat it with little water and then press this dough in the "Ölkuh" (oil cow) to get one litre of the dark gold. Pumpkin-seed oil is ideal for salads. But Styrians are inventive and enjoy the oil in different variations, even with vanilla ice-cream.
While nearly 90% of the Austrian pumpkins are grown in Styria, the percentage for apples is nearly 80%. On the farmers' market you will not only find international varieties but increasingly the old aromatic local ones, such as Kronprinz Rudolf, Schafnase, or Ilzer Rose.
Homemade farmer's bread, bacon and smoked sausages, homemade cakes, fresh flowers, even lovingly raised seedlings from the farmer's garden. Thus the "townies" can harvest their own tomatoes on the balcony.
By the way: The farmers' market is not the right thing for late risers. According to the market regulations, the stalls must be closed by 1 pm. On Sundays the farmers do not come at al.
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