FRUITS OF LABOR

Pearl Farmers Market harvests Sundays for makers amid continued growth

The Makers Market is taking over Sunday shopping hours.

Courtesy of Pearl Farmers Market

Pearl Farmers Market, a staple of the mixed-use San Antonio development since its groundbreaking launch in 2009, has grown into such a flourishing success that it’s branching out with a new structure.

Just in time for its 12th anniversary on Saturday, May 15, Pearl Farmers Market, which hosts more than 50 local vendors at its weekend market events, will split its offerings across weekend days. The farmers market will continue to take place on Saturdays from 9 am-1 pm, while Sundays will be reserved for its Makers Market.

The change will allow the Makers Market to expand and add more local artisans and producers who create culinary-inspired wares. Beginning May 16, shoppers will have access to more than 40 Makers Market vendors every Sunday from 10 am-2 pm.

With the knowledge that fresh, local produce just tastes better, some 6,000 shoppers flock to Pearl Farmers Market every week, where they can purchase produce from vendors who grow within a 150-mile radius of San Antonio.

And word seems to be sprouting up about the market elsewhere, even outside of Texas. USA Today recently noted that the farm-to-table movement has grown so popular in the U.S. that there are now more than 8,600 registered farmer markets in the country. The publication planted Pearl Farmers Market at the No. 5 spot on its nationwide list of Best Farmers Markets in 2021, making it the only Texas famers market to be ranked.

It was a welcome shout-out for the market, whose many producers have suffered recent setbacks thanks to the pandemic and the February winter storm that devastated many Texas crops.

“After such a trying year with the pandemic and the winter storm that threatened so many of our region’s producers, we are thrilled with the national recognition placing us in the top five for U.S. farmers markets,” says chief marketing officer Elizabeth Fauerso. “Pearl’s weekend markets have grown tremendously over the last dozen years. As part of our market’s evolution, we are creating a new structure that features Farmers Market on Saturdays and Makers Market on Sundays.”

As part of its 12th anniversary celebration, Pearl Farmers Market will be serving up some complimentary cupcakes to market shoppers on Saturday, May 15, while those tasty desserts last.

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Green Light

Healthy-casual Dallas restaurant makes San Antonio debut on Broadway

Bellagreen/Instagram

Bellagreen is now in San Antonio for the first time.

A fast-casual restaurant from Dallas called Bellagreen has sprouted in San Antonio, as of Tuesday, November 12.

The mini-chain's first San Antonio location is at 1900 Broadway St., Ste. 112, and it's giving out a couple of freebies to get things going on opening day. Customers on Tuesday will all get a free craft soda or tea with their meal. Active military and veterans will also receive 15 percent off, but that's a daily policy throughout the year.

Bellagreen is known for its healthy image, which comes from scratch-made dishes and a generally light menu featuring lots of salads, a strong veggie presence, and a protein lean toward poultry and fish. Rotating seasonal menus keep things fresh.

“The decision to open Bella here was easy," said San Antonio location co-investors Sameer Mumtaz and Mark Huffstutler in a press release. Mumtaz continued, "San Antonio shares our values of family and good, wholesome, quality food.”

With nine locations across Texas, much of its popularity also comes from an ease of catering to different diets and preferences, from brunch (with $10 mimosa carafes) through dinner. Many meals are customizable and can accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, high-protein, and other needs.

“We’ve wanted to bring Bellagreen to Central Texas for years and finally found the perfect spot," said Huffstutler. "Downtown residents, employees and tourists have a wonderful new dining option, and we can immerse ourselves in San Antonio’s vibrant culture.”

The roughly 150-seat restaurant with a patio is located in a popular area for dining, a few blocks from the Pearl neighborhood and next to Nineteen Hyaku (for a very different kind of meal).

"We believe in living a balanced life, and our menu reflects that with delicious and abundant options,” said general Cristian Garcia in the release. “With made-for-you dishes, quick and friendly service and charitable ties, our guests can feel good about their dining choice.”

While the fall menu is in service, those charitable ties lead to Bexar Branches Alliance, an urban forestry nonprofit that will receive a portion of profits from those seasonal items. So far, according to the release, Bellagreen has donated more than 45,000 seedlings to the Texas Trees Foundation and Trees for Houston, the city where most of its locations are, even though it's based in Dallas.

Bellagreen is open weekdays from 11 am to 10 pm, and weekends from 10 am to 10 pm.