Larry’s Produce – Fairfield, California

Fairfield, California isn’t known for its restaurant offerings especially for those of us who like to eat and drink something other than bad chain restaurants or fast food (with the exception of our favorite The Napa Deli). The Jelly Belly Factory and the Budweiser tour are the city’s big claim to fame. There are some great wineries there too, but most people haven’t heard of them. Vezer Family Vineyards, GV Cellars, Wooden Valley Winery, and Backroads Vines are the main contenders to visit. When it comes to food though, Fairfield for the most part is a desert.

The one bright spot is Larry’s Produce. This place is absolutely amazing. Here you can buy farm fresh fruit and vegetables every single day of the week without having to go to a special “Farmers Market”. People from miles around go to Larry’s to get the freshest and best quality produce at great prices.

I visited Larry’s the other day and I was reminded of just how awesome the place is. I bought Heirloom tomatoes for under $1.00 a pound. Compare that to the grocery store at over $3.99; you see what a bargain it is. Another deal is avocados; they have crazy good prices on those. I could go on and on but you get the picture.

Larry’s is open from June until the end of December. In October, they turn their stand into a pumpkin patch with bales of hay, mazes, and fun for the kids. At the end of November, they start selling Christmas trees. This place is part of our holiday traditions.

One of the fun things about Larry’s is that you buy your produce in a wheelbarrow. You get that farm experience as if you have just harvested it yourself. I think they realized that people come and get large amounts of produce and needed a good way to cart it around. I think they now have small push basket carts too.

I brought my girlfriend April (the healthy one who does all of those great homemaker things like canning and baking – everyone should have a friend like this) to Larry’s on one of her recent visits and her mouth hung open. I thought she was going to lose her mind with all the beautiful choices. She bought loads. Thank God, she has a SUV; she really needed it.

Here is a tip for you: If you are going to visit, do so right when it opens at 9 a.m. This place gets crazy busy and the best stuff gets picked over before the end of the day. It also gets very hot, so visiting before that is a good idea. Larry’s Produce is a cash only business. They do have an ATM there, but remember to bring your cash to avoid ATM fees.

While you are there, do stop by any of the Suisun Valley wineries and have a glass of wine or two. That way you can say with hand on heart that you came to Fairfield to enjoy all the fruits it has to offer. You don’t have to say that some of those fruits have been fermented. Shhh I won’t tell if you don’t.