BLOG: Braamies market culture

While some food markets are famous for the food, Neighbourgoods Market seems to be famous for its culture.

Don’t get me wrong, the food stalls served some of the best food I’d ever tasted, but it seems to me the venue is more of a socialising with friends and taking #neighbourgoods selfies kind of space.

Having spent most of my early years living up in Witbank, Mpumalanga, fresh food markets were the norm for me.

I remember how my parents would wake my brother and I early on a Saturday, and dress us up warmly before heading out to the market.

The concept was simple – we went to the market to get food. We arrived early so we could get the freshest veggies, and we’d stay on so mom could get discounts on the products the farmers had left over in the afternoon.

However, from what I’d heard, my farm food market experience would do me no good at the popular inner-city spot.

On the farms we were always sure of parking, fresh air, a place to sit, and the assurance that no one cared what you wore – but rather how big your van was because that determined how much you could carry back home.

One would think with my history of food markets, I would have been the first one there Saturday morning right? Wrong!

I spent more time worrying about what I’d wear because I didn’t want to stick out like the former farm girl I am.

Arriving on Juta Street on a Saturday morning was nothing like arriving at a Witbank market.

I must have spent about 15 long and frustrating minutes looking for parking – which I found a block away from my destination –but this did not dampen the mood as I was much too captured by how busy and colourful the streets were to allow the frustration stick.

Making my way to the market, one thing was clear, fashion was numero uno and I was quite happy that I had spent all the time I had to make sure I looked the part.

The narrow entrance on Juta resembled a fashion runway with the eclectic crowds boasting their head wraps, vintage sunglasses, crop tops, bohemian skirts, suspenders, leather jackets, combat boots, leggings, shirts tied around the waist and of course high waisted everything.

I couldn’t help but get excited by the buzz and the delicious aromas coming from inside as I walked up the ramp.

Adding to the many people who had filled the underground first floor, I found it was almost impossible to find a place to sit, and the long queues at the food stalls couldn’t be avoided.

I wasn’t too surprised, though, as the market had gained a reputation for drawing the fahionistas and food fundies in their numbers.

Not necessarily a bad thing – but at this point I was kicking myself for not having arrived earlier.

I was spoiled for choice with the spread of food which varied from deliciously crumbed chicken, spicy tortillas, freshly made pizzas and waffles, and biltong.

As great as the place, the people, and the food is, it doesn’t seem as though much changes from week to week, so if you’ve done it once you may not be in much of a rush to return the next week.

Despite the evident differences between this place and my childhood farm market, I have to admit, I really did enjoy the sense of inner-city culture and vibe that was in the air, just as much as I loved the food, the sampling and socialising.

Oh, and before I forget… the absolute best part of my Neighbourgoods Market experience was discovering I didn’t have to carry cash, all I had to have was SnapScan.

SnapScan is an electronic application that allows customers and merchants to complete transactions by scanning a QR code on a customer’s smartphone and confirming it with an SMS sent to the merchant.