How to Get to the Balcony at the West Side Market (A Photo Tutorial)

Despite the large numbers of people at the West Side Market, no one really seems to go up to the balcony. On a Saturday you might find one or two random hipsters up there, but on a weekday it's a lonely place. Perhaps it's because the balcony entrance isn't well marked; perhaps it's because people who like fresh food also have a fear of heights.

 

Either way, the balcony is a lovely place to sit and dig into those fresh plums you've just bought. When I had an internship in the flats one summer, I would walk up to the West Side Market for lunch and sit up here with my headphones blasting Broken Social Scene and contemplate the busy people scurrying below.

  So, step one: find "Classic Seafood", right underneath the balcony. Face the balcony. Walk to the left hand corner where the coffee shop and the crepe shop are.

Next step, find this door.  It's between the seafood place and the coffee place. Then turn another left and you'll see this door:

Go in. Go up the stairs. The door to the balcony should be propped open, on your right. Enjoy!

The West Side Market: Cleveland's First Stop for Foodies

 The West Side Market is the premier tourist attraction for those who are delighted by produce, amused by fresh meat, curious about imported jellies and jams, and attracted to fresh breads.

Their hours are Monday and Wednesday 7am-4pm; Fri-Sat 7am-6pm. Find it at the corner of Lorain and West 25th St. There IS parking for the West Side Market: find the designated lot on Lorain between the Market itself and the bridge. If you end up crossing the bridge into downtown, you've gone too far.

  

Once in the market, find everything from crepes to fresh meat to spices and herbs. The fruits and vegetables are located in an arcade around the outside of the market.

          This is just an introductory post; I took lots more pictures. Just like you can't get through the West Side Market in a day, you can't fully blog the West Side Market in a day.