Ever since The Future Husband and I moved to Marrickville two years ago, the hype has been building. Sydney Morning Herald’s Domain section called it ‘The New Paddington’ and the property prices have soared accordingly. Unlike the Eastern suburbs, however, this ‘hood has grown increasingly more hippie with each passing month.

You can’t walk down Marrickville Rd without passing dreadlocked heads, chicks with arm tattoos, rainbow-clad children and rescue dogs attached to their Greens voting owners. In short, it is my kind of place.

When my dear friend Maggie knocked on the door this Sunday morning, I knew we were in for an adventure. We were heading off on a shopping mission to the Marrickville Organic Food and Grower’s Markets on Addison Rd.

With the poodlings in tow, we strolled up the road past jasmine-covered terraces and 1930’s worker’s huts, complete with Notices of Development on their front fences.

Upon entering the markets, you could easily be fooled into thinking you’re in Byron Bay. Tofu Burgers, ‘revolutionary’ coffee served strictly short or long by tattooed baristas and a proliferation of leafy vegetables burst forth from hessian stalls creating an atmosphere of riotous colour.

After weaving our way through the stalls and chatting to all the sellers, we eventually settled on a Venezualan Arepa as our first port of call. Corn flour fritters are sliced open and filled with a combination of shredded chicken, avocado, peas, corn, chilli and mayonnaise. Mmm … spicy-licious …

Next stop: Organic Earth Plate, a striking looking dish that is as much sculptural masterpiece as organic snack. The lady constructing these quinoa, pumpkin, hommous, beetroot and lettuce extravaganzas asked me to stop talking on my mobile because she doesn’t like phones. Umm, OK.  Having waited in line for half an hour to get one of her creations, I wasn’t going to take any chances (sorry Elly).

In a final stroke of good fortune, we got chatting to a cheery flower seller named Danny who works as a lawyer during the week. She was throwing together bouquets that absolutely knocked anything you see in florist shop out of the ballpark. Without any hesitation, I decided that this was the girl to do my wedding flowers so we organised it on the spot and now I have one less thing to worry about – huzzah!

The markets are on every Sunday 8.30am-3pm at the Addison Road Community Centre, 142 Addison Road Marrickville. Check out more info at www.organicfoodmarkets.com.au

Tell me, friendies, where are your favourite markets? And what do you love shopping for?