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| - West Side Market is the kind of gem that makes even the most cynical Cleveland ex-pats wonder how they could have taken such an amazing places for granted.
In all seriousness, very few cities have anything that even comes remotely close. Even among the "big cities" that seem to have every urban amenity, this is one area where Cleveland truly shines. This isn't one of those fashionable "markets" where you go to shop for cupcakes, expensive wine, and pots and pans (though WSM does have some of these things). No, this is the kind of market where you go to buy the freshest produce, freshest meat, fish, bread, pasta, spices, and other groceries.
Walking the isles, comparing prices and sampling different items actually makes this feel like a legitimate market. Everything is reasonably priced (note: this doesn't necessarily mean it's "cheap"). There doesn't yet seem to be the same "yuppie-premium" that farmers markets in other cities have developed.
This is a place that's stood the test of time - through Ohio City's rough years, all the way through the revitalization of West 25th and Lorain. It's the kind of place that I hope will be around forever; but that I also fear might not be.
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