Photos by Bowerbird Photography

It wasn't too long ago that shopping locally meant hitting up your neighborhood Safeway. But seemingly overnight (in retrospect), farmers markets sprung up like healthy tomato plants. A weekend doesn't go by during which I don't see someone toting their re-usable canvas bag down the street to fill up with fresh produce from local growers.

This is just one sign of a big revolution that is happening in the food world. Having visited night markets across the globe, from Taiwan to Morocco, I've always wondered when the States would figure out their own version of these late-night-snack shindigs. Lo and behold, this weekend night markets hit our soil. The Street Food Festival hosted its first night market to eager eaters on Friday the 17th at the Alemany Farmers' Market. The happily matched location housed live music, dancers, hot toddies (a useful weapon for battling the chilly evening fog) and of course, delicious street food. Night markets often highlight grilled meats and one-bite-wonders for foodies who want a little taste of it all. This night was no different, with a food-filled dream of delicious dumplings, tiny tacos, and pork sandwiches sprinkled with chicharones. The greasier, the better, thank you very much!