Winter might mean fewer locally grown fresh vegetables available for sale, but all the vendors who make local products and those who produce meat, dairy and eggs can still set us up, right?

Right, and now the St. Paul Farmers’ Market has a swanky new indoor spot to offer those vendors. We stopped by on its first Saturday to check things out.

The winter version of the market is on the lower level of the Market House Collaborative, in a wide corridor that even looks like a street, due to re-claimed antique streetlights soaring through to the floor above. Those streetlights originally were on the Robert Street Bridge, according to Collaborative owner Tim McKee.

The Collaborative, in the former Heartland Space just across from where the Farmers’ Market is held in the summer, is a great place for a winter market. For starters, you can grab a coffee and pastry at the new Salty Tart bakery and cafe, which occupies the corner spot of the hall, to sip and nibble while you shop. Or sit down for a proper breakfast, which chef Michelle Gayer is serving for the first time.

In addition, there are already two markets here you should know about if you don’t already — Almanac Fish and Peterson Meats. Beautiful fish and locally, sustainably produced meats displayed like art. Really. Check it out while you’re there, and maybe pick up some really fresh fish for dinner. We did, and we weren’t sorry.

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Neighborhood girl finds and returns chef Justin Sutherland’s stolen knife roll During the first week of the winter market, there were probably a dozen vendors set up on the lower level, from a juice-maker to cheese producers to jam sellers. The market folks say that as time goes on, more vendors will join the fun. That first day, there were also farmers selling meat and root vegetables across the street, but we assume as the air chills further, those vendors will move inside, making the whole thing seem more lively.

We picked up potatoes and eggs outside before moving back inside for an early lunch, because what might be the best part about these market Saturdays is that McKee has wisely partnered with an array of local restaurants to offer pop-up street food.

The first week, Parlour, which will be coming to St. Paul very soon, was offering its trademark, best-in-class burger. McKee and company were also grilling up some Peterson brats.

We found a spot at the bar and ordered one of each, and a delicious bloody Mary, which we deserved after all that shopping (another indoor market bonus).

Ordering was a little confusing for folks — we aren’t sure McKee was expecting the size of the crowd. If you didn’t find a spot at the bar, you had to wiggle your way in and get someone’s attention there to put your order in, and the bar itself seemed a bit understaffed.

Still, McKee is a pro, and we’re sure they’ll figure out a system that works better.

Speaking of future weeks, here’s a schedule of who will be popping into the kitchen o`n those Saturdays. The winter market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: