Zeke's Coffee in Baltimore: Farmers Market Stand and Neighborhood Fixture
Zeke's Coffee operates as a small-batch roastery and farmers market vendor, selling freshly roasted whole beans and brewed coffee at multiple Baltimore-area markets rather than maintaining a single storefront location.
What Zeke's Coffee actually is
Zeke's is a roaster-operator model: the business sources green beans, roasts them in-house, and sells directly to consumers at farmers markets across Baltimore. This structure eliminates the retail overhead of a café, which means lower prices than most sit-down coffee shops but also no seating or Wi-Fi. You order at a stand, not a counter. Most customers are market regulars or people running errands who want coffee while they shop for produce or other goods.
Coffee selection and pricing
Zeke's sells whole beans by the pound, with prices ranging from $14 to $18 per pound depending on the origin and roast level. Single cups of brewed coffee cost $3 to $4. The roastery typically offers three to four rotating single-origins alongside a house blend, changing seasonally. Recent offerings have included Ethiopian naturals and Brazilian naturals in the lighter roasts, with darker options for espresso drinks. Whole beans are ground to order if you ask. Verification note: specific offerings and pricing should be confirmed directly with the vendor, as the selection rotates weekly.
Where to find Zeke's and how it compares
Zeke's appears regularly at the Waverly Farmers Market (3100 block of North Calvert Street) on Saturdays year-round, typically from 8 a.m. to noon. The vendor also sets up at secondary markets during peak season. This makes Zeke's different from sit-down coffee shops like Ceremony Coffee Roasters or Bluestone Lane, which occupy fixed addresses in Federal Hill and Canton. Zeke's also differs from larger farmers market coffee vendors because it focuses exclusively on roasted beans rather than mixing in pastries or prepared breakfast items. If you want to taste coffee before buying a pound, or if you need a caffeine hit while shopping, Zeke's works. If you need a workspace, Wi-Fi, or food, you'll want Ceremony or a traditional café instead.
Who it suits and who it doesn't
Zeke's appeals to established coffee drinkers who already own a grinder and brewer and want to support a local roaster without paying café markups. Weekend farmers market shoppers who grab a cup while browsing produce find the brewed-coffee option convenient. People new to coffee or looking for milk-based specialty drinks (lattes, cappuccinos) should go elsewhere, as Zeke's does not make those. Those without a home brewing setup can buy whole beans and ask the vendor for recommendations on brewing method, but you will need equipment to use them.
What the first visit involves
Arrive at the Waverly Farmers Market on a Saturday morning and locate the Zeke's stand among the produce and prepared-food vendors. Ask to taste a sample of any bean you're considering; the vendor will offer tastes. If you want brewed coffee to drink immediately, order a single cup and specify black or ask about any milk options available (availability varies). If buying whole beans, tell the vendor your brewing method (pour-over, French press, espresso machine, drip coffee maker) and they will recommend a roast and grind size accordingly. Payment is cash or card.
Hours, location, and logistics
Zeke's operates primarily at the Waverly Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, 8 a.m. to noon, year-round. A secondary market location opens seasonally (spring through fall); confirm the current schedule by contacting the roastery directly or checking the Waverly market's vendor list online. Parking is street parking on North Calvert or nearby side streets; the market does not have a dedicated lot. Bring a reusable bag if buying beans in volume.
Zeke's Coffee fits into Baltimore's food landscape as a no-frills, direct-from-roaster option that rewards farmers market regulars and home coffee enthusiasts with freshness and price advantage over retail cafés.
