Hidden Gem: Mangini Farms Fruit and Vegetable Stand

There's a scenic spot on Pleasant Hill Road that looks like a patch of farmland planted alongside a busy street. A field of sunflowers reaches skyward alongside an old windmill, and a green and yellow sign for "corn" decorates the front of a seasonal fruit and vegetable stand.

This is the Mangini Farms local produce market, which is open throughout the summer from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Locals privy to the secret of Pleasant Hill's mini-farm call it a "gem" on Yelp.com, saying that Mangini's has "the most delicious corn on the cob" and "excellent local produce."

Fruits and vegetables for sale include tomatoes for $2 a pound or heirloom tomatoes for $4 a pound, plums and peaches for $2 a pound, bell peppers for $1 to $1.40 a pound, cucumbers for $1.50 a pound, basil for $2 a bunch, corn at three for $1, melons for $2 to $2.50 each, onions for 75 cents per pound and watermelon for 40 cents a pound, among other fresh fare.

The little farm is owned by Louis Mangini and has been in the Mangini family since 1899, when Louis' father, Mario Mangini, borrowed enough money from his brother to buy the 32-acre Pleasant Hill farm at an auction, according to an old article in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Now, the farm offers a slice of Pleasant Hill history, reminiscent of the city's humble roots as a small agricultural community.

The Mangini produce stand is located at 2498 Pleasant Hill Road by Pleasant View Drive and will be open until fall.

Have you shopped at the Mangini Farms seasonal stand? How long have you been going there? Share your experience and memories in the comments.