North Central Washington is the perfect place to picnic. Whether you’re looking for an excuse to be outside in the late spring, a reason to park under a tree for the afternoon during the warm summer days, or want to wander under the changing leaves in the fall, there’s no reason not to explore the best that the Wenatchee area has to offer.There’s no limit to the kinds of foods you can take on a picnic, but we’re going talk about European style picnic goodies, and the best place to find them in Wenatchee: Pybus Market.For more than five years, Pybus has acted as a gathering place on the Columbia River, below downtown Wenatchee. This large, high-ceilinged building has a number of businesses worth visiting, including a butcher shop, restaurants, coffee shops and much more. Best of all, fares also includes a number of specialty shops, with goodies that are perfect for the picnic basket.For your picnic to be a success, remember to bring the essentials with you: a blanket to sit on if you’re going to sit in the grass, a knife, cutting board and utensils.

Cheeses: Pybus Cheese ShopGet as little or as much cheese as you want to take on your picnic from the Pybus Cheese Shop. They have a broad range of specialty and more common cheeses for you to choose from, including local goat cheese, smoked cheeses and more.

Cured Meats: FireFire and Ice are two adjacent businesses in Pybus that are both affiliated with Viscontis, a well-known Italian restaurant with locations in both Wenatchee and Leavenworth. Viscontis owns Cured, which features quality cured meats like prosciutto and salami. Although the main Cured location is in Leavenworth, Fire in Wenatchee also stocks their cured meats. All you have to do is ask.

BaguettesNo European-style picnic is complete with fresh bread. Columbia Café sells fresh-made baguettes that you can slather with olive oil, cheese and meats. They also make sandwiches if you’d prefer to order something pre-made to go.

D’OlivoStop by Oil and Vinegar to grab a specialty oil to drizzle on your baguette, or, alternatively, over tomatoes or other veggies. They also have a collection of beautiful baskets if you’re still in need of a picnic basket for your lunch.

Fresh ProduceRoyal Produce in Pybus Market keeps a huge variety of fresh local fruits and vegetables that are the perfect accompaniment for your meal.

Bonus: The Farmer’s MarketThinking about a Saturday picnic? Head down to Pybus beforehand and check out the Wenatchee Valley Farmer’s Market that’s set up in the parking lot outside. Get freshly picked local fruits and vegetables, including cherries, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, apples, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. Depending on the weekend, you might also be able to snag homemade cupcakes, roasted peanuts, or other great ingredients.The Farmers Market runs May to December on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.Flavor Combination IdeasLooking for some great flavor and ingredient combinations? Try some of these that use the best Pybus has to offer:

• Nectarine slices with Sunny Pine Farms Honey Lavender Chevre
• Granny smith or Fuji apples with sharp cheddar cheese
• Sliced salami with sliced cucumber and horseradish root
• Blue cheese with pear slices
• Baguette with sliced tomatoes, olive oil and sea salt
• Baguette with cheese, prosciutto and pickles

Need some ideas of where to go to picnic? Click here.