🛍️Mexico City: Our tips for shopping in local markets (mercados)

Local markets are a great place to find some snacks and souvenirs, and to see a traditional side of Mexican life. Here are our tips for exploring them.

You’ll find markets (mercados) in lots of Mexico City’s neighborhoods. They can be big enough fill a city block, and inside you might find everything from ripe avocados to whole fish to fresh flowers, and so much more.

Mercados are fun to explore, and while tourists have discovered them, they’re still places where you see how locals shop.

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Mercado Medellin entrance

Here are a few things to know about them.

• Don’t expect much English: You might find a vendor here or there who speaks English, but be prepared to do some translating.

• Vendors will talk to you: You’ll probably hear “buenos dias” or “buenas tardes” as you pass by, and they might tell you what they’re selling or ask you what you’re looking for. You can respond with “buenos dias” or “buenas tardes” and “no, gracias” if you’re just browsing.

• Not all vendors observe the same hours: The hours the market is open aren’t necessarily the hours that each stall and vendor is open. We’ve found that if you go close to opening or closing time, or on Sundays, some places might still be closed. It’s better to go in the middle of the day for the best variety.

• Look for “zones” if you’re trying to find something specific: Vendors who sell the same types of goods, like flowers, seafood, produce, or household items, are usually clustered together. Same goes for restaurants.

• Bring your own bags: Some vendors might offer them, but it’s good to have some on hand.

• Respect the “no fotos” signs: Obviously. We don’t see many of these requests in Mercado Medellín, but some vendors don’t want you taking photos of them or their merchandise.

🥘Go for a meal

Visit a mercado for a meal, or at least a drink. Mercados have restaurants where you can get a hearty and inexpensive meal.

They usually have a lot of egg options for breakfast, like huevos rancheros, huevos divorciados, and omelets, and lunches that include soup, rice, and a main course like mole with pollo or enchiladas.

Watermelon agua fresca, cream soup, rice with egg, mole with chicken

In Mercado Medellín, the market in our neighborhood, our favorite place for breakfast or lunch is Cocinas Juanita e Hijas near the entrance on Calle Coahuila. (Someone from a nearby juice stand will come by to take your drink order, it’s separate.) Moloch Cochinita Pibil is also very good.

If you’re not hungry, try an agua fresca or jugo verde from a juice stand.

(More about Mercado Medellín)

🍲Buy food if you want to cook

If you’re staying at a place with a kitchen, you can buy just about everything you need for a meal here:

• Meat, chicken, or fish

• Fresh vegetables

• Sauces and moles

• Spices

Just a few of the food options, Mercado Medellin

🎁Pick up some souvenirs

You can find some interesting things to take home in mercados, like olive oil, piñatas, candles, incense, and more.

Items for sale, Mercado Medellin

🔎Explore the nooks and crannies

Mercados may have maps like this one, but you’re probably better off wandering, or asking for directions if you’re looking for something specific.

Mercado Medellín map