One of my favorite places to visit when I visit a new place is to explore their open markets. I love the busy-ness, the smells (not so much the animal ones but it is what it is), the sounds, the visuals and, most of all, the new flavors of foods I wouldn’t have access to otherwise.
Mexico City’s markets did not disappoint me. I was able to try some fruits I’d never tried before and practice my passable (I think) Spanish with the vendors, always fun. It’s nice when they don’t reply in English lol.
This market was a stone’s throw from our hotel (we stayed at MX Lagunilla, which was perfectly fine, but not in the best area, so if you aren’t on a budget I would recommend Roma or Condesa instead). Apparently, it is the oldest market in Mexico City!
There were tons of local produce stands with fresh wares on display, along with stands where you can sample six-legged snacks (obviously I didn’t eat any, but had to snap a pic), small eateries, butchers, party supplies, beauty supplies, clothes and pretty much anything else you can think of.
I was there for a quick look-see and it did satisfy my curiosity. Worth a trip just for the experience!
Another amazing aspect of Mexico was the random street food carts we’d come across:
Tajin-sprinkled fruit from a street fruit stand:
Pretty much what I just described; we stopped by a lone street fruit stand and picked up some freshly sliced mango and watermelon. I personally don’t like Tajin (I know, gasp), but I can see the appeal… I just don’t really like anything extra on fruit except whipped cream or maybe chocolate on strawberries. Juan insisted we try it this way so there you go.
Street Churros
We also found a churro cart with a variety of churro-iterations (not all vegan): churro “pops,” cinnamon balls, filled churros and others. I just ordered a churro to taste and it was good; different from Spanish churros because they are dipped/rolled in more sugar + sprinkled in cinnamon (Spanish churros are plain except for a small sprinkling of sugar and they typically are eaten with a chocolate drink/dip).
Mercado Martínez de la Torre:
This market was huge and busy and I unfortunately saw a stall selling live animals in tiny-ass tanks (including an adult rabbit in a tank :( ) which really depressed me. Besides that, I was able to try and purchase a few dried snacks and fruit.
If you’re visiting Mexico City, these open markets need to be on your itinerary. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s an experience like no other to be amongst locals and local produce in a vibrant, culturally-imbued city.
