Madrid's food markets have long since passed from the status of just markets to real centers of gastronomic culture, where you can not only buy fresh and high-quality products, taste traditional cuisine, relax in a cozy cafe or restaurant, but also attend a food festival, culinary seminars, admire the unique architecture building.
Mercado San Miguel - one of the most famous markets in Madrid
The San Miguel Market in Madrid is a true center of culinary culture, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The market first opened its doors to visitors on May 13, 1916.
The Mercado San Miguel boasts not only good food and fresh produce, which we will discuss below, but also a good location. The market is located in the heart of Madrid, close to Plaza Mayor and the main square, Puerta del Sol. The building of Mercado San Miguel deserves a separate mention, which is the only architectural monument in the city made of iron. So in addition to the gastronomic market, the market is also of cultural interest.
On the market you can find many delicious products, there are ready-made traditional snacks, fresh vegetables, fruits and sweets, meat products. Separately, it is worth mentioning a large selection of fish and seafood - the counters are simply bursting with such an abundance.
On the territory of the market, there are many bars and small restaurants that offer visitors to enjoy traditional dishes: paella, all kinds of tapas, croquettes and traditional patatas bravas. The menu is updated every day.
The market is always full of visitors and is popular with tourists and locals alike.
- Address: Plaza de San Miguel, s / n, 28005 Madrid.
Mercado San Antón - a market where you can prepare a product you just bought
Mercado San Anton is a place with a rich history, it was originally a street market, which later grew and became so famous that it was mentioned in the book "Fortunata and Jacinta" by the Spanish writer, representative of critical realism Benito Perez Galdos.
The San Anton market in Madrid has retained its original concept: the first floor of the building is a classic market with many shopping areas where you can choose and buy fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, as well as meat products, fish, cheeses and smoked meats, delicious desserts and traditional sweets, spices and more.
On the second floor of the building there is a food court, where everyone can order traditional cuisine, accompanied by a dinner with a glass of fine wine or a traditional wine drink - sangria.
The third floor of the market is a terrace with an open-air restaurant offering its visitors to pamper themselves with delicious dishes from the chef. The concept of the restaurant is very interesting, in addition to dishes from the menu, visitors can choose any product they like on the counter, and the restaurant's chefs will prepare it according to your taste with the addition of side dishes and sauces of the highest quality. This service is called “Cooking de la cocina de San Antón”.
When visiting Madrid's San Anton food market, stop by a special place called Murua Oleoteca, where the finest olive oils you can find in the city are collected at good prices.
- Address: Calle de Augusto Figueroa, 24, 28004 Madrid.
Mercado de la Cebada - one of the oldest markets in Madrid
At the end of the 18th century, the rapid population growth in Madrid created a market that could provide the townspeople with fresh produce. So, on June 11, 1875, by order of King Alfonso II, the Mercado de la Cebada food market was created, which until the 20th century was one of the most important shopping areas in Madrid.
On the vast territory of the market there are fish and butcher shops, shops with fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as cafeterias and bars for every taste. In total, there are about 200 retail outlets here.
The Mercado de la Cebada hosts many exciting gastronomic events. On certain dates, there are special offers and discounts at restaurants and bars in the market.
- Address: Plaza de la Cebada, s / n, 28005 Madrid.
Mercado San Ildefonso - for connoisseurs of simple and tasty dishes and snacks
The Mercado San Ildefonso in Madrid has a unique and colorful street market atmosphere with small food stalls selling freshly prepared delicacies.
On each of the three floors of the market there is a bar where you can relax in a pleasant atmosphere; there are also two terraces with a magnificent view of the city on the territory.
The San Ildefonso Market is a real paradise for lovers of delicious and varied food! It is also pleasantly surprising that the menu is often updated, so every time you can discover more and more new dishes.
The place called Mi Taco is very popular, where everyone can taste traditional Mexican cuisine. Delicious tacos are served here! For a light snack, you can go to Strip Papas and try potatoes prepared according to the original recipe with various sauces to your taste.
Guests can enjoy a traditional Spanish breakfast at Granja Malasaña, which serves delicious egg dishes. We advise you to try the tortilla or soft-boiled eggs with a side dish of potatoes and tartar sauce.
The concept of Boqueat croquetry is interesting (croquettes are deep-fried round or oval crispy balls made of thick béchamel sauce with various fillings), where everyone can purchase a box of croquettes with different fillings and individual sauces.
Every year, the Mercado San Ildefonso market in Madrid hosts the Street Food Fest, where you can taste dishes from different cities around the world. From the end of May to June, the festival hosts weeks dedicated to the cuisine of one of the cities.
- Address: Calle de Fuencarral, 57, 28004 Madrid.
Mercado San Fernando - organic products
In addition to gastronomic events, the market premises host various seminars, entertainment events, concerts and shows.
On the territory of the market you can take coffee in one of the coffee houses. In the evening, enjoy a glass of wine or taste local beers in the bars located in the Madrid gastronomic market. Local restaurants serve various cuisines of the world: traditional Mediterranean, Greek, Japanese and many others.
- Address: Calle de Embajadores, 41, 28012 Madrid.
Mercado de la Paz - a market with a unique atmosphere
One of the oldest markets in Madrid, founded back in 1882, for many centuries it has been offering its visitors a wide range of products of the highest quality.
A real paradise for croquet lovers! On the territory of the Mercado de la Paz market, there is Le Croquette, a well-known and beloved by all tourists and locals, where you can taste real homemade croquettes prepared according to a traditional recipe.
Satisfy your hunger with a delicious and juicy burger at Hamburguesa Nostra. The restaurant offers a choice of 30 variations of burger cutlets made from high quality natural products.
- Address: Centro Comercial La Paz, Calle de Ayala, 28, 28001 Madrid.
Mercado de Platea - a place for true gourmets
The Mercado de Platea Market is a real gastronomic shopping center, where 6000 sq. m is home to a variety of gourmet and fresh food shops, as well as bars and restaurants. This is a real paradise for gourmets and gourmet lovers.
On the territory of the market there are many restaurants that offer their visitors high quality service, dishes of various cuisines of the world, from traditional Mediterranean cuisine to Japanese, Chinese and Peruvian.
Lovers of sweets are advised to drop by Mama Framboise - an exquisite pastry shop with a large selection of pastries, cakes, sweets and other gourmet products from maestro Alejandro Montes, who prepares signature sweets from high-quality products with the addition of the secret ingredient - love.
At the Mercado de Platea, you can sample dishes from renowned chefs. For example, the Arriba restaurant serves dishes from Ramon Freich, who has received two Michelin stars, as well as three suns from the Spanish guide Repsol.
The capital of Spain is renowned for being ideal for a relaxing break. Here, even the most responsible tourist in the world, who even a month before the trip made a list of museums and galleries that must be visited, may have an irresistible temptation to completely forget about the cultural program, and instead go to taste Iberian jamon and local cheeses.
Let's not condemn our imaginary guest of Madrid, because the desire to replace cultural and educational leisure with gastronomic pleasures in the case of the capital of Spain can be called more than natural.
Those who want to taste the best at once should head to the markets of Madrid. Fortunately, as elsewhere in Spain, here you can not only buy food for your home, but also taste local specialties, as they say, without leaving the checkout. There are five large markets in Madrid, today we will honestly tell you about each of them.
1. MERCADO DE SAN MIGUEL
The most central market in the city is called Mercado de San Miguel... It is located in the eponymous Plaza de San Miguel, which is just halfway to the Royal Palace of Madrid from Plaza de Sol.
The market is interesting not only in terms of gastronomic pleasures, its building also deserves attention. It is considered a model of Madrid Art Nouveau, was built in the capital of Spain in 1916, and it took almost 80 years to build it. In addition to cheeses and jamon, you can taste the freshest oysters and farm fruits here, and besides good wine, visitors to the San Miguel market often taste vermouth or gin and tonic on the counter - these drinks are very popular today in Spain.
Can I recommend Mercado de San Miguel unconditionally to everyone? I have no definite answer to this question. On the one hand, the market is large and extremely conveniently located; until the 80s of the 20th century, almost all residents of Madrid used to go shopping here. True, then the invisible hand of the market did bad things to the mercado - large supermarkets lured most of its regular customers to themselves. In the 90s, they thought to close the market altogether, but then private investors intervened in the matter. They bought the building, carried out a massive renovation, relied on tourists and reopened the Mercado de San Miguel in 2009.
In the photo: salads with crabs in the market de San Miguel
As a result, the market is beautiful, but expensive - prices are many times overpriced compared to other places, and there is practically no local population here - they are all guests of the city who live near Plaza de Sol and Plaza Mayor. However, these facts are not reflected in the quality of jamon or cheeses, plus there are many cafes with cuisine for every taste, there is even a sushi bar. In a word, if you have no desire to leave the city center, and you are not particularly chasing after the authentic atmosphere of the traditional Madrid market, then feel free to go to Mercado de San Miguel, it is open from 10 am.
Mercado de San Miguel address: Plaza de San Miguel
Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday: from 10.00 to 12.00. Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10:00 am to 2:00 am.
2. MERCADO DE LA PAZ
The many times more authentic Madrid market is located in the most fashionable and fashionable area of the city of Salamanca - where there is a great variety of shops of various brands: from flagship luxury boutiques to small shops of Spanish designers.
Mercado de la Paz - the market is small but very cozy. There is not only the best jamon, cheeses for every taste and even exotic fruits brought from Morocco, but also cafes and a wine bar. There are few tourists, but there are a lot of well-groomed wives of wealthy Spaniards - they meticulously choose what to feed their family for dinner. Chefs of restaurants located in Salamanca are also bought in the same market.
The atmosphere at mercado is completely relaxed, if you understand Spanish, you can listen to a whole lecture on a particular Spanish specialty, because local sellers are open people and always do not mind chatting with customers.
Mercado de la Paz address: Calle de Ayala, 28
Opening hours: Monday - Friday: from 9.00 to 14.30 and from 17.00 to 20.00. Saturday from 9.00 to 14.30, Sunday is a day off.
3. MERCADO DE MARAVILLAS
Do you think size matters? Then head to the Mercado de Maravillas. This market is huge, under its roof there was a place for as many as 200 shops with Spanish specialties, and it also sells products from Mexico, Italy and even South Korea. The market was opened in Madrid in 1942, it makes sense to go here not only for ham and cheese, but also for rarities, for example, here you can taste edible snails, lamb, crabs or boiled beef tongue.
Mercado de Maravillas is also a great place to try real paella, because the restaurants open on the market are invariably included in the lists of the best establishments in the city where this dish is served.
Mercado de Maravillas address: Calle Bravo Murillo, 122
Opening hours: Monday - Friday: 09:00 to 14:00 and 17:30 to 20:30. Saturday from 09.00 to 15.00, Sunday is a day off.
4. MERCADO DE ANTON MARTIN
Anton Martin is my favorite area of Madrid, because there are traditional bars with walls lined with colorful tiles, and the historic Cina Dore cinema, built in 1912, the streets are narrow and steep, and the houses are buried in the arms of wild grapes.
Mercado de Anton Martin is a two-story market, you can simply find it by the carcasses of lambs and hefty cuts of beef that are sold in shops on the way to the market, so if you are a vegetarian and such a sight disgusts you no less than the idea of bullfighting, save your nerves and don't go here. Others: "Welcome!"
Pictured: Oysters at Anton Martin Market
Anton Martin Market is a bohemian place. Here you can taste all the same jamon, washed down with a delicacy with wine that is sold in the market bars. It also hosts culinary master classes, and there are also shops selling home-made beer. By the way, today in Spain, as well as in Italy, small breweries are very common. Their owners are not trying to brew beer on an industrial scale, but are betting on an exclusive product of incredibly high quality. In a word, I advise lovers of good beer to visit the Mercado de Anton Martin - you will be pleasantly surprised. And a bonus for those who like late-night gatherings - restaurants on the market are open until 23.30, however, this is logical, because in Spain they dine very late.
Mercado de Anton Martin address: Calle de Santa Isabel, 5
Store opening hours: Monday-Friday from 9.00 to 21.00, Saturday from 9.00 to 15.00, restaurants are open from Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 23.00. Sunday is a day off.
5. MERCADO DE SAN ANTON
The market de San Anton is located near the fun and colorful gay quarter of Chueca. It is part of a large grocery store, and the peculiarity of the mercado is that here you can taste those varieties of tapas that are traditional not only for Madrid, but also for other regions of Spain.
If it happens that you overeat jamon, and you are drawn to the familiar and simple, then keep in mind - excellent burgers are made in the market de San Anton, and they are served on the terrace, from where you can enjoy an excellent view of the capital of Spain.
Mercado de San Anton address: Calle de Augusto Figueroa, 24
Opening hours: daily from 10.00 to 00.00
Well, if you want to walk through the markets of Madrid with a trusted expert, then
The Ribeira Market is the most important and most famous food market in Lisbon. It is located near the Cais do Sodré train station, so if you are suddenly going to visit the Lisbon Riviera - Cascais and Estoril, it will be convenient for you to go on the way to the market and get acquainted with the range. If your hotel is located in the Bairro Alto area, then you can easily walk to the market, buy groceries there, or simply eat there on the huge food court - Time out market.
Now there are two antiphase markets in the building. An ordinary, familiar to us, market, where, as before, they sell vegetables, fish, greens in the morning from 6 am to 2 pm, the Time out market is open from 10 am to 12 am from Sunday to Wednesday, and from Thursday to Saturday he works from 10 am to 2 am at all. The most fun and excitement begins there after 7-8 pm.
The Ribeira Market, also known as the July 24 market, became Lisbon's main food market back in 1892. At this time, the market was opened in a modern building with a large dome. In 2014, the market experienced a rebirth - the international company "Time out market", originally from London, opened a huge food court in the old market and thus attracted many tourists.
The appearance of the Ribeira market
The traditional part of the Ribeira market
First of all, we were interested in fish counters, because Lisbon is located almost on the very shore of the ocean and everything should be in order there - fresh, tasty and in quantity. Of all this variety, we stopped at the sword fish (in the upper right corner in the photo), since we do not sell such fish at all, we bought ourselves a piece and fried it in a pan in our apartment. It was a super fish, the most delicate, it melts in your mouth. Fish prices in the Ribeira market are from 10 to 25 € per kilogram. Unfortunately, sellers put price tags in such a way that it is not possible to photograph them so that they can be clearly seen.
Fish counters 
Fish counters I was also surprised by the huge octopuses sold in Lisbon, I somehow got used to small octopuses for one bite, and here they are just healthy specimens, more than half a human height, if you stretch your head and tentacles. We did not dare to cook the octopus ourselves, it needs to be cooked for 1 hour, we thought that we would not have the patience to wait so long after a whole day of walking around Lisbon. We ordered an octopus once in a restaurant, I also really liked it. The octopus was served with uniforms of potatoes.
Fish counters 
Fish counters 
Fish counters But we did not dare to try sea ducks or, more correctly, to say the crustaceans percebes. We looked at them in the market and decided that they were very ugly. Molluscs cost between 8 and 15 € per net.
Shellfish counter Another photo of Pasha with tuna. Then we watched how two saleswomen cleverly and quickly butchered this fish in just a couple of minutes.
Pasha with tuna Fruit counters will not surprise you. The assortment is quite common, the only thing I have not tried is green cones, everything else can be bought in St. Petersburg.
Fruit counters 
Vegetable counter 
Vegetable counter 
Vegetable counter It is curious that the Portuguese are also engaged in gardening. While traveling by bus from Cascais to Sintra, we saw the vegetable gardens of local residents. They grow mainly potatoes and cabbage. The market sells seedlings in abundance. But the usual pots with indoor plants in Portugal are put on the other side of the window, they are warm.
Seedlings and house flowers Food court - Time out market
We visited the market in the morning, so the hall is empty. In the evening, there is a full house here, so lovers of small cozy establishments do not belong here. But a huge selection of dishes and cuisines is the undoubted advantage of this place. Here you can taste not only Portuguese cuisine, but also Italian, Japanese, Balkan and American cuisine of course, where is it in our time without hamburgers. In general, everyone will find in this variety something for their discerning taste. Christmas decoration in the market 
Standard view of one of the restaurants
In total, we entered the market in the morning and spent only 30 minutes looking at it. Of course, the main market of Lisbon is far from Barcelona's Boqueria in color. Perhaps we got the impression that we were in December in the low season. Perhaps in the summer, the range of fruits increases significantly. Another similar market is located at the terminus of tram number 28 - Campo de Ourique (Prazeres) - the Mercado de Campo de Ourique market. The prices there are cheaper, but the market itself is smaller and less attractive. The Mercado de Campo de Ourique also has a food court where you can have a good meal.
Want to travel to Lisbon on your own? Read one article for a short one. You will learn: about all types of transfers from the airport (cost), about the cost of tickets for public transport, get a plan for exploring the city for 6 days, find out which of the museums you should go to and which ones to skip.
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The capital, Santo Domingo, is also a shopping destination. You will discover the unique “Mercado Modelo” market, founded in 1942 by the dictator Trujillo. The model market is located in the center of Santo Domingo, next to Calle de El Conde, on the way to Avenida Mella. It is housed in an aging two-story building north of Zona Colonial, close to a neighborhood of Chinese restaurants and shops. This square contains not only historical sites, but also markets and shops within a short drive.
It is impossible to say that the bazaar has an approximate system, but based on the considerations that it is possible to buy whatever you want here, Mercado Modelo justifies its name.
A shopaholic's paradise
This boisterous shopping location is the largest craft market in the capital. It is surrounded by food stalls that serve local shoppers and was once a popular local market. Today, its goods and prices are geared towards tourists, although Dominicans also come here to buy some things. The Mercado Modelo in Santo Domingo consists of several dozen similar shops selling typical art, local paintings (many of them Haitian), CDs, Dominican and Cuban cigars, liqueurs, souvenirs and jewelry, Mamajuana (a bottle filled with roots and spices that used for seasonal rum), faceless dolls that represent a fusion of the cultural background of the Dominicans. Along with souvenirs, you will find household items, fruits and vegetables, as well as typical culinary ingredients such as vanilla and spices. Meat and fish stalls are located on the ground floor. If you are looking for something special to hang on the walls of your home, then this is the perfect place to find it. There is a wide variety of arts and crafts to choose from. Wood carving is also a popular specialty in Dominican culture.
While many products may appear to be mass-produced, the market hosts artists such as Giovanni Infante, who created his original painting in a narrow corridor of the market over 20 years ago.
It really counts as the ultimate shopping destination for all your souvenir shopping and needs. Here you will find excellent amber jewelry and a savory liquor that is supposed to have seductive qualities. The shops that sell impressive carnival masks are also worth a visit.
Since the market is set up for tourists who will pay the highest price, sellers are known to seek more money than their product is worth. The prices quoted are markedly higher in the Mercado Modelo market than in other bazaars, but are subject to negotiation. Sellers can be persistent and should not be trusted, they go along with most offers in order to sell the goods. The problem is that this market is a magnet for tourists and vendors are constantly inviting visitors. The best way is to walk through it quickly and reach the other end of the market, where you will immerse yourself in the real Dominican way of life among the many stalls with tropical fruits and cabbage choppers, a real feast of flavors and colors.
What's around?
The area around Mercado Modelo is not the best in Santo Domingo, so it is best to take a taxi to the market, although walking during daylight hours is considered safe.
Older Dominicans remember the market as a place to shop for groceries, cooked meals and other essentials, and while the bazaar is no longer a true urban market, it remains a good shopping stop on a Dominican vacation. Even though the market is large and a little overwhelming, it is still considered a place to buy gifts for friends and family.
Outside the market are local vendors selling drinks and snacks for bazaar lovers and passers-by. Be careful, as this place is one of the brighter areas of the city, there is a lot of hustle and bustle and pickpockets.
Perhaps shopping in the Mercado Modelo market, you will want to visit nearby shops such as La Sirena, Munecas Elisa souvenir stall, Libreria Pichardo bookstore.
Working hours
The Mercado Modelo Market is open Monday through Sunday from 9 am to 12.30 pm and from 2.30 pm to 7 pm.
How to get there
The bazaar is located in the immediate vicinity of the Independence Park, on the famous Malecón avenue, which stretches along the coast for 15 kilometers.