One of the joys of travel is the wonder of new experiences. From art to architecture, geography to people, being far from home opens our eyes and expands our minds. This phenomemon is never more tactile, never more sensory, than with food.
Markets are gastronomy museums that showcase the best of local food culture in a way that bix box retail and fast-food outlets can never capture. They require no price of admission and bustle with the business of daily life. What better way then to immerse yourself and taste, in both the literal and figurative sense, foreign cultures.
With an open mind and an empty stomach, here are some of the best food markets in the world.
Mercat de la Boqueria, Barcelona, Spain
Emerge from the underground Liceu subway stop in beautiful Barcelona and there she is, steps away from the famous La Rambla. The Mercat de la Boqueria is a veritable oasis in this busy Catalan city, with splashes of colour and a myriad of smells to investigate.
Come early and discover some of the best chefs in Spain as they gather goods for dinner service. Shellfish fresh from the Mediterranean, near priceless Iberico ham that glistens from razor sharp meat hooks, a bounty of fruits and vegetables and the best that Spanish vineyards have to offer coax locals and tourists alike to gape, sniff, taste and shop. This is by far the best way to supply a lavish picnic amid the grand design of Antoni Gaudi’s Park G?ell. The historic Gothic Quarter adjacent to the Mercat de la Boqueria offers the ideal location for any visit to Barcelona.
March? Jean-Talon, Montr?al, Canada
The most expansive open-air market in North America is also the food destination of choice for Montr?al’s appreciable immigrant community. Ensconced in the city’s quaint Little Italy, the Jean-Talon market offers products unique to La Belle Province, known as Qu?bec. From artisanal cheeses that rival the best of France, maple syrups, microbrews and spirits found nowhere else like ice cider and blueberry wine, gourmet ice creams and baked goods, butchers and fishmongers galore, the market has it all.
Spend a day in and around the neighbourhood, shop, relax with a caf? au lait and croissant, or even lunch, and your stay in food-mad Montr?al will be that much more memorable. Winters do limit the market’s array of products, so for best results, visit between May and early October. Here are some suggestions on where to stay in beautiful Montr?al.
Qingping Free Market, Guangzhou, China
The giant swath of land that houses over 2,000 stalls known collectively as Qingping Free Market in Guangzhou is a microcosm of life in modern China. Messy, complex, loud, difficult to navigate but worth every ounce of effort, the market is a behemoth and testament to the unusual palate of locals. With a spectacular array of spices, teas, dry goods and medicinal herbs on display, the market is also a notorious hub for the odd and to some, abnormal.
From illegal land and sea animals to insects, you can find it here if you know where to look, or more likely, if you get lost amid the stalls. Of course, this former Silk Road outpost boasts some of the best cuisine in China and as a result, more conventional fare can be had at Qingping. But if you crave snake bile or civet cat, you may have hit the jackpot. For proximate Guangzhou accommodations, click here.
Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar, Cairo, Egypt
To explore Khan Al-Khalili is to step back in time. The bazaar is a throwback, seldom as pristine or authentic, to the Middle East of ancient times. With hawkers who lure visitors with handmade crafts, this historic suq, or commercial centre, is also a first-class food destination. For over six hundred years Khan Al-Khalili has fed locals and tradesmen with traditional Arabic comfort foods. Now tourists enjoy dishes like ful, ta’amia, sambusa and baba ghanush, not to mention a cornucopia of delectable sweets and teas.
Heaps of spices abound and while they may not travel well, it behooves any visitor to at least take in their magical aromas. The labyrinthine narrow passages of Khan Al-Khalili are a welcome respite from the insanity that is Cairo traffic and a day here is well spent. For a list of quality hotels in the Egyptian capital, click here.
What the best wet market in Asia nobody knows about lacks in size, it more than makes up for in quality and diversity of products. Probably the most dangerous market to wander on an empty stomach, stalls ply extravagant dishes that illustrate the richness of Malaysia’s culinary heritage.
From coconut rice balls to noodles made to order, locals with grocery lists, busy workers and curious foreigners snack with gusto and wonder what to sample next. With ripe, juicy tropical fruits, unusual vegetables and fish seldom seen outside of South Asia, Penang provides a wonderful pilgrimmage for food lovers. Need a hotel nearby? Search here on where to stay in Penang.
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, San Francisco, United States
The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market proves what most people in the know realize about food culture in the United States. California is where the action is. The state that offers the best produce, wine and restaurants outside of New York City also boasts the best food market in the country by far. Competition does not even approach Ferry Plaza when it comes to variety and sheer, fresh abundance. With colourful, organic produce to swoon over and preserves, breads and coffees that beckon one to breakfast, the market is a total embarrassment of excess.
In the spirit of a farmers market, Ferry Plaza offers locals a chance to connect with purveyos in a way impossible in most urban areas. What sets the market apart however, is the variety of superior prepared goods available from places like Acme Bread Company, Boulette’s Larder and Frog Hollow Farm. For a special treat, order a dozen oysters fresh from Hog Island Oyster Company and make a reservation to eat at the Slanted Door. For hotels in beautiul San Francisco, click here.
Peru has a romance and heritage that few cultures in South and Latin America can rival. That translates into a dynamic culinary legacy as well. Nowhere is this more on display than at the Centro Mercado in historic Cusco. Stacks of corn and potato strains unseen outside of Peru mingle with loads of fresh fruit, juice stands and scores of food stalls. From ceviche to soup, tamales to strange fermentations that promise to cure pervasive altitude sickness and other ailments, the market is awash with Peruvian delights.
The street food is copious and insanely afforadable, so do visit the mercado with stomach empty and mind open. There is simply no other alternative to sample the vibrancy of life in this former Incan Empire capital and current UNESCO World Heritage City. Click here for places to stay in Cusco.
London’s Borough Market should feature in the list..its a gastronomic delight with all its specialty food vendors…yum!!