15 Best Markets In Mexico City To Visit

There are many reasons to check out the best markets in Mexico City beyond simply picking up a memento of your trip. These vibrant spaces are a microcosm of the capital’s culture, filled with flavour and spice, and we’re not just talking about the street food!

On our first trip to CDMX, we spent quite a few hours exploring the most famous markets for souvenirs and chowing down on snacks. Since we began living in CDMX for part of the year, however, we mainly visit more local mercados to pick up fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables to cook up into delicious meals at home – with the aid of some pre-made achiote or mole, of course.

We’ve blended all these different experiences into one big post on the best markets of Mexico City, from big ones to small ones, open air to indoor, daily to weekly. These range in scope from tourist-oriented places that specialise in handcrafts to authentic local spots that sell farm-fresh goods.

Let’s go shopping.

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#1 Mercado De La Merced – Biggest Market In Mexico City.

One of the oldest of the Mexico City food markets, La Merced has been a place of trade for over a century. It’s a sprawling, chaotic place, filled with fresh produce as well as street food stands and sacks of spice mix. 

For people who crave authenticity, there’s nothing varnished about this place. Although the majority of locals here are focused on their daily shopping, there are also some pretty obvious prostitutes plying their trade.

We found the whole area to be fairly seed, although we did enjoy some great micheladas.

Is Mercado Merced safe?

Not really. We visited on a tour with a local guide, which was definitely a good decision. Not only is it super crowded in La Merced, but the area is notorious for pickpocketing and even some violent crime. 

We’re sure it’s doable on your own as a local, but for tourists who haven’t grown up in CDMX, it’s not somewhere we’d recommend going without somebody in the know.

#2 Mercado De Sonora – Best For Supernatural Souvenirs.

There’s nowhere in CDMX selling quite so much strange stuff as the Mercado de Sonora. Home of the city’s occult merchandise, it’s here that you’ll find herbal medicines, healing crystals, and other allegedly magical objects. 

While we wouldn’t describe this as one of the best markets in Mexico City for, well, pretty much anything that you’d want to take home with you, it is a fascinating look at the more superstitious side of modern Mexican life. 

Some stall owners will read your future through tarot cards. Others claim to remove evil spirits through a cleansing ceremony that centres on an egg.

Just as chaotic as the Mercado de la Merced, the Mercado de Sonora can be a little much for first-timers, especially the animal section. You’d have to have a heart of stone not to feel sorry for the puppies, cats, and other small animals that are kept in what are, frankly, shocking conditions. 

We heard that they even sell tigers and other exotic animals of that sort, but they have it hidden away only for the “right” customers. 

If this is a place that sparks your interest, we highly recommend booking a tour with a local guide! 

#3 Mercado de Coyoacan – Frida Kahlo’s Market Of Choice.

One of the best food markets Mexico City has to offer, the Mercado de Coyoacan is a great place to try tortas (Mexican-style sandwiches) and tostadas (toasted tortillas with toppings). The stall owners we met were very friendly, though it helps to have a little Spanish.

Alongside the street food, you can also find a selection of artisanal goods, like huipils (traditional loose-fitting tunics), Talavera pottery, and artwork. The prices are decent compared to what we saw elsewhere if you want to snap up souvenirs from Mexico City while sipping a freshly made agua fresca. 

Once upon a time, the artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera used to come here for a snack and a shop. So, if you want to walk in the footsteps of history, this is easily among the best mercados in Mexico City to check out.

#4 Mercado De Artesanías La Ciudadela – Mexico City Artisan Market. 

Compared to the madness of some of the other markets, shopping at La Ciudadela is easily one of the more relaxed experiences. It’s clearly been designed for tourists rather than locals, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up some authentic merchandise – and at a reasonable price.

Indisputably the best artisan market Mexico City has to offer, La Ciudadela has everything from Dia de los Muertos skulls to lucha libre masks. Stalls hung with papier-mâché alebrijes sculptures sit beside vendors of handmade jewellery and traditional woven textiles.

Colourful and chill, we’ve purchased quite a bit of merchandise over the years here to give friends, and the quality, on the whole, seems pretty good. 

Even if you don’t want to buy, La Ciudadela is one of the best markets in Mexico City to visit because it shows off all the country’s most famous handicrafts, from guitars to hammocks.

#5 Mercado San Juan Pugibet – Best Food Markets In Mexico City For Adventurous Eaters.

This Mexico City food market has its share of fresh ingredients, including a nice variety of local fruit and vegetables, plus recently butchered meat and gutted fish.

What really sets the Mercado San Juan apart, however, is the creepy crawlies you can snaffle down alongside a jar of pulque (a fermented alcoholic drink made from agave sap). On our trips, we’ve seen scorpions drizzled with chocolate, fried grasshoppers, and even tarantulas.

There’s also a surprisingly good selection of imported cheeses and cured meats available here. One place we went served us up some complimentary glasses of wine alongside a charcuterie board. 

If you want to absorb more of the vibe, grab a seat at the counter of one of the stalls and order some snacks and a glass of mezcal.

#6 Mercado Roma – Best For Tapas-Style Dining.

Mercado Roma is less of a traditional market and more of a trendy food court. It’s a big, cheerful mashup of international cuisines, designed more as a hangout spot for young hipster locals than to cater for tourist expectations of what a mercado should be.

We saw plenty of stalls selling the Mexican basics like burritos, tacos, and quesadillas, as well as international fare like sushi, US-style beef brisket, and paella. There were a couple of vegan spots, too, dishing up meat-free meals but with traditional Mexican flavours.

To wash it all down, there are some very refreshing craft beers and cocktails.

Since you can order bits and pieces from as many different stalls as you want, this is one of the best markets in Mexico City to come to if you want to sample some of everything or have fussy eaters in the group. 

#7 Mercado El 100 – Best Mexico City Market For Organic and Local Ingredients.

So far, we’ve just talked about the permanently open mercados, but there are also a bunch of weekly Mexico City food markets that pop up across the city on specific days.

Mercado el 100 is one of these open-air affairs, taking over the northwestern section of Ramón López Velarde Garden every Sunday.

Although the setup is pretty small, the ethos is awesome, focusing on local, organic goods. Think farm-fresh ingredients, sold either raw or cooked up into tasty tlacoyos or gorditas. There are also foods you can take away and nibble on later, from cheeses to sweets.

The atmosphere is super chill and communal, with stall owners who care about their mission as much as turning a quick buck. 

We’re not sure we’d go out of our way to visit, but if you’re staying in the vicinity, it’s a nice thing to check out. It tends to be more vibrant in the mornings than in the afternoons. 

#8 Bazar Artesanal Mexicano Coyoacan – Small Souvenir Complex.

This isn’t our favourite Mexico City market, but since it’s in the heart of Coyoacan, you might as well pop in to have a look when you’re in the area. 

The contents are pretty much the typical souvenirs geared towards tourists looking for a memento of their visit, though that’s not to say we didn’t see some beautiful craftwork! 

Perhaps the thing that most stuck out for us is that there’s a bigger focus on Frida Kahlo than in some of CDMX’s other markets – hardly surprising given that the area in general is famous for being the place where the artist was born, grew up, and eventually died.

#9 Huerto Roma Verde – Community Project With Weekend Markets. 

Part community project, part eco-minded enterprise, Huerto Roma Verde is all about supporting individuals to sell sustainably farmed goods. 

The space is open every day of the week for visitors to check out the gardens and enjoy the space, but it’s on Wednesdays that the project holds its Mexico City food markets. These feature around 20 stalls selling a mixture of agroecological goods, as well as a few handicrafts.

Huerto Roma Verde also regularly holds weekday exercise classes and weekend fiestas, so make sure to check the website during the dates you’re in town to make the most of your visit.

#10 Mercado Medellin – Best Food Market Mexico City For Traditional Ambience. 

Mercado Medellin is one of the more authentic food markets in Mexico City, while still managing to be completely manageable for a tourist to navigate solo. We like that you can see a lot of variety but still not worry about getting lost, as we would definitely have done at Mercado de la Merced if we hadn’t had a guide!

Mercado Medellin is one of the best markets in Mexico City for fresh fruit, veg, meat, and fish, though you can also find some rather lovely bouquets of flowers as well as ready-to-eat snacks. The place reminds us a little bit of a big supermarket, with lots of different counters for all kinds of goods.

Traditionally, the market was a popular hangout for immigrants hailing from other parts of Latin America. You can still see a bit of that today in the stalls flying flags from places like Colombia and Peru. Don’t miss out on the Cuban ice cream! 

We also like coming here for brunch; the food here is super tasty homemade, and costs a fraction of the price that you normally pay at any of the cafes in Mexico City. 

#11 Tepito Market – A Walk On The Wild Side.

Tepito is one of the best markets to visit in Mexico City if you want to get a look at the grittier and real side of the capital with super-friendly locals. We visited on a private tour, and it was a mind-blowing experience, the complete opposite of tourist-oriented places like La Ciudadela.

You’ll find a little bit of everything at Tepito, including some of the best micheladas we had in town and really tasty street food bites at very cheap prices. Most locals, however, come here for the knockoff clothing and footwear, which is actually rather convincingly manufactured. 

The mercado is situated amidst one of CDMX’s seediest neighbourhoods, in an area that’s known as a playground of drug lords, with all kinds of organised crime going on behind the scenes. Even though most of this won’t affect you as an out-of-towner, it’s not somewhere we would recommend going without a local guide. 

But, if you have the soul of an adventurer like us, here is the excellent tour we took:

#12 Roma Tianguis – Best Market In Mexico City For Local Vibes.

Some of the best markets in Mexico City are the tianguis. Passed down from the pre-Hispanic period, these open-air affairs are spread throughout the capital and pop up on a specific day of the week, depending on which one you go to. 

One of our favourites is the one on Calle Merida, which shows up every Friday with a delicious selection of street food and fresh produce. It’s not overly big, but it does have a real community feel, with nearby residents coming along to do their weekly shopping.

No matter where you’re staying in CDMX, ask the front desk or Airbnb host about the nearest tianguis to your accommodation and when they open. 

#13 Bunker Bazar – An Underground Shelter For Unique Concepts.

Bunker Bazar offers a unique proposition compared to other Mexico City markets. Instead of dealing in fresh produce or traditional goods, it’s a place that showcases lifestyle brands and entrepreneurs that are trying to make a splash with their quirky concepts.

The space is fairly small, but there still manages to be quite a mix of stuff, including vintage apparel, skincare products, and embroidered clothing. It’s the kind of place where you shouldn’t be surprised to find a stall selling hand-made candles sandwiched between a person hawking essential oils and someone else vending gourmet flavoured tea.

Bunker Bazar isn’t one of the absolute best markets in Mexico City, but if you’re looking for a souvenir that’s a little bit more contemporary and modern, you can easily pop in to see what’s up on your way to one of Roma Norte’s trendy coffee spots.

#14  Mercado Juarez – One Of The Most Traditional Markets Of Mexico City.

Another of the great food markets in Mexico City, Mercado Juarez has been around for decades. Mostly, we come here to eat at one of the many fondas that are found inside. These simple, snug eateries serve up classic Mexican cuisine like enchiladas and tacos carnitas without any frills and for a great price.

Although filling our bellies is the main reason we go to Mercado Juarez, that’s not all the market has to offer. In fact, it has a little bit of everything you would kind of expect from a place that continues to serve the local community. Spice mixes, sweets, and summer dresses line the aisles alongside places selling corner store staples like crisps and cola. 

There’s a good selection of fresh fruit, veg, and meat, which is probably the thing most people come here for, although a couple of shops have tourist-oriented knickknacks like wax skulls and sombreros.

As we said, a bit of everything!

#15 Mercado Jamaica – Flower Power.

Mercado Jamaica is THE Mexico City market for flowers. There are hundreds of vendors spread out over this sprawling space, filling the air with floral scents. 

This is where many of the florists and flower stands you see elsewhere in CDMX buy their plants wholesale, so as you can imagine, the prices are excellent. Some stalls sell readymade bouquets, while others let you pick your own individual stems.

As well as being one of the best markets in Mexico City for buying flowers, there are also separate parts dedicated to street food, everyday groceries, and party supplies like pinatas. Make sure to check out the whole place before you leave!

Perhaps the only downside of a visit to the Mercado Jamaica is that it’s not close to, well, anything else you might want to do and see on your trip. As such, we would probably say that even though it’s pretty cool, it’s not worth trekking out to unless you’re in town for a longer stay or are making a return visit to CDMX.

Best Markets In Mexico City: FAQs

What is the name of the most famous market in Mexico City?

There are several famous markets in Mexico City, including Mercado Coyoacan, Mercado de La Merced, and Mercado de Sonora. Each one offers a different experience, from the arts and crafts stalls of La Ciudadela to the tarot readings and occult items of Sonora.

What is worth buying in Mexico City?

That really depends on your taste. We’re partial to the beautifully crafted, colourful, and highly inventive alebrijes (papier-mâché sculptures), but there are all kinds of handwoven textiles, bottles of mezcal and tequila, spice mixes, and unique handmade jewellery on display in the city’s markets.

What is the biggest market in Mexico City?

The largest market in Mexico City is Mercado de la Merced. It’s one of the oldest and most diverse markets in town, although it also has a seedier side in the form of fairly blatant prostitution. You can find some good stuff on sale here, but we’d recommend coming with a local who knows the ins and outs of the place.

Best Markets In Mexico City: The Wrap-Up

You might think that we’ve spent a fortune exploring the best markets in Mexico City, but arguably visiting these places is more about lapping up the vibe than it is spending a wad of cash. 

Having said that, we’ve definitely thrown down more than a few pesos trying all the food and drink. Once you’ve made your own trip, you’ll realise just how hard it is to resist!