7 Colourful food markets in Madrid
Food Markets In Madrid: The Perfect Foodie Day!
Some of the old food markets in Madrid have been transformed but some remain the same with all their old character. Some food markets in Madrid have been reinvented to provide an overall different experience in which buying food is not the main objective, but tasting and eating are why you mainly visit them. Discover more about the food markets in Madrid in this short article.
Visiting a food market is for many people something special. We have included this activity among our top things to enjoy in Madrid. Some local companies have specialized in food markets and offer excellent tours to enjoy them, have fun and dine at the same time. This is a GREAT TOUR to enjoy local Madrid markets with a guide.
The 2 most visited food markets in Madrid are Mercado de San Miguel, just next to The Plaza Mayor and Mercado de San Anton, which is located in the Chueca district. These 2 markets are normally included as 2 important tourist attractions in Madrid. But the good news is that there are many more! You will be able to find below information on the 2 most popular and “tourist-friendly” markets plus some details on other importnat and interesting food markets in Spain´s capital city.
Best Food Markets in Madrid
Mercado de San Miguel
The Mercado de San Miguel Designed by the architect Alfonso Dube y Diez, the Mercado de San Miguel was inaugurated on the 31st of May 1916 but is now totally re-done by Juan Manuel Alarcon. This market has all types of food from the land and the sea, and you can enjoy eating it in the magical interior with metal, crystal and ceramic frames.
It is beautiful, but many locals believe it has become too touristic and too expensive to! In any case, we believe the San Miguel market is worth a visit and can still be considered as a must-do attraction for foodies in Madrid. Average customer review Score for Mercado de San Miguel 8.7 Madrid CITY GUIDE Other attractions in Madrid The Mercado de San Miguel, located in the square of the same name, next to the Plaza Mayor in Madrid (Spain), is a privately-owned market whose most remarkable characteristic is that it preserves its original iron structure from the early 20th century.
It has two floors and an area of 1,200 square meters. Located in the center of historic Madrid and with more than 10 million visitors a year, the Mercado de San Miguel is the gastronomic temple of the city of Madrid, the contemporary essence of all corners of Spanish gastronomy. From the best Iberian ham to the freshest seafood arrived daily from Galicia, Mediterranean rice dishes, or the most special cheeses from Castilla, Asturias, or the Basque Country. Top quality products and wines that come from all corners of Spain. Inaugurated in May 1916 as a food market, in May 2009 it became the first gastronomic market. During 2018 the market experiences a period of consolidation of a large part of its gastronomic content.
Mercado de Antón Martín
Old ladies and hipsters alike shop in this market. The arrival of new neighbors has provided a new flair to this market, which boasts over 80 stands, lots of options to buy take-away food, and also the possibility to enjoy tapas on the spot.
The Antón Martín market (officially named Mercado Municipal de Antón Martín) is a food market located in the center of Madrid, between Atocha street and Santa Isabel street. This is a good food market to enjoy in Madrid if you are near Retiro Park or if your hotel is located near the Atocha train station.
Since 1766 there has been some sort of market in the same spot. In 1933, the Madrid City Council commissioned the architect Gonzalo Domínguez Espúñez to design what will become the Antón Martín Market. The project was not executed until after the war and was inaugurated in 19413 than in the 1950s after the remodeling of the area is built in the building shown today.
Mercado de San Antón
The San Anton market is one of the most popular food markets in Madrid. It is located so close to Gran Via street that it became soon after it was refurbished a top tourist attraction of Spain´s capital. But San Anton market is located in a district where people actually live and locals enjoy shopping in the market for their fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, or meat.
The San Anton market is located in the Chueca district and it located in Calle Augusto Figueroa. The easiest way to get to the market is on foot or by metro (station Chueca). We would not recommend driving to the market. What products can be found at the Mercado de San Anton? If you like excellent quality products, this is the place for you. On top of it, variety is the word used to describe the market, because you can really find whatever you want: typical fish stands (100% fresh but remember you should not purchase fish on Mondays!), meat, fruit and more. There is also a large selection of charcuterie and cheeses, which makes it the perfect place to buy traditional Spanish food. Buying at the market brings pleasure. It is good to go with a bit of time on your hands and take the time to look at all the stands with different prices and products but also to try the best tapas from each and every one.
Where is the San Anton market located in Madrid?
The San Anton market is located in the Chueca district and it located in Calle Augusto Figueroa. The easiest way to get to the market is on foot or by metro (station Chueca). We would not recommend driving to the market.
What products can be found at the Mercado de San Anton?
If you like excellent quality products, this is the place for you. On top of it, variety is the word used to describe the market, because you can really find whatever you want: typical fish stands (100% fresh but remember you should not purchase fish on Mondays!), meat, fruit and more. There is also a large selection of charcuterie and cheeses, which makes it the perfect place to buy traditional Spanish food.
Buying at the market brings pleasure. It is good to go with a bit of time on your hands and take the time to look at all the stands with different prices and products but also to try the best tapas from each and every one.
Are weights displayed in pounds in the San Anton market?
Spaniards use kilograms and you will find all products’ prices per kilogram (2,2 pounds).
Is it worth visiting Mercado de San Anton?
The market is so close to Gran Via that it makes for a perfect stop in your itinerary in Madrid. But this is more than a market! so in case you are hungry we believe this is also a great place for you!
The market is located in a 5 storey building and only the second floor covers the market. On two more floors you will find a fantastic tapas market with many different stalls opened where you will be able to get food from. Tables are shared among the stalls, so you can decide to buy food from more than one of them! Different regions of Spain are covered. We have reserved the best part of the market for our last comment.
The terrace in San Anton market
Having read till the end of this short guide comes with a prize. The market of San Anton has an amazing terrace in ist last storey. You will be able to enjoy lunch, coffee or a drink. The terrace offers great views of the center of Madrid. A very romantic place indeed and a great way to end your market experience.
Guided tours to enjoy the San Anton Market
A small group tour can be a fun way to enjoy the market and also to learn about Spanish food and gastronomy.
Mercado de La Cebada
There has been a market in the same location since the sixteenth century. At this time the nearby Puerta de Toledo was one of the entrances to the city and through it, the products that came from the provinces entered.
At the end of the 18th century, the increase of inhabitants in the city of Madrid led to the possibility of creating a market capable of supplying food to the area. At the beginning of the 20th century, the market became one of the most important in Madrid.
Due to hygienic problems, the building was demolished in 1956, and a more functional-looking market was built in 1958. The market went from being “Central” to being simply a large neighborhood market.
The market was inaugurated in 1944, serving the residents of Lavapiés and part of La Arganzuela. It was designed by civil architect Casto Fernández-Shaw. It has undergone several restorations at the end of the 20th century. Since 2007, part of the second floor has been expanded and the Lavapiés Primary Care Center was installed. Inside, it houses space for around thirty stalls.
Mercado de San Fernando
This market was almost abandoned when new stands opened with eco-friendly products and good value for money. The market is located on Calle de Embajadores (Central District), between the Casino de la Reina and Plaza Agustín Lara. This is the area where the most famous flea market is located in Madrid: El Rastro.
The market was inaugurated in 1944, serving the residents of Lavapiés and part of La Arganzuela. It was designed by civil architect Casto Fernández-Shaw. It has undergone several restorations at the end of the 20th century. Since 2007, part of the second floor has been expanded and the Lavapiés Primary Care Center was installed. Inside, it houses space for around thirty stalls.
Matadero Madrid describes itself as a “Centre for Contemporary Creation”. It is housed within the beautiful grounds of what used to be Madrid’s old slaughterhouse and cattle market, a location of great historic and architectural value. It is run by the Madrid City Council’s Department of Culture and Sport and offers visitors a wide array of activities and services to be enjoyed.
The Matadero de Madrid, or the Madrid Slaughterhouse was built on a northwest-southeast plot that was part of what was once the Arganzuela pasture. The original slaughterhouse spanned over twelve hectares with various “neo-Mudejar” style warehouses and buildings, excellent examples of industrial architecture of the transition between the 19th century to the 20th. It was built in response to the needs of the growing population of the city and as a replacement for the old slaughterhouse-house which had been located where the Puerta de Toledo now stands.
Construction began in 1910 and was completed in 1925 and between 1932 and 1933, an additional building was constructed, a poultry slaughterhouse. The slaughterhouse and cattle market facilities remained in operation up until 1996 when they were permanently closed. At the beginning of the 1980s, the management pavilion (known currently as Casa del Reloj), was transformed into the headquarters of the Municipal Board of the Arganzuela district; the old cattle stables became the permanent headquarters of the National Dance Company (CND) and the National Ballet of Spain. The old cattle barn is now a tropical greenhouse known as the Palacio de Cristal de la Arganzuela. Also, some of the grounds were repurposed and became a park, the Matadero park.
This market is located in Barrio Salamanca. A rather bourgeois district, this market boasts fantastic products and also the option to have lunch at some of the stands. This is a market where a loyal, local cliente shop everyday.
This beautiful market was built in 1879 with a modernistt style, being the last of the municipal markets built in the 19th century.
The Mercado de La Paz has about seventy stalls and has recently enjoyed a renaissance thanks to the Merchants Association of Madrid. It is currently one of the more posh and high-end markets you will find in the Spanish Capital.
Located slightly farther away from the city center, Chamartin is probably our favorite market. Lots of fantastic stands where you will be able to find excellent regional products.
At the confluence of Bolivia and Potosí streets in the Chamartín district in northern Madrid, the Mercado de Chamartín was inaugurated on December 12, 1962, one of the best food markets in Madrid, especially in terms of quality, service, and presentation. This is area is not far from the Bernabeu Stadium.
In the last ten years, various upgrades made to help promote the small vendors and businesses that keep the market alive. This is a market where locals truly shop. Do not expect tourists here, but if you want to enjoy a truly genuine experience with high-quality local products this is with no doubt one of the best markets to visit in Madrid.
This market is located next to gran Via and Plaza de España. The market has evolved and today most of it stands are dedicated to food from latin-america and China.
It is technically a reconstruction of the old market built in 1875 that was demolished with the construction of the third section of Gran Vía. This newer version of the market was inaugurated in 1946, and is made up of three – the shopping center, offices, and warehouse – and it occupies an area of two thousand eight hundred square meters.
The old market was officially inaugurated on June 11, 1875, at the same time as the La Cebada market.
It currently has about 110 stalls inside specialized in Latin American and Asian gastronomy and in addition to fruit, meat, and fish stalls, there are two restaurant bars inside where Chifa (Chinese-Peruvian) cuisine and other latitudes are served.
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