Great Food Markets Around the World

Cours Saleya (Marche aux Fleurs), Nice, France

Known primarily as a flower market, the famous open-air Cours Saleya in Nice also sells ingredients, like plump red tomatoes, for perfect Nicoise-style meals; go early to avoid the tourist crowds.

Marrakech Souk, Marrakech, Morocco

Within the ancient city walls of the UNESCO World Heritage site, Medina of Marrakech, this traditional souk (more like a maze of multiple souks) makes up one of Morocco's largest markets and delights shoppers with spices, oils, and olives.

Santa Fe Farmers Market, Santa Fe, New Mexico

After starting out as a group of farmers selling produce from the backs of their trucks, the Santa Fe Farmers Market now hosts more than 150 vendors in a LEED-certified building in the Santa Fe Railyard.

Mercado Ver-o-Peso, Belem, Brazil

Ver-o-Peso market hall in Belem (in northern Brazil) is the ideal spot for merchants to sell their Amazonian-sourced products like the prized acai berry.

Wochenmarkt, Lucerne, Switzerland

Along the Reuss River, with the town's iconic Chapel Bridge as a backdrop, Lucerne's Wochenmarkt is often touted as Switzerland's best farmers' market; shop for nuts, fruits, and mushrooms for recipes from the market's own cookbook.

Dane County Farmers' Market, Madison, Wisconsin

With approximately 300 vendors, Dane County Farmers' Market claims to be the largest producer-only farmers' market in the U.S.; it offers anything from local vegetables and flowers to Wisconsin cheeses.

Mercado Central, Santiago, Chile

Built by Chilean architect Fermin Vivaceta with iron shipped from the United Kingdom, Santiago's Mercado Central is a tourist favorite for fish, fruits and vegetables, and regional specialties.

Carmel Market (Shuk Ha'Carmel), Tel Aviv, Israel

The open-air Shuk Ha'Carmel, Tel Aviv's biggest marketplace, is the city's authentic gathering place to shop for spices, nuts, fruits, cheeses, and other local sundries.

Marche d'Epice (Spice Market), Fort de France, Martinique

Built by French architect Pierre-Henry Picq and opened in 1901, Fort de France's covered market beckons with scents of fresh tropical produce and exotic spices, many packaged in souvenir-ready madras-lined baskets.

Union Square Greenmarket, New York City, New York

On market days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday), up to 60,000 city dwellers chat up farmers selling local staples like cider, apples, and artisan breads at Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan.

La Boqueria, Barcelona, Spain

Dating back to 1217, Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, commonly referred to as La Boqueria, is one of Europe's top markets and offers fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, and tapas from Catalonia.

Nishiki Market, Kyoto, Japan

Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen," Nishiki Market is a collection of 100 traditional Japanese-food sellers stretched along both sides of a narrow five-block shopping street; specialties include pickles, dried fish, and sushi.

Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, San Francisco, California

The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market along the Embarcadero brings sustainable agriculture and artisan foods to San Francisco three days per week.

Borough Market, London, England

Patrons mingle with producers, chefs, and restaurateurs at London's centuries-old Borough Market; with more than 100 stalls, the market is best navigated with a handy map.

Mercado de la Merced, Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City's public market, Mercado de la Merced, is the town's commercial center for colorful fruits and vegetables, spices, and, of course, chilies.

Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington

Seattle's "Public Market," Pike Place, continues to offer its famous fresh produce and flying fish while it completes its major three-year renovation.

Hawke's Bay Farmers' Market, New Zealand

On New Zealand's North Island, Hawke's Bay Farmers' Market supplies thousands of locals and visitors with anything from dairy products and free-range eggs to homemade chutneys and the country's treasured manuka honey.

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