Mexico’s Mercado de La Merced

Powders and Spices

Mexico City is a city of markets and it only seems logical to begin with one of the largest and most centrally located, the Mercado de La Merced.  There are two types of markets in Mexico, permanent markets and weekly or bi-weekly open-air markets or bazaars.  The latter are commonly referred to as tianguis.

Wandering through the markets in towns and cities throughout Mexico as well as here in Mexico City has been one of my favorite past times since I first arrived in Mexico back in 2008.  Markets provide an interesting glimpse into Mexican culture, business practices and people’s interactions with one another, not to mention a great place to try out a few Spanish words and phrases.

Mexican markets are always bustling with activity.  The sights, sounds and smells are intense.  For the Mexican people a visit to the market is an almost daily routine and bargaining a way of interacting with others in their communities and personalizing what might otherwise be impersonal business transactions.  It’s an exciting and sometimes chaotic experience that no visitor to Mexico should miss.

Fresh Chiles

The Mercado de La Merced is a permanent market housed in several modern buildings located east of the Zócalo between the avenues of General Anaya and  Adolfo Gurrión.  In addition to the market’s main buildings which occupy four city blocks there are vendor stalls lining the streets surrounding the Mercado de La Merced and extending the complete 13-block stretch to the Zócalo.

Like many markets in Mexico you can find just about anything in the Mercado de La Merced, though much of the interior space is devoted to the selling of fruits, vegetables and Mexican spices which are commonly used for Mexican salsas and moles.  The vegetable displays are impressive with towering stacks of poblanos, colorful tomatoes, onions, jalepeños, and countless baskets of dried chiles and spices, bring your camera!

The Mercado de La Merced (map) is open daily from 7am to 6pm and is easily reached on foot from the city center, or Zócalo (map).  Any of the tourist booths can provide a city map or at a minimum help to point you in the right direction.  The Mercado de La Merced is also easily reached by Metro from any location throughout the city.  The closest Metro station is Merced located directly outside the market.

Photo Credit: Laura Nazimiec