The San Juan market is most famous for selling “gourmet” foods, which in Mexico means imported and European foods. In fact, there are no difficulties in finding canned and preserved foods and an excellent selection of cheeses and deli-style meats at the market. It is also highly respected for the long-term relationships maintained by the butchers and fishmongers. The market is also a favorite among many of the city’s more upscale restaurateurs. You can find all kinds of products from other states in Mexico, plus some things from Europe, Asia, and America.
Often the most impressive for visitors are the fruit and vegetable stands where the produce is usually cleaner and brighter than in similar markets, making them ideal stands for great photo opportunities. And the vendors are also generous with samples of their food, which is, of course, fresh and delicious. On weekends, the market can be really packed with international and out-of-town guests.
“The Gourmet Market”
Originally a temporary market for vendors displaced by a reorganization of the city’s markets in 1933, this site used to be a warehouse for the Buen Tono cigar factory. The Buen Tono church around the corner in Plaza de San Juan is all that remains of that once important local factory.
For reasons known only to the vendors themselves, there isn’t much Mexican food. Lunches are mainly “baguettes,” which can be quite good if you’re craving salami. The best baguette counters will even offer you a small glass of wine, and for dessert you can have a gorgeous Italian mascarpone on toast with a drizzle of delicious rose petal jam. If you’re planning lunch, remember, there are two San Juan markets, and the other one, the Mercado de San Juan – Arcos de Belén, is a very different experience.