MARKETS IN OAXACA CITY of interest (from oaxacaevents.com)

A prefatory word about market grunting and comedores. Most comedores run day to day and are popular with locals, so sanitation, food safety and quality are important to the operators. If too many got ill, the word would get around and they’d be out of business. If it’s freshly made and hot, it’s likely safe. But look it over first: are all utensils and plates dipped into the same wash water? Are foodstuffs covered or exposed to flies? Are they freshly prepared, or are they sitting in containers for hours? Use common sense, avoid tap water and green salads. I’ve never gotten ill eating in comedores in the decades I’ve dine it, but I do look them over first.

NOTE: Markets are targeted at local people, hardy rural folk who get up early. You should too if you want to get the most out of a market visit, and you benefit by being there at a cooler part of the day. By 10:00 AM the markets are certainly still going full tilt but they’re filling with tourists and the best of the best produce has gone to the early “marchantes” regular customers with the established relationships with vendors.

The information here is mostly from the excellent website oaxacaevents.com

Merced Market - the corner of Ave Murgia and Calzado de Repulbica, about 8 blocks east of the Zócalo main square. Also known as Mercado Democracia. Open every day, but Sunday is the main day. Excellent comedores, market restaurants.

Mercado Sánchez Pascuas – Just north of Calle de Quetzalcoatl on Calle Porfirio Díaz. Another excellent local market with great comedores, flowers, meats and vegetables.

Mercado 20 de Noviembre - 2.5 blocks south of the west side of the Zócalo on Avenida Flores Magón. Mainly a market to go to eat. Great comedores, chocolate and mole sold at the south side. The Pasillo De Carnes Asadas is an área on the east side of market where one can choose meat and have it grilled for you. Then buy salsa, onions and more.

Mercado Benito Juárez - 1 block south of the west side of the zocalo, on Ave Flores Magon. This is the most touristy of all the markets and seems to have everything. Clothes, cheese, flowers, baskets, coffee, meat, nuts, vegetables, toys, fish, candy and much more. Open every day.

Mercado de Abastos – Often just called “Central”. Go east on Las Casas (Ave. Colon) about 8 blocks from the Zócalo. It is GIANT. The busy day is Saturday, with Tuesday also being busy. Product comes to it from all over Mexico and beyond. Many buses go there. Centro is the Zócalo, Central is this market. Every product seems to have an area, the pumpkins are not with the vegetables, the fish is all together, the dishes and pottery are separate, the animal supplies are at the other side and further back is wood and furniture. Please exercise caution when going. No gold jewelry, no wallets or purses. Take only what you need safely tucked away. Prepare to be overwhelmed.

Mercado Hidalgo - In Colonia Reforma, north of the centro. At the corner of Calle Palmeras and E. Carranza. A neighborhood market with an upscale twist. Always the best produce. They carry fresh cranberries for the season! Beautiful flowers, good meats.

Mercado de Artesanías, the crafts market – 4 blocks south of the Zocolo on JP Garcia. Perfect place to find a treasure. Individual stalls with all the products of Oaxaca – rugs, weaving, clothing, carvings, tin. Reasonable prices. If you’re short on time and can’t dedicate the time to take the crafts routes described above and both meet the craftspeople and observe the crafts being made, you’re liable to find good crafts items to buy here.

Tianguis (tee-AHN-geese) de Llano – This market is no longer at Llano Park. It has been moved along the street of Curtidurías, just east of Ave. Vasconcelos. (Go one block south of Llano, go east on Cosejoeza - continue about 5 blocks to Ave. Vasconcelos, the name of the street will change) The biggest Tianguis (weekly market) in Oaxaca Great eating, shopping and people watching. Many of the same vendors are at other locations on different days. The word tianguis comes from the Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs) "tianquiztli" which means marketplace.

WEEKLY VILLAGE MARKETS (Tianguis)

The markets listed are permanent markets and open every day. Yet each market has a special day when it three times the size being surrounded by a tiangus. Be on the lookout for pickpockets and purse slashing. Best to take only what you will need and leave the credit cards in the city; they won’t be of much use.

Wednesday: Villa de Etla, by bus or collectivo from Abastos. Due to better water supply in this end of the valley, the Etla valley is the home of great Oaxacan cheeses. Also incredible tamales and barbacoa.

Thursday: Villa de Zaachilá, by bus or collectivo from Abastos. A large draw is the separate animal market nearby. And as usual, great food.

Friday: Ocotlán de Morelos, by van or collective. About 20 miles south of Oaxaca, a large Zapotec market. Famous for foods, leather, mescal, ox yokes, and a visit to the restored church.

Sunday: Tlacolula de Matamoros – by bus or colectivo south of Oaxaca on the way to Mitla. This is the largest of the weekly markets (and the one most often visited by tourists). It is amazing and again a wonderful church to visit.