The world’s best food markets: the readers’ choices

The FT commenting names of readers have been given in bold type at the end of each entry. Where readers gave details about what they love about a particular market, that has been included as a quote.

Hong Kong 

Wan Chai

“Wet markets [selling vegetables, seafood, meat] are everywhere in Hong Kong, with the sights and smells of tradition.” Wan Chai market is opposite its former home, a grade-II listed 1937 art moderne building on Queen’s Road East. Beloved of local gourmets, it also sells dried food, such as red dates and dried shrimps, and has a live poultry butcher. HKStald

Riga

Central Market

Housed in five first world war-era German Zeppelin hangars by the bank of the Daugava River just outside the Old Town, this lays claim to being Europe’s largest market. Amanda

Philadelphia

Reading Terminal Market

The city’s oldest public market opened in 1893 and is open daily with more than 75 stalls, including family-owned businesses selling local produce. Behemoth

Budapest

Central Market Hall

Opened in 1897, this sits in a 10,000sq m neo-gothic building on the Pest side of the Liberty Bridge. What you can’t find over its three floors, from cupboard staples to local specialities, is not worth finding. Brigadier Crispbread and A concerned reader

Bangkok

Khlong Toei Market

“The market dwarfs the imagination. Enormous wet market filled with anything you’d ever want to eat or cook with. A small community unto itself.” Anywhichway

Madrid

“Head to Mercado de la Cebada for sausages and beer, Mercado de Antón Martín for sushi and Mercado Tirso de Molina (despite the name, this is not near Plaza de Tirso de Molina) for paella. All these markets generally have wonderful meat, fish and produce.” Menis

Tel Aviv 

Carmel Market

“This is a wonderful living, breathing food market frequented by locals, stuffed with gorgeous local fruit, veg, meat and fish, and populated by delicious stalls. The surrounding area has had a hipster resurgence in the past few years, so expect some of the best food in what is already a gastronomic mecca.” PastelSunrise

Zimbabwe

Harare Old Stables Market

“The weekend market at the Old Stables on Borrowdale Race Course sells everything from locally produced nut butters such as hacha and marula nuts to baobab powder, sesame oil, jams and chilli sauces. Plus the market has a great variety of amazing local crafts. I love the kind people that share their knowledge of local produce and foods.” Dverner@worldbank.org

Fife

Bowhouse

Located on the Balcaskie Estate, this is all about provenance, seasonal eating, short supply chains and connecting small growers and producers with local restaurants and shoppers. The area is known for its exceptional seafood, but there’s also malting barley, beef, lamb, wheat, oilseed rape, wild roe deer, spirits, cakes and condiments. Open the second full weekend of each month except January and February. FT Reader368

Padua

Piazza delle Erbe Market

“Run for more than 500 years in the exact same location, this is open six days a week. It’s a real market with attractive prices and fresh produce, not a tourist trap.” Anonymous For Today

Alpes-Maritimes

Marché des Halles de Menton

Around 40 producers sell a mixture of local specialities and food from across the nearby Italian border. Located in a belle époque building between the sea and the old town, it has been in operation since 1898. Falihgoes2

Thessaloniki

Modiano Market

The city’s largest indoor market was named after its architect Eli Modiano in 1925 and reopened in 2022 after an extensive, but sympathetic, restoration: fish shops, butcher’s, tavernas, delis… Shaw

Melbourne

Prahran Market

“Devoted entirely to food, and where you’d actually go if you wanted to buy groceries.” JAFA

New York City 

Union Square Greenmarket

This farmers’ market started small in 1976 and now sees more than 140 regional farmers, fishers and bakers at peak season. In addition to kitchen staples you’ll find ostrich and emu eggs, farmstead kimchi, organic hot sauce and salsa, and potted lavender. “It’s where you see all the big chefs shop for A-grade produce.” TrulyDisgusted

Québec

Le Marché Atwater, Montréal

“Everything you can think of in a great atmosphere. The art deco building from 1933 in the Saint-Henri neighbourhood is a spectacle.” es in London 

“In the early autumn it is particularly remarkable, overflowing with ripened produce from across Québec. The market expands outside as the weather permits.” RNPARIS

Málaga

Mercado de Atarazanas

“The architecture and interior are just stunning. The produce is unbelievable. The service is great.” Curious

The Hague

Haagse Markt

In keeping with the multicultural spirit of the city, this, one of the largest outdoor markets in Europe (with more than 500 stalls), has an international offering – you might find local cauliflower alongside baklava and garter snake native to North and Central America. Hatchback

Borneo

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

“A wonderful fish market – find fresh abalone at a reasonable price.” Inconvenient Brown II

Costa Rica 

San José Central Market

“For fresh fruits, plus the great deep-fried chicken.” Inconvenient Brown II

Cape Town 

Oranjezicht City Farm Market

“Overlooking the sea, this is the best place for seasonal, organic produce; it has a sustainable, community-centred ethic and practices at its heart; best food and vibe.” Soulfood

Stockholm

Östermalms Saluhall

A 19th-century covered market as it really should be, with cast iron pillars rising to the ceiling and lacquered wood stalls. It reopened in 2020 after a four-year renovation and is open every day but Sunday. CNWlikes

Zürich

Bürkliplatz

“For flowers, fruits and mushrooms.” Inconvenient Brown II

Barcelona

Sant Gervasi

“This, my local market, would be mobbed if it were in London. As it is, it is just one of many in Barcelona, and never crowded.” NBSJ

Istanbul

Kadıköy Market

“You’ll find everything from seafood to varieties of honey and numerous delis with untold numbers of cheeses and cold cuts as well as butchers, greengrocers – a wonderful treat for the eyes and more.” Omer li

Borneo

Kuching Open Air Market 

“Granted, it’s basically in a car park, but the freshly cooked seafood is exquisite.” RUK

Jerusalem

Mahane Yehuda

“A large selection of eye-catching greengrocers, fishmongers and butchers, alongside amazing ‘street food’, all mixed with great atmosphere.” Samos

Greater manchester

Bury Market, Bury

“For the black pudding.” Bont Photo

Crete

Saturday Farmers’ Market, Minoos Street, Chania 

“For wonderful local produce including yoghurt, cheeses, herbs and mountain honey.” Wokelady

Rotterdam

Markthal

“Don’t miss this huge market that is the size of a giant football field.” Carol 

Brazil

Mercado Central de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais

“Minas has the best food in all of Brazil.” Jorge 

“Wonderful for fresh produce: cheese, cachaça, wonderful meat balls filled with cheese and cold beer.” Inconvenient Brown II

Frankfurt

Kleinmarkthalle

“Some excellent stalls, a fantastic wine terrace and good eateries.” Federica Brignone

Béziers

Les Halles

“Newly refurbished, this is a vibrant place to purchase locally sourced produce and, of course, excellent local wine and a burgeoning craft beer scene.” William

CUMBRIA

Kirkby Lonsdale market

“Every Thursday. Only small but the artisan bakery produce is the best.” TRenny

Cork

The English Market

There’s been a market on the site since 1788, though the current structure is mid-19th-century. It supplies many of the city’s best restaurants – don’t miss specialties such as drisheen (blood pudding), spiced beef and buttered eggs. Raclette and AugustineVin

Brazil

Ver O Peso, Belém

“Come to buy fresh hauls of Amazonian river fish (or you can have it fried to eat with açai while overlooking the river), all the great fruits of the state (cupuaçu, bacuri and many more) and a bustling trade in magic spells and potions. All under a magnificent wrought-iron structure bought from the UK during the rubber boom.” Frank Talk

Kolkata

Gariahat market

“Neither a tourist trap, nor BoBo – just earthy, authentic sonar Bangla.” Rumba

Turin

Porta Palazzo

“Its farmers’ market section is particularly worthwhile, even though the number of sellers, especially of cheese and charcuterie, has diminished over the years. Turin is a multi-ethnic city and it shows in the variety of produce brought to market. Also great for places to eat.” Jb

Taiwan

Houbihu seafood market

“For the freshest and probably cheapest decent sashimis in the world.” Inconvenient Brown II