Page 70 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL FALL 2024 SPAIN

MERCADO DE SAN MIGUEL

If you’re looking for a stop with an ex-
tensive selection of tapas, start at the
neighborhood Mercado. Almost every Span-
ish city has several where farmers, fisher-
men, and artisan food makers sell super
fresh edibles. Once, these were the commu-
nity’s primary shopping destination, but in
recent years, supermarkets have pulled
customers away. Fortunately, most still
have a devoted clientele searching for
high-quality, fresh foodstuffs, as well as
tapas.
Despite its drawbacks, we encourage at
least one visit to Mercado de San Miguel,
the most popular market in the city. Lo-
cated just outside the Plaza Mayor, it’s got-
ten a bad rap recently for being
overcrowded, over-priced, and tourist-cen-
tric. But it’s also an experience you don’t
want to miss sampling and enjoying its ele-
gantly presented wares. On our stop here,
we enjoyed the day’s first glass of ver-
mouth, a locals’ favorite apéritif paired
with a freshly shucked oyster and fried
seafood. Time your visit before or after
peak hours (12 to 3 p.m. and 7:30 to 10:30
p.m.) if you hope to score a seat at a table
and linger awhile.

70 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2024