Mercado Central offers all the seafood you could ever want. Photo by Kendal Montgomery.
In the spirit of Easter, we felt it was only right to do an article on the place to go for rich, fresh seafood. I mean after all, you´re surely not eating meat this weekend…are you?!
A trip to Mercado Central, Santiago´s famous seafood market: the perfect Good Friday morning activity—or really, perfect for any day, but especially Easter.
I spoke with three of dozens of vendors there, and all said that during these few days leading up to Easter Sunday, sales at least tripled. Indeed, the market is swarming with those looking to be good Catholics; but also, as mentioned in an earlier article, Catholic or not, it´s tradition: Easter is all about chocolate eggs, vacations and seafood.
The ocean plays a huge role here in Chile, hence Mercado Central, which covers an entire city block, is open from 5:00 a.m. to around 6:00 p.m., 364 days of the year—they are closed New Year´s Day. Basically, there is never a day in Santiago when you can´t have fresh seafood.
Fresh seafood to take home and prepare, or served to you in one of the market´s many restaurants. If you´re in Santiago, you must lunch here one day, because minus the salty air, it´s like eating right on the shore. With more than 20 restaurants, the options are endless, the flavors unforgettable. Seafood is my recommendation, however, if you´re going with someone not fond of the ocean´s offerings, no worries, their needs and/or wants will be met as well. This is the place to go to find authentic Chilean cuisine, where you can eat recipes handed down for generations upon generations.
Most workers at the market work six, long days a week. Photo by Kendal Montgomery.
Aside from all the fish, shellfish, octopus, etc., the market also has a ton of other products, ranging from tourist trinkets, to fresh herbs and spices, to sweets and empanadas and even a few butcher shops. But above all things mentioned, seafood of course is king, and it has been since 1872.
Serving the capital for 138 years, Mercado Central is housed in a salmon colored building with giant white-trimmed arches and is really quite unique. Inside, the high ceilings, iron work, light poles and all the hustle and bustle make it feel as if you are stepping 100 years back in time. It´s such a lovely place to visit.
And after you have a nice lunch and buy from the haven of fresh seafood, you can walk right across the river to La Vega Central and buy all the fresh produce you could need or ever want. Not but five minutes apart, these two markets can provide you with the goods necessary for making a five-star meal.
Happy eating and shopping!
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