Mercado Santa Clara is one of Quito's busiest and best-loved traditional markets, a big, no-nonsense hall where quiteños do their daily shopping. It is a proper working market rather than a tourist attraction — loud, colourful and brimming with the produce, flowers and everyday food of highland Ecuador.
The aisles overflow with mountains of fruit and vegetables, potatoes in every variety, cheeses, grains, herbs and flowers, while the food counters turn out cheap, hearty local lunches — soups, hornado, seco and fresh juices — to a hungry lunchtime crowd. It is a brilliant, authentic spot to taste everyday Ecuadorean cooking and see local life up close.
Local tip: Go in the morning for the freshest produce and buzz, or at lunch to eat at the food stalls where the locals do. Bring small change, keep your bag close in the crush, and try a fresh tropical-fruit juice.
Good to know
- Where: Antonio de Ulloa, Santa Clara, Quito
- City: Quito