Mercado Central
Mercado Central
4
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Mercado Central and nearby attractions
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
1,068 within 3 miles
Attractions
195 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
200 reviews
Excellent
90
Very good
72
Average
29
Poor
7
Terrible
2
Robert O
Rotterdam, The Netherlands6,597 contributions
Jan 2020
Since 1952 there is this market building in central Quito. At the time it must have been quite an improvement as the old place was not sheltered. There are eateries on the ground and first floors. Many close at 3PM. Fresh vegetables and fruit, meat, cheese, nuts, herbs, flowers and groceries are for sale at different sections of the building.
Locals from nearby neighborhoods come here to buy daily necessities, but the vendors are very much aware of foreigners and eager to attract them. Some of the stalls in the food court have menues in English! A few vendors increase their prices when dealing with tourists. I ended up cheaper at the uptown Supermaxi with fixed prices for groceries.
Locals from nearby neighborhoods come here to buy daily necessities, but the vendors are very much aware of foreigners and eager to attract them. Some of the stalls in the food court have menues in English! A few vendors increase their prices when dealing with tourists. I ended up cheaper at the uptown Supermaxi with fixed prices for groceries.
Written January 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandy Q
Malibu, CA363 contributions
Feb 2023
What a great market with so many stalls to purchase foods or enjoy a good breakfast or lunch among locals! The corvina (fish) lunch was so cheap and simple, yet so fresh and good. I was going to go to Jimmy’s (I saw many good reviews) but didn’t realize it was upstairs and the stall I ordered from was Dona Angelita and the stall next door to it on the left had fantastic fresh juice for $1 – no regrets missing Jimmy’s.
Written March 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rodney B
Waukesha, WI1,152 contributions
Nov 2021 • Couples
My wife and I walked here since it was really close to our hotel. It is a local food market with three floors of fruits, meats, flowers, vegetables and many other foods. Many locals were eating here and this is the place to buy fresh and cooked foods. This is not a tourist market, but was a fun look into the local culture.
Written November 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian5900
California427 contributions
Mar 2022
We came here for lunch. This place has two levels with many food stands to choose from. There were also a few places where you can buy fruits. The food was quite cheap; a $3 fish plate which tasted great.
Written April 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel N
USA272 contributions
Feb 2021
One of the best meals we had in Ecuador! Tons of homemade, friendly food vendors for insanely cheap prices. A definite must-do for foodies. No, it's not beautiful (as some reviewers have complained), but that's completely not the point of coming here. Come hungry so you can try multiple dishes.
Written March 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
uclastarr
Cusco, Peru50 contributions
The title says it all. Nothing flashy here, but cheap traditional food. You can find soups (mostly shellfish), chicken and rice, and juices. Almost everything is about $5.
Guanabana juice is delicious!
Guanabana juice is delicious!
Written March 5, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
goodmigrations
Pine Mountain, GA103 contributions
Every time I go to Quito, I have lunch here. The Corvina (Sea Bass) is fantastic, and for about $6, you get a big fried chunk of it, ceviche, slaw, fries .. and probably something else that I am forgetting. Really really wonderful. There's a liquado stand right in the middle of the building, and you can have a liquado made from whatever fruits you choose ... or even add alfalfa. The ladies can recommend combinations that are tried and true. Absolutely delicious! You can buy a dozen roses for about $4 to take back to your room, as well as fresh fruit for your breakfast. I love to eat "locally" ... this place has never disappointed myself or any of my friends!
Written April 29, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rapha_y_nici
Zurich, Switzerland5,898 contributions
Sep 2017 • Friends
Our walking tour ended at this food market and we were happy with these meal options at great prices. They had vegetarian plates for about usd 2.50 and with meat about 3.50. Additionally they serve tasty juices for usd 1 which are filling as well. The food was delicious and all of us didn't have any issues with the stomach afterwards, so it was on of the better food market experiences (seemed also more clean than other markets we've seen). Definitely recommended for tasty budget options.
Written September 28, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Escapeseeker2
Phoenix, AZ25 contributions
Oct 2016 • Friends
As you wander through Old Town Quito, Mercado Central is not to be missed. Its a real market and a fascinating collection of vendors ranging from natural heals, to butchers, to vegetable stalls and most anything else you can imagine. Two of our group were treated for headaches and altitude...they were delighted with the result despite being gently flogged with herbs and special oils. This is a clean and safe market with cheerful vendors. You could easily spend two hours exploring, sampling and maybe buying a special treat.
Written April 10, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NeilPike
St. Albans, UK355 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
Swung through for lunch after a walking tour. Can't speak to the non-food part of market but the food section works just like similar markets in Peru, Singapore etc. Just go up to whatever stall you fancy and order their food and take back to a table in the middle. Pick and mix from several as you desire - separate stalls for juices etc. Everything we had was hot, fresh and tasty. And pretty cheap - even if you go for an "expensive" fish dish, then it will still only cost about $6 and be plenty of grub to fill you up. Add an extra $1 for a fresh fruit shake
Written April 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donde puedo comprar ají amarillo en el mercado central
Written October 12, 2019
Is this open on Sunday's?
Written January 20, 2018
Showing results 1-3 of 3
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing