IF I HADN’T VISITED Mercado de San Miguel in the calm, early morning hours, I would never have guessed this newly re-opened gourmet marketplace could be anything but chaotic.
Late in the day, the market’s air is filled with shouts from vendors and replies from hundreds of animated — and hungry — customers. Not a chair or aisle-way is empty.
In the morning, however, you can sip a cup of café con leche, or thick hot chocolate served with churros, while leisurely reading the newspaper.
Next, explore the customer-free aisles of this beautifully restored Beaux-Arts-era marketplace situated under an ornate wood-and-iron roof.
The twenty- to-thirty shop stalls include a tiny cookbook store, a kitchen-gear vendor, bread cart, candy seller, pasta maker, fresh fruit and fish stands; juice, wine, hard liquor and sherry bars.
It’s a small building and — even taking time for a snack — a morning visit to Mercado de San Miguel won’t take more than an hour out of your busy sightseeing schedule.
Since the Mercado is conveniently located just outside historic Plaza Mayor, it’s more than likely you’ll already be in the neighborhood at some point during your visit.
If you do time things to arrive in the afternoon — especially on weekends — be prepared for hundreds of Madrid’s most fashionable residents who crowd the aisles and fill every available seat.
You’ll see customers of all ages — entire family groups are common as well as couples and singles who flirt and pair off as the evening progresses.
In the evening, Mercado de San Miguel can be a mad house.
The energy required to make one’s way to the front of a line and place an order is astounding — you have to elbow your way to the counter and shout until the server can hear you over the roar of the assembled crowd. If you’re a non-Spanish speaker, you may just be out of luck food-wise.
Plan your visit wisely.
If your goal is to sample the best of Spain’s food stuffs — products including freshly shucked oysters, Jamón ibérico, cava, sherry, sangria, cheeses, anchovies, olives, snails, peppers, bacalao and raw salmon — make sure you arrive early (preferably around 11:00am). You’ll then have the aisles — and attention of the vendors– to yourself.
Most vendors will already be preparing their wares — and will have the time to deal with customers speaking broken guide-book Spanish.
You’ll also be able to see the gorgeous products in each shop’s spotless glass cases — which you’ll miss out on almost completely when the crowd arrives.
At the sweets counter, you’ll find beautifully arranged candy roses made from spun sugar.
A caviar vendor features bread rounds artfully topped with jewel-like fish eggs in colors ranging from orange to neon green and black.
Next to the shellfish stand, a bar displays flamingo pink prawns the size of bananas.
The bacalao (dried salt cod) monger’s products also include silvery preserved sardines and deep-red pressed cod roe.
A bocadillo (sandwich) seller’s menu includes platters stacked high with ham, tuna and pork creations that will make your mouth water…
If you can resist the idea of sampling these wonderful food items — perhaps you are more interested in just watching the uniquely Spanish cultural and social phenomenon of tapas (snacking and drinking with friends) — time your arrival for around 4:00pm on a weekend.
Mercado de San Miguel will be packed, but you might find a local who takes pity on your jealous looks at their accumulated treasures – and graciously offers you a sample!
_________________________________
Mercado de San Miguel is open until 10 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, and 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. It’s located just outside Plaza Mayor (on the West side of the plaza).
www.mercadodesanmiguel.es
Freshly picked…
Fresh out of the oven:
