Mercado Atarazanas central food market
Whether you’re a tourist or you’re looking for an alternative to a supermarket for your weekly groceries, the perfect place to discover Andalusian gastronomy is at the Atarazanas central market.
Open every morning (except Sunday), this food market boasts over a hundred stalls, primarily owned by local families passed on from generation to generation. They sell a vast array of products, from fresh fish and meat to exotic fruit and local charcuterie and cheese.
Walking into the market can be a bit overwhelming, most of all because of the fantastic show of colour and aromas. That said, the hall is easy to navigate and is divided into three clear sections, divided vertically from east to west.
When coming through the main entrance on Calle Atarazanas, you are immersed into the central fish and seafood section. To the left of that section you can find meat and charcuterie and to the right you can find fruit, vegetables, nuts and spices.
The market has no specific opening hours but most stalls open at around 8 or 9am and close at around 2 or 3pm, when they have sold all their produce.
Typical products
A lot of the stalls will offer free samples of local produce that you can try before you buy, especially the local almonds and olives, as well as Iberian ham (jamón ibérico).
Freshly-squeezed juices are also a nice pick-me-up for when you’re wandering around the market, sheltering from the heat outside.
Also close to the main entrance are some tapas bars where you can have some of the local delicacies prepared for you, such as a fritura malagueña (a mix of fried fish).
History
The Atarazanas market has a rich history, dating back to Moorish times. To learn more about it, click here.
Daryl moved to Malaga permanently in 2014 having first fallen in love with the city on his Erasmus year. After working for many years at local expat newspaper SUR in English, Daryl gained expert knowledge in life from the perspective of foreign residents and decided to co-found Malaga Guru in 2016.