This week Consumer Survey took a look at variety, quality, and prices at Mercado Abastos, Guadalajara’s sprawling wholesale food market located just off Avenida Lazaro Cardenas, a few blocks from the junction with Avenida Mariano Otero (of the infamous yellow arches).
While only reviewing the retail wing of the market (next to it’s large parking garage with elevator), what we found was a fantastic array of fruit and vegetables that Wal-Mart and Soriana just don’t have. Also two fish markets with extra fresh offerings and fillets to order, four meat markets where they’ll prepare cuts to your specifications and a chicken purveyor where the birds are killed fresh that day.
Three creameries offer a bountiful array of cheese and milk products and fresh breads, tortillas and many kinds of tostadas are available too.
Groceries are available at a half dozen outlets, but you won’t find many of the north-of-the-border brands you’re familiar with. What you will find are great deals on bulk quantities and a lot of the Mexican specialty products that the superstores don’t carry.
If you’re a gourmet, a vegetarian or a person who likes salads, you’ll really enjoy the dozen or so vegetable purveyors, who have top quality and hard-to-find produce. A wide array of fruits, berries and nuts at the half-dozen stands that specialize in them are top notch.
While exotic and imported fruit and vegetables can be pricey, for standard fare, it pays to spend some time going from stand to stand. We found prices to be on par or better than in the two supermarkets surveyed in the chart for most items.
Chatting up the sales people is half the fun and they are quite willing to help you practise your Spanish.
If you’re looking for hard-to-find spices, walk across Avenida del Mercado and check out the many specialty stores, especially Mama Conejo (but know the names of the items you want in Spanish).
Plan to eat at one of the many fondas while you’re there. The Korean restaurant a rice and meat or seafood platter that will feed two for about 100 pesos. Mexican specialties are available toward the back.
In front of the retail food area are a dozen shops selling paper goods, piñatas and every type of candy that your sweet-tooth could desire. Fresh cut and potted flowers are also available.
A half dozen banks are across the street from the parking garage if you need to tap your checking or credit accounts.
Don’t despair of not having a shopping cart. Young boys with dollies will tag along with your purchases for a few pesos and bring them to your vehicle.
Go early as most of the stands are closed by three or four o’clock in the afternoon.
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