Mercado Cuchilla del Tesoro, La GAM

Photos: Alcadía Gustavo A. Madero

The Mercado Cuchilla del Tesoro is the bustling center of the neighborhood of the same name. While the neighborhood clings to the northern edge of the airport, the food supply provides a center of social and cultural life. It’s also, somewhat surprisingly, an enormous market.

The neighborhood consists of 16 streets to the east, and 16 to the west. The market is just about precisely in the middle, between the calles Poniente 1 and Oriente 1. Some 50% of the neighborhood was lost in 1970 when a presidential decree claimed the land for the airport directly to the south. And to this day, the airport provides a backdrop to just about everything that happens here.

Sometime after that, the market was enclosed here and it’s remained something of a downtown ever since. The largely residential community meets here for food, but also for all the observations of the annual celebrations and commemorations that require supplies.

From Terminal One of the airport, it’s roughly a 12 minute trip in a taxi. But there are few more authentic places to eat any closer. Food is fresh, and much of it is prepared to be consumed on the spot. And while the Mercado Cuchilla del Tesoro is not a haven for international travelers, for those in the know, it is an excellent lunch spot. You get fresh food for a very reasonable price. The satisfaction of supporting smaller, independent businesses and farms remains a bonus. All while eating that much better.

Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.