Mercado Batallón San Patricio

The Mercado Batallón San Patricio is among the most impossible sites in Mexico City. Improbably crammed between a church and a warehouse, it’s a wonder to behold, at least for those already captivated by Mexico City’s public markets.

The market is named for the famous Saint Patrick’s Battalion. Irish and exiled Irish-American soldiers, they fought for the Mexican army during the US invasion of 1847. Some 29 of them were tried and executed in San Ángel. That’s meant that their memory has always been especially prized and well-regarded in and around the area.

The market is not the biggest, not even in this neighborhood. But it is definitely the one with more character. And with strong character comes good food. A couple of comida corrida places inside are serving it up every day.

The Mercado Batallón San Patricio is just behind the west-facing Guadalupe Church. With an atrium partially integrated into a small public park, it’s a remarkable area. Cobblestone streets and crooked trees give way to the ramshackle market in precisely the way that makes any visit memorable. This is not your glossy tourist market either.

It’s likely an ad-hoc response to getting more vendors off of once-crowded streets. Today, those same streets are shaded and pleasant. It’s a remarkable and authentic place in a City of contrasts and comforts.