Mercado La Dalia, Santa María La Ribera

Mercado la Dalia, like lots of neighborhood public markets, is surrounded by Santa María’s densest mini-shopping neighborhood. This time between the Calles Fresno and Sabino, it’s dated in all the right vintage and retro details. That’s part of what makes it such a treat to visit.

People come to Santa María la Ribera, clearly for lots of cultural events, but also just to stroll the streets and gape at the many historical houses. It’s got a reputation as a neighborhood of grandparents. (Their kids live off in the suburbs or the south of the city.) But it’s also long been inhabited by artsy types, poets, activists, and, of course, restaurateurs. One can only walk all its many streets by making infrequent stops at the sidewalk cafes, the hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and the teeming tea-houses.

At the center of it all then (besides the Kiosk) is also this particularly busy public market. For lunch, the comida corrida is excellent. Maroli, in the photo above, even posts their daily menu on Facebook. And inside and out, one finds the variety of flower and produce stands for which such public markets are so very much appreciated. Of course, this is just one of the places in Santa María la Ribera that needs to be explored.