Mercado San Juanico Nextipac

The Mercado San Juanico Nextipac serves the neighborhood of the same name. It’s also right on the border of the El Sifón neighborhood to the south. Opened in 1964, today it’s very much the commercial and, to some extent, social center of the ancient neighborhood. Historically a provider of agricultural goods to the capital in Tenochtitlan, today the goods get here from all over the Valley of Mexico. That makes it one of the best and most reliable places to eat in the area.

A 2017 UAM study counted some 106 vendors inside the Mercado San Juanico Nextipac. Among these are many preparing fresh food on a daily basis. For international visitors, that should mean eating better, and for less money. One simply cannot have actual Mexican food in a restaurant, probably not in any restaurant. And of course, one can have too many street tacos and similar heavy food. For visitors from other countries, learning to eat in the market is an important part of any visit to Mexico City.

The number of vendors will fluctuate, but the point is, there are few better options for visiting and understanding San Juanico Nextipac than in the neighborhood market. The parish church and civic plaza are just about a 4-minute walk away along the old Calzada San Juanico.