Nearly every piece of wholesale produce in Mexico City starts out at the Central de Abastos. The gigantic maze of tunnels — can it even be called a market? — is huge. It has 2,000 stands. It shelters more than 30,000 tons of produce each a day. Located south of town, it’s the one meeting point for food that ends up at taco stands, fruterías and fondas all over the city.
It’s open to the public, and I’ve been dying to go there, just to witness the spectacle. So Alice and I went last week.
We got lost on the way there. Her guidebook said to get off at Metro La Viga. We did, and all we saw was a man on a bench reading a newspaper. We asked him where to go.
“Take the Metro to Aculco,” he said. “No, better yet, ask the poli in the metro station.” Poli (pronounced POH-lee) is slang for policeman.
Inside the metro station, we asked the woman inside the ticket window. She shook her head. “Ask the poli.”
Finally, we asked the policeman, who looked bored while he leaned against the turnstiles. Yes, he said, Aculco was correct. And then after that, we should take a pesero that said Central de Abastos.
About 1 1/2 hours after we started our journey, we hopped off the pesero and walked over a sky bridge to the Central.
Once inside, the first thing we saw were the bananas, hanging from one stand. They were so bountiful, they looked almost fake.
And then there was the garlic.
Alice tried to buy some, but the woman said she only sold it by the half-kilo, minimum. That’s 12 bulbs of garlic, más o menos.
I wanted to wander down the aisles, open-mouthed. Maybe zen-out over the mound of watermelon.
But we really couldn’t. The place was too busy. Men carted around produce on their backs, pulling dollies stacked high with produce boxes. Most had at least a half-dozen or more. They’d whistle — a sharp tweet-TWEET! — if you were in their way. I got whistled at a lot.
The onion aisle was pretty, empty though. Probably because of the overwhelming smell.
We wandered around some more, marveling at the burlap sacks of dried chiles, the plastic buckets of loose cereal (guess this is for the morning street vendors), and the buckets of wholesale cajeta, yogurt, and fruit marmalades.
Central de Abastos also had a regular, neighborhood-style market, where you can buy produce by the half-kilo or less, or by the piece. It didn’t have much beyond what my local tianguis would carry, but it was fun to just walk around in a daze and stare at the lettuce, grapes, peppers, pimply noni fruit, guayaba, strawberries, a few random chocolate fountains, cheese, chorizo, honey. They were also quite a few stalls selling kitchen items: mops, cheese graters, lime juicers.
As we walked, we literally could not see the end in sight. The aisles stretched on that long.
“Crayton would be in hell,” I told Alice. He hates wandering and browsing without a specific purpose in mind.
We wandered a while longer, until our feet hurt. Then we found our way out and hopped on another pesero, which took us to the Cerro de Estrella metro station in Itztapalapa. Got home about an hour later.
Overall, I would highly, highly recommend the trip for anyone who’s interested in Mexican food, or Mexican market culture. Just be
prepared for a long day. The place ain’t easy to get to, and it’s exhausting to walk around and see everything.
What I ended up purchasing, if you’re curious: 1/2 kilo green Veracruz oranges, a block of acitrón, 2 cups of unsalted peanuts, 1 head red-leaf lettuce, 1/2 kilo of dried guajillo chilies
Central de Abastos
To get there: Take Metro Line 8 to Aculco, and then grab a pesero right outside the Metro station that says “Central de Abastos.” The stop is at the end of the line, past the long row of seafood empanada stands.
“He hates wandering and browsing without a specific purpose in mind.”
He’s not the only American male in Mexico City with that sentiment. :=)
Oh man you coulda roasted garlic like crazy! And mushed it up and put it on everything!
But what is a block of acitrón? (going now to try to figure it out on my own) Maybe something citric?
Que onda, L?
You didn’t buy any cilantro after the dearth at Superama?
Glad you made the trek to the granddaddy of ’em all.
xo G.
Wonderful. The first place I stopped when I first visited Mexico City — the very, very first place — was the Central de Abastos. 🙂
Fun post to read! Have you ever gone to the Mercado de San Juan in the centro? (It’s HQ for all the rare delicacies and gourmet foods in el DF.)
Yeah, I love San Juan! Adore their Italian cheeses. And homemade tofu. Haven’t been in awhile — I’m due for a trip!
Despite finding someone to sell me 1/4 kilo of garlic, that STILL comes out to 6 bulbs. Garlic is going into everything I make from now until Xmas. Garlic chocolate cookies, anyone?
hola emilio vazquez villanueva. sigues teniendo tu negocio de calavazas en la central de abastos?
hola blanca no se si algun dia veas este mensaje pero realmente no sabes el gusto que me dio ver que me hayas escrito te deseo lo mejor y me encantaria saber de ti, por otro lado te comento que ya no estoy en la central de abastos actualmente vivo en morelia mi correo es junishi1@hotmail.com si puedes contactame para saber mas de ti ok te mando un fuerte abrazo. bye
The green Veracruz oranges you mentioned — are they like green versions of navel oranges?
My mom gave me one last week and it was pretty sweet. I’d never had one before and she said that my aunt had somewhere in the interior and turned her on to them.
Hmmm… I don’t know. They’re not as sweet as clementine or mandarin oranges, but they’re super juicy and just the slightest bit tart. And they’re small, like mandarins or clems. I love ’em.
I would like to know how to contact The Central de Abastos. If anyone has this information it would be greatly appreciated.
hi ashley what do u want to know about central de abastos? when i was just a kid growing up in mexico city i’ve used to worked at central de abastos in the banana section, and also a diablero thats the person who carrys all of the goods that people buy from bodega to where ever they ask you to. i think i know alot about the central de abastos and one of my oldest sister still works there after more than 20 years so i’m pretty sure i can get u any kind of info.. my e-mail address its joseramirez1975@yahoo.com bye bye
Hi Tony. I have a question for you. Does the vegetables stands inside la central de abastos have their own warehouses? are they connected in one section or they are separate?
I went to the Central today, to the fish section. Naturally I checked your blog as a follow-up for your take on the place.
Next time you go you might check out Restaurante Atlantido. My friend Lorena and I got told about it by a taxi driver last week while we were at a nearby estética.
If you are going to the Central via the camion, you get off in said fish area and walk al fondo. You pass TONS (literally) of dead fish to get there, but it’s all so fresh it actually smells good. The restaurant is about 3 sets of warehouses back, but you should see it when you get there, near the Banorte; it’s quite large, and all the vendors know it so ask if you get lost. There was a harpist there today.
They have chilles rellenoed with all manner of seafood, and oysters with sauces that are a far cry from customary horse radish/lemon juice/cocktail sauce/champaign/what-have-you North Atlantic oyster preparations. And blue crab!
Fine dining in Iztapalapa. Love it.
I’m really curious about la Central de Abastos. I missed it on my trip to the DF (did go to la merced). It appears that there are about 50 buildings that make it up. How are they organized? I mean, if you’re looking for a particular type of produce, which section do you go to? Or do you just kind of wander till you find what you’re looking for? Next time I go to Mexico City I’m definitely going to check it out.
Hi Greg: Basically the whole complex is separated into two large parts: “mayoreo” (wholesale) and “menudeo.” (Non-bulk purchases.) There is a small map of the Central de Abastos right after you pass through the toll booths, but it’s not entirely helpful — I think your best bet is to walk in and ask someone. If you’re wondering about a specific item, be sure to specify with the person you’re asking as whether you want to buy it in bulk or not, that way you don’t show up in the bulk garlic aisle when you only want to buy two heads. The aisles are separated by letters, and they’re ordered consecutively. Even though the place is huge, the vendors will know where to direct you if you tell them what you’re looking for.
Hope that helps.
saludos yo conozco la central transportaba naranja con mi padre de la zona de papantla veracruz saludos
muy buen lo de las notas ,. hasta pronto 10-28 suertudo lucky
Interesting.
http://docencia.izt.uam.mx/sgpe/files/users/uami/drgjh/CENTRAL_DE_ABASTOS.jpeg
maybe this map could be help when you visit the place and here you can see where you want to go…. but is a huge place =) need good shoes and if go try to visit after 11 am you can walk more relax if go early is crazy all people runs(they open at 5:00 am every day) and at the weekend is open too, not all stores but a lot of places, the central market close at 5:00 pm
One thing I remember vividly from years ago is the transa of vendors hiding inferior quality produce behind the beautiful ones presented at the front (has anyone else had this experience)…you are drawn in by this front but get served ugly ones once you order…if you complain they reply ^thats what everyone else does^ :-(. If you asked to be served from the back of the pile they tell you that co$t$ extra…I h8t mexican transas.