Mercado Los Globos in Ensenada, Mexico

Anyone who has come around here more than once knows I’m totally in love with local markets. I’ve written about markets several times before and I seek them out wherever I go. To share the love, I’m starting a series called “Market Monday.” Each week I’ll feature photos from an interesting local food or flea market from around the world.

First up, this not-to-be-missed market in Ensenada, Mexico…

Mercado Los Globos (or “Tiangui Los Globos“, using the Spanish word for flea market) is a large, partially enclosed food and flea market on the east side of Ensenada, Mexico. While downtown Ensenada is a popular tourist destination and cruise ship port with English-speaking tourists everywhere, this Ensenada market zone feels a world away.

The market is divided into two sections. The first is a series of buildings and enclosed passageways where vendors sell fresh produce, meat, fish, and prepared foods seven days a week…

The second is a series of temporary tent stalls set up on the street to sell new and second-hand merchandise like rugs, clothing, hardware, and even small pets (cages with birds, hamsters, and a few fish tanks). On weekends, these streets are closed to automobiles.

As we wandered the rows of food, I recognized one sign: Cremería Los Globos, the cheese shop we visited in the Valle de Guadalupe, has a second location here in the market. Judging from the name, I assume the market stall was there first. 

We peered into the kitchen of a small tortilla shop where a guy was pressing flour tortillas by hand, then dropping them on a hot griddle to cook, one side at a time.

There were several street vendors out selling various snacks and treats. A few of the stands had signs for nieve de garrafa a handmade lime sorbet, often added to a home-fermented cornmeal beverage popular in Mexico called tejuino. I’ve tried tejuino a few times before and I can’t stomach the stuff, so I skipped it for a tall cup of the tart sorbet–a steal at only 75 cents.

This Ensenada market was a great way to experience real, local Baja California food culture and it shouldn’t be missed if you visit this region.

Mercado (or “Tiangui”) Los Globos
Location: Calle Nueve (between Revolución and Colón), Ensenada, Mexico
When: The food and produce vendors (in enclosed building) are open every day. The new and second-hand item vendors (who sell in booths set up on the street) are only there on weekends.

Share the love: Do you have a photo of a market you’ve visited anywhere in the world? Please send it to me (with the location and photography credit/link) and I’ll feature it in an upcoming post.