Delving into Santiago’s Culinary Heart at Mercado Central

Mercado Central and La Vega are two internationally renowned marketplaces in the heart of Santiago, Chile. These markets are living testaments to the city’s rich cultural past and gastronomic tradition.

Mercado Central is a lively fish market well-known for its fresh fish that arrives from the Pacific Ocean. It dates back to 1872 and is set in a beautiful iron-frame building. 

It is fascinating to see what is inside these marketplaces. The locals love Chile’s well-known “congrio” (eel), among the variety of seafood available here. There are a lot of restaurants in Chile’s capital city that serve congrio, which is an essential element of the cuisine scene. Pablo Neruda, a well-known poet, writes poems dealing with the traditional Congrio soup. You can find this fish at almost every booth in the market, similar to an eel.

There are restaurants tucked inside the market that offer fresh seafood delicacies. These restaurants allow tourists to indulge in dishes like ceviche, mariscos, or a hot bowl of paila marina while taking in the market’s extensive history.