the gorgeous west side market in cleveland
traveling a lot can become pricey, and one way i like to save a little money is by buying food at markets rather than eating every meal out at a restaurant. my husband and i did this in santorini for several meals (ok, it’s a little more fun when you’re eating a homemade sandwich overlooking the aegean from a private balcony). and in addition to saving money, i’ve found that i really enjoy exploring food markets. they give you a sense of the tastes of that area, allow you to talk with a lot of people, and they tend to be in colorful, bustling settings that allow for some pretty cool people-watching. smaller restaurants nestled inside the markets can have fantastic food, at a fraction of the price.
though difficult, i’ve narrowed down the list to give you three of my favorites. each was unique and very specific to city in which it’s located.
granville island public market, vancouver, canada – hugging the water on granville island across from vancouver, this market has it all. aside from quite the delicious breakfast, the market has the most gorgeous fruits that runs on for aisles. nestled among the food are wine stalls, gourmet food displays, stationery stores, and more. but that is just the beginning. head out back to find granville brewery (we stopped to try a beer flight), more shops, and great views.
inside the granville island public market in vancouver
west side market, cleveland, ohio – i was in cleveland for work last year, and took a cue from 36 hours to stop by the farmers’ market. heaven. i ordered a crepe from crêpes de luxe and sat high above the stalls, overlooking the fantastic architecture (over 100 years old) and customers as they shopped for their day’s meals. i had no idea cleveland was such a foodie city, and if you’re laughing about that as you read this, then you clearly haven’t discovered it yet, either. home to many renowned chefs, cleveland knows good food, and this market is the hub of it all.
outside the west side market in cleveland with the welcoming crew
la boqueria, barcelona, spain – i briefly touched on this market in my post on barcelona, but it deserves another mention. colorful fruits are next to fresh fish are next to bright juices are next to a candy display. the market is overwhelming yet exactly what i was looking for as i enjoyed a fresh salad from puerto latino and a café from el quím. and since it’s located just off the la rambla, the large pedestrian mall, the people-watching is superb.
spices and chilies and fruits, oh my! at la boqueria in barcelona.
do you know of any markets i should add to my list?
los huevos at la boqueria in barcelona.
admiring the fruit at granville island public market in vancouver