Walkthrough of Mexico's absolute best restaurants

(MENAFN) Mexico City’s reputation as a global culinary hotspot is often linked to the inventive tasting menus and collaborations of celebrity chefs in the upscale Roma Norte district. Yet the journey of the ingredients served in these high-end restaurants often begins far from the polished streets—at a bustling market in one of the city’s poorest areas.

Central de Abasto, situated in Iztapalapa, holds the title of the world’s largest wholesale market, spanning 3.27 square kilometers—comparable in size to New York City’s Central Park—and providing 80% of the capital’s produce. Between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., the market takes on a frenetic energy reminiscent of a sci-fi movie, with buyers squeezing through narrow aisles to negotiate with thousands of stalls and warehouses. Diableros, the hand-truck porters, weave rapidly through the throng, balancing wooden crates atop their heads while avoiding collisions. “Whenever I hear a trilling whistle, I jump aside to let a ‘little devil’ race past with a comically overloaded bundle,” one observer recounts.

Opened in 1982 to replace the colonial-era trading hub La Merced, Central de Abasto now accommodates roughly half a million visitors daily and processes more than 30,000 tons of produce from across Mexico. The market’s chaotic appearance mirrors the reputation of Iztapalapa, long criticized as a “trash district” due to its landfills and prisons. Currently, about 43% of its two million residents live in moderate to extreme poverty, making it one of the city’s most economically disadvantaged boroughs. Yet, Central de Abasto’s crucial role in supplying top-tier restaurants is gradually reshaping public perception.

While local shoppers do frequent the market, its primary focus is on wholesale transactions, with displays scaled to impressive proportions. One can see walls of watermelons stacked higher than a person’s head and enormous piles of carrots. The aroma of garlic wafts from a stall with boxes reaching the ceiling, braids of bulbs hanging overhead. A vendor nearby sells juicy tacos campechanos, combining grilled beef, sausage, cactus, potatoes, and pico de gallo. The vast array of produce highlights Mexico’s diverse microclimates, attracting sellers from across the country who bring region-specific crops to the bustling mercado.

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