The markets of fine food

If I’m honest, I don’t really remember the gilded eaves of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai. I was there; I saw it. I have the photos to prove it, but it didn’t leave as much of an impression as the salty crunch of the bag of roasted crickets I ate at the night market later that day.

In Lyon, I wandered down a grand boulevard or two whose names I don’t recall, but the richness of oeufs en meurette — the classic Burgundian dish of eggs poached in red wine — at Daniel & Denise, perhaps the most famous of the city’s neighbourhood bouchon bistros, is unforgettable. In Hong Kong, the laser and light show across the harbour was fine and all, but it’s the trolleys of steaming dim sum clattering past my table that I remember most fondly.

Food has a way of etching itself into our memories, an experience that becomes more profound when we travel. This is not merely a subjective notion. Our sense of smell and taste are intricately linked to our limbic system, the brain’s control centre for emotion and memory, meaning that the memories created by the food we eat and the scents we inhale are ingrained deeply in our grey matter, making them easier to recall and evoke later. The name of the monk who built the largest stupa in Thailand, less so.

But eating out abroad isn’t cheap, not with a single euro costing north of R20, and the dollar exchange rate just mocking us daily. The solution? To market, to market.

The world’s food markets shine with the classic combination of smell and taste, and even if you’re just picking at the free samples, you’ll find yourself locking away those foodie memories. While most cities have neighbourhood markets or trendy city hangouts, a few truly deserve their reputation among the world’s best. So while some may book their plane tickets based on where the Blitzbokke are kicking off next, I’m adding food markets to my global tally. Here are five worth including in your bucket list. 

Les Halles de Lyon — Paul Bocuse: Lyon, France

Named in honour of Paul Bocuse, who was born in Lyon, this gleaming food hall belies its 150 years of history. Today, you’ll find dozens of stores stocking premium produce from across Burgundy and beyond. Think Normandy oysters from Maison Pupier, Bresse poultry, and chocolates by Sébastien Bouillet, who has shops in Lyon and Tokyo. Certainly don’t miss the city’s famous charcuterie; here, Sibilia is your go-to, with rows of cured saucisse above slices of signature pâté en croute.

La Boqueria: Barcelona, Spain

Located on the city’s famed La Rambla pedestrian boulevard, La Boqueria is a noisy, busy and vibrant collision of colour and aromas, with a side order of history. The market traces its origins to 1217, and even the current market hall dates back to 1840. Today, the market boasts more than 200 stalls offering an array of fresh produce, seafood, meats and artisanal products to taste and discover. If there’s a downside, it’s that La Boqueria has fallen victim to the overtourism plaguing the Catalan capital; on some days (high summer is the worst), crowds of camera-toting tourists far outnumber the locals and chefs who have long shopped here daily. If you can, visit out of season or early in the morning.

Tsukiji Outer Market: Tokyo, Japan

Gone are the halcyon days of tourists mingling with traders at the tuna auctions of the “old” Tsukiji market. That changed in 2018 when the business side of things moved to a new site in Toyosu. However, the Tsukiji Outer Market remains, where you’ll find a fascinating collection of smaller fishmongers, wholesale stores, kitchen shops, and — most importantly — sushi restaurants. Sushi Dai is the icon, but it’s hellishly expensive and the queues are legendary. Instead, consider one of the smaller eateries in and around the market.

Borough Market: London, England

Set beneath Victorian railway arches south of the river, Borough Market is London’s oldest food market; there has been a market on this site for more than 1,000 years. I wonder if it has always been as crowded as it is on a Saturday afternoon? The sausage rolls from the Ginger Pig are as legendary as are the queues that form to buy them, but I would spend my last pounds at Brindisa, a laid-back tapas bar where you can tuck into perfect anchovies, Iberico ham and Manchego cheese away from the crowds.

Smorgasburg: New York, US

As your dentist might have said to you, look out, this is going to hurt. Eating in New York City is never cheap, but if you’re going to spend your greenbacks on good food, you might as well also soak up the sunshine of the East River at Brooklyn’s hippest food market. Smorgasburg is the largest weekly open-air food market in the US, with locations nationwide. In New York, the market is open from Friday to Sunday, May to October, but Saturdays in Williamsburg are best for both the food and views of the Manhattan skyline.