Mercado Agrícola de Montevideo

A beautifully restored 1913 market building now a gourmet food hall with stalls, eateries and produce. Visit to sample local specialties and soak up the restored industrial architecture.

Things to do

• Admire the restored 1913 architecture — Look up at the soaring iron trusses and skylights of this century-old market building that was renovated and reopened in 2013.
• Browse the fresh produce stalls — Wander the aisles of fruit, vegetables, meat and fish vendors that keep the space a working market as much as a food hall.
• Sample artisanal foods — Stop at cheese, charcuterie, olive oil and dulce de leche vendors offering Uruguayan gourmet products to taste and buy.
• Eat at the food hall eateries — Choose from dozens of stalls and restaurants serving everything from parrilla to international dishes under one roof.
• Grab specialty coffee and pastries — Sit at one of the cafés for a flat white or medialunas and watch the market bustle around you.
• Explore the surrounding Goes neighborhood — Step outside to see how this landmark anchors a revitalized working-class barrio north of the city center.

Food to try

• Chivito — Uruguay's iconic steak sandwich stacked with beef, ham, cheese, egg and salad, available at several market stalls.
• Asado and parrilla — Grilled beef, short ribs and sausages cooked over wood coals in the traditional Uruguayan barbecue style.
• Chorizo and morcilla — Grilled pork sausage and blood sausage often served in a crusty roll as a choripán snack.
• Dulce de leche treats — Sample the caramelized milk spread in alfajores, pastries and desserts throughout the food hall.
• Empanadas — Baked or fried turnovers filled with beef, ham and cheese, or humita, perfect for eating on the go.
• Uruguayan cheeses and wine — Pair regional Colonia cheeses with a glass of Tannat, the country's signature red wine.

Local customs & good to know

• Bring cash and card — Most stalls accept cards but some smaller produce vendors prefer Uruguayan pesos in cash.
• Come hungry midday — Lunch is the main meal in Uruguay, so the food hall is liveliest and freshest around noon to 2pm.
• Try mate culture — Locals carry a thermos and gourd of yerba mate everywhere, and you'll see it sold and shared around the market.
• It's a real neighborhood market — Unlike a purely tourist site, MAM serves everyday shoppers, so expect an authentic and unpolished local atmosphere.

Nearby

• Plaza Independencia — 3 km
• Pocitos — 3 km
• Teatro Solís — 3 km
• El Prado — 4 km