Mercado de Abastos

Santiago de Compostela, not only the Pilgrim’s Way

Santiago de Compostela is not only known for the famous Way that thousands of pilgrims walk every year. It also attracts visitors for its gastronomic variety, which can be admired and tasted in the Mercato de Abastos. Fixed stop for all walkers who want to have a break with a beer and a Bocadillo (the Spanish sandwich), is a meeting place for all inhabitants who are looking for genuine food, local and affordable.

“The Mercado de Abastos is the place where you can buy the typical products of Galician gastronomy.”

Santiago de Compostela is the administrative capital of Galicia and home of one of the oldest universities in Spain. This attracts many young students from all over Europe, looking for places to meet other people and have fun. The Mercado de Abastos is one of them: the place where you can buy the typical products of Galician gastronomy, but also where you can taste the dishes prepared directly at the moment. 70 individual sellers go every day at dawn inside the market to display their goods, while the paisanas, the country women, sell outside the products collected in the family farms.

If you decide to visit Galicia, you should try the delicious local dishes, including seafood and fish. Inevitable on the market is the Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician octopus), this dish is also symbol of the Way: a simple grilled octopus served with potatoes and paprika. In cooler times, what the market offers is the Caldo Gallego, a soup of beans, potatoes and bones of beef and pork, whose scent will spread among the indoor tables. To conclude gently, you can follow the symbol of Saint James, reported on each Tarta de Santiago, an almond cake, refreshment of each pilgrim.

“Mercato de Abastos is a meeting place for the tourists and the inhabitants who are looking for genuine food, local and affordable.”

Architect Joaquin Vaquero Palacio built the market by reusing granite slabs from the previous one. The interior spaces are dominated by barrel vaults and large windows to allow the entry of light. This is how it was born, in the center of Santiago de Compostela, the reference point for all lovers of Galician gastronomy, where to toast with a tinto de verano (wine and soda) and some tapas at the end of the long walk. A crossroads of cultures, united by a single philosophy: the traditional and genuine food.