El Mercado
El Mercado courtesy of visitsanantonio.com
Welcome to San Antonio's Historic Market Square, or as it is more commonly referred to, El Mercado.
This 3-block outdoor plaza is considered to be the largest Mexican market in the United States, with over 100 locally owned and operated shops and stalls throughout. The 'sights and flavors of old Mexico' are well represented in this festive indoor/outdoor mall, with items such as authentic Talavera pottery and other exotic curios similar to this sold throughout. The products represent and celebrate the cultural, artistic, and ethnic influences of the Southwest and Mexico, and you will find everything from clothes to wood carvings and local candies.
Your group will have a chance to taste authentic Mexican cuisines at restaurants such as Mi Tierra and La Margarita, and there is also the Food Court at the Farmers Market Plaza, which consists of over 80 stalls, shops, and working artists. The Farmers Market has much history here, as does the whole market area in general, tracing back to the 1730s. The king of Spain donated the land 'for the use and entertainment of the locals, and the area was quickly filled with lively markets selling such wares as wild game, honey, nuts, and clothing.
