QUICK OVERVIEW: MUNICIPAL MARKET OF SÃO PAULO
We visited the Municipal Market of São Paulo in April on a hot day. Together with our friend Daniel, who we had met several times before and who also joined us on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, we decided to explore Mercado São Paulo. As a true Brazilian, Daniel knows exactly what to eat at the Mercado Municipal and had been there many times. By the way, locals call it Mercadão São Paulo, and it’s one of the most popular places to eat in the city.
Introduction to Mercado Municipal São Paulo
We had to visit the Municipal Market of São Paulo after hearing so many great things about it. This historic market has been an institution of the city since it opened in 1933. Located in the Bom Retiro neighborhood in the heart of São Paulo’s downtown, Mercadão is famous for its beautiful stained-glass windows, high ceilings, and a huge variety of fresh products, meats, seafood, and local specialties.
Every day, 10.000 – 25.000 locals and visitors come here to shop, eat, and enjoy the atmosphere. If you’re wondering what to eat at Mercado Municipal or how the market is laid out, this article will give you all the details. The market has two floors with colorful stands selling fresh fruits, cheeses, olives, sausages, and snacks on the ground floor and several restaurants on the first floor where you can enjoy your meal with a great view of the market below. We’ll share real prices and tips to help you make the most of your visit to this popular São Paulo market. Enjoy our Sao Paulo food market guide!
MORE INFORMATION
Address
R. da Cantareira, 306 – Centro Histórico de São Paulo, São Paulo – SP, 01024-900, Brazil
Opening hours
Monday – Saturday
6 am – 6 pm
Sunday
6 am – 4 pm
How to Get to the Municipal Market of São Paulo
1. Taking the Metro to Mercadão São Paulo
Our Brazilian friend recommended to avoid taking the metro. But since we really wanted to understand the route, we asked him how it works, and this is what he told us.
Getting to the Municipal Market of São Paulo by metro is actually very easy and budget-friendly. You can take the blue line (Line 1) and get off at São Bento Station, which is the closest stop to Mercadão São Paulo. From there, it’s a 5-minute walk through a neighborhood that, to be honest, is considered less safe—especially for tourists. In addition, we had heard that the metro isn’t always considered safe, even during the day. That said, if you decide to take it, a one-way ride costs R$4.40 (around USD 0.80). To check metro schedules and routes, we recommend using Google Maps or the Moovit app.
In the end, we decided to take an Uber instead, just to be on the safe side. It was super convenient and still affordable.
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Website
https://www.metro.sp.gov.br/
2. Uber, Taxi, or Walking – What We Recommend
In comparison to Europe, Uber is very affordable in São Paulo and was our go-to for getting around. It’s super convenient, has air conditioning, and saves you a lot of time. Since we traveled with our Brazilian friend, we could share the costs. A standard 10 km Uber ride costs around R$19.90 (about 4.00 USD).
When you’re ready to go back, just order your Uber and check which gate of the building you should wait at. Just make sure to wait inside the market and not outside.
Is the Municipal Market of São Paulo Safe and Clean?
1. Our Safety Experience at Mercadão São Paulo
The area around the Municipal Market of São Paulo is not the safest. As mentioned before, the market is located in Centro (Downtown) São Paulo, in the Bom Retiro neighborhood. From our experience, the area outside the market felt a bit rough, with some crazy people around and a noticeable smell in the air. While nothing happened to us, it’s good to stay aware of your surroundings.
Inside the Municipal Market of São Paulo, we felt very differently. We carried our gimbal and camera openly and never felt unsafe at any time. There is also security stationed at the entrances who check everyone entering the market.
2. Cleanliness and Hygiene at the São Paulo Food Market
We have visited many markets across South America, and some of them we feature in our Lima Food Guide! The Mercadão São Paulo pleasantly surprised us. The market was very clean, with meat and fish properly refrigerated, and the restrooms were also in excellent condition and cleaned very frequently . There were plenty of trash bins, and the overall smell inside the market was very pleasant. The staff and vendors were friendly, and the lively atmosphere made our visit even more enjoyable.
With such a great environment, we couldn’t wait to explore the food and Mercadão São Paulo definitely did not disappoint.
What to Eat at the Mercado Municipal – Our Top Food Picks
As you might already know from our other blog articles, we love trying local food wherever we go, and the Mercado Municipal of São Paulo was no exception. Here’s everything we ate (and saw) during our half-day visit, including real prices and our honest thoughts.
Must-Try Local Dishes at Mercadão São Paulo
1. Our Favorite Foods from Mane — Mortadella Sandwich, Coxinha, and Pastéis
Daniel told us right at the beginning:
“You haven’t really been to São Paulo if you haven’t tried the mortadella sandwich at Mercadão.“
The best place to try the famous Mortadella Sandwich is definitely Mane at Mercadão São Paulo. This sandwich is loaded with so much mortadella that it can be difficult for two people to finish one. If you want to try more dishes, we recommend sharing a large sandwich. The price is R$50 (around 9.00 USD), and it’s totally worth every bite. Now we totally get what Daniel meant!
Another great food to try at Mane is the coxinha, a popular deep fried chicken croquette that is crispy outside and tender inside. It costs R$13 (about 2.50 USD) and comes with an optional spicy sauce for an extra kick. We also enjoyed their pastéis. We chose the Bauru, filled with ham and cheese, priced at R$29 (5.50 USD).
If you want to see Mane’s full English menu, opening hours, and more details, check out the information section below.
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Addresses
Steelers
Heinz St, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, United States
2. Fresh Fruits
At the Municipal Market of São Paulo, we found fruits we had never seen before in our lives. Sometimes we weren’t even sure how to eat them or what part was actually edible. Luckily, one super friendly vendor saw us looking confused and offered to prepare a mix of fruits for us to try. Since we didn’t have a knife or anything with us, this was perfect.
We gave him R$20 (about 3.50 USD) in the end. We’re not sure if that was too much or just right, but he seemed happy, and we were thrilled to taste so many different flavors.
If you’re visiting Mercadão São Paulo and wondering what to eat, definitely stop by a fresh fruit stand. When a vendor offers you a sample, don’t be afraid—just say yes! At the end, you can always leave a tip to support the local sellers. It was a fun and easy way for us to try something new, and the prices at the São Paulo market are very fair, especially for such an authentic local experience.
3. Olives & Cheeses
The olive stands at the Municipal Market of São Paulo will definitely catch your eye right away, just like they caught ours. Colorful and inviting, they are perfect for both trying olives and buying. You’ll find an impressive variety of marinated olives from Italian and Portuguese to Lebanese styles, with or without garlic, pitted or whole. The selection was super huge. One hundred grams of the olives cost between R$4 – R$9 (about 0.70 USD – 1.50 USD) depending on the type.
Right next to the olives, you’ll often find stalls selling local cheese. The quality is excellent, and there’s a wide range to choose from, too. Whether you prefer something soft and mild or strong and aged, the cheese at Mercadão São Paulo is definitely worth trying. And yes, just like the olives, you can usually try a few pieces before deciding what to buy, a real highlight of our São Paulo market experience.
A little tip from our side is to buy some olives and sausages and enjoy them while sitting on a bench in the beautiful Ibirapuera Park. It’s only a 10-minute drive away by Uber and the perfect spot to relax after your visit to the São Paulo market.
MORE INFORMATION
Addresses
Steelers
Heinz St, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, United States
4. Beers and Sausages
Another really cool thing about the market is that you can buy different beers right there and even walk around with them. Most of the time in Brazil, we drank local beers like Brahma, Skol, or Bohemia—by the way, Brahma is our favorite! But at the market, we couldn’t resist trying something new, so we also had an international beer from Lebanon R$15 (2.70 USD). They also had Peruvian beers like Cusqueña and Portuguese ones like Super Bock both for R$15 (1.70 USD) . Here’s another little tip for your visit: if you buy a beer at the market, you’ll often get a free sausage sample to go with it.
Of course, there are also dedicated stalls specializing in sausages, offering a huge variety with flavors like pepper, chili, garlic, and many more. One fun detail that really stood out at the Municipal Market of São Paulo was how the sausages were displayed. At some stalls, they were hanging on a rail system and moved around the entire stand. We had never seen anything like it before. We also bought 100 grams for R$5 (1.00 USD) to take with us and enjoyed them later at the park.
5. Meat and Seafood
A visit to a local market never feels complete for us without checking out the huge selection of meat and seafood. At the Municipal Market of São Paulo, you can truly find everything you are looking for at very fair prices. Unfortunately, we did not have access to a kitchen, so we could not buy anything ourselves. But we noticed many locals lining up at the counters, clearly stocking up. Some of the stalls even have a small restaurant next to them where they cook using the fresh products of the day.
To give you a small overview of the prices at the market: fresh sardines cost around R$11 per kilogram (2.00 USD), and Boston butt, which is a cut of pork from the upper part of the shoulder, costs about R$36.80 per kilogram (6.60 USD).
6. Others
Besides all the things we already mentioned, there were even more tasty items to try like shawarma, different types of nuts, Spices, and other snacks. While most vendors have proper market stalls, we also saw a few smaller sellers using simple carts. If you are visiting the Municipal Market of São Paulo on a budget, this is a fun and authentic way to save a bit more money.
After eating our way through the different stands, chatting with friendly vendors, and picking up a few tasty souvenirs, we felt like we’d really experienced the heart of São Paulo’s food scene. Now it’s time to wrap up our visit and share our final thoughts.
Our Visit to Mercado Municipal São Paulo – Final Thoughts
Visiting Mercadão São Paulo was one of the highlights of our trip. From the huge variety of fresh fruits, cheeses, and olives to the famous mortadella sandwich and other local treats, every bite was amazing and something new. The market’s lively atmosphere, fair prices, and friendly vendors made exploring easy and fun. While the neighborhood around the market can feel a bit rough, we always felt safe and welcome inside. Once you’re at Mercado Municipal in São Paulo, you’ll want to try as many things as we did and we’re sure you’ll love it just as much. It’s a real taste of the city’s culture and flavors and a wonderful way to experience local life.
Thanks For Reading
