Mercato Centrale: A Feast for the Senses
For me, the Mercato Centrale is one of my favorite places to go. I feel like a kid in a candy store where I can become inspired by the ingredients I can buy. I usually get there on the first or second day to do my initial shopping. I peruse the various fishmongers and butchers to see what inspires me. The cool thing is they have such a variety of items I don’t normally see in my local supermarket back in LA, or those I could only get at a specialty shop that would be very expensive. The one problem I have is my eyes are bigger than my stomach, and I can go crazy in there, so I have to temper myself and think about what meals I will cook over the next few days, so nothing goes to waste.
The fresh produce is also fantastic and all seasonal, so I know it’ll be of great quality. I’ve found my favorite produce stands, one where they have a large selection of mushrooms and other items, another with fresh fruit that they choose for me, always perfect ripeness, and another vendor, an older gentleman and his wife with some lovely beans, artichokes, tomatoes, and items not found with some of the other vendors.
Then there are the formaggio and salumi stands where the samples are generous and the quality is excellent. But I need to watch out since I can get caught up in the excitement, and next thing I know, I’ve got more cheese and salumi than I know what to do with. Well, that’s not really true since I, of course, will happily devour it at some point.
All of this wonderfulness is downstairs, where most of the locals will shop, and much of it closes down by 1 or 2 PM.
Upstairs is more of a modern food court vibe, with a variety of stands making all sorts of Italian delicacies like pizza, pasta, cichetti, wine, juice bar, and more. This is a more touristy place with a more sanitized look, but if you’re looking for a quick bite without a lot of super long lines, then it’s a great place to go. You can still buy some meat and fish upstairs, but the prices are much higher than downstairs. One nice thing is it’s open till midnight, so you can go for a late-night bite and drinks at a pretty reasonable price.
-Rico Mandel, CEO, Miz En Place
Who is Rico Mandel?
Rico, the visionary founder and CEO of Miz En Place, embodies a lifelong journey fueled by passions for photography, filmmaking, culinary arts, business acumen, exploration, and entertainment. His mission is to unite people in support of artisanal small businesses worldwide. Rico eagerly welcomes the opportunity to share his compelling story and expertise, inspiring your culinary adventures and dreams.
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