We provide a guide to the gastronomic markets in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley. There are now eight of these food markets with many restaurants in one location.
These gastronomic markets are very popular in the Medellín metro area. Some expats I have talked to thought the first gastronomic market in Medellín was Mercado Del Rio. But actually, the first gastronomic market was Contenedores Food Place in Envigado, which opened in early 2014.
At seven of these eight gastronomic markets, food is purchased at small format restaurants. And food is eaten in shared seating areas with bar-height and lower tables. The only exception is Contenedores, which has separate seating for each restaurant.
Several Medellin Guru readers have asked about the gastronomic markets in Medellín. We have covered seven of these markets on this website. And in this article we provide a comprehensive guide to all eight gastronomic markets in Medellín.
Note the following ultimate guide to the gastronomic markets in Medellín is in order by the date each first opened.
Contenedores Food Place in Envigado
1. Contenedores Food Place
A unique gastronomic market in the Medellín metro area is Contenedores Food Place in Envigado. This food market includes less than 10 restaurants that are located in recycled shipping containers that are used to create separate dining spaces open to the outdoors. Each restaurant there has its own separate area within one of the three levels.
Unlike the other gastronomic markets in the Medellín metro area, the restaurants in Contenedores have separate seating and are not small format stands like at the other gastronomic markets with shared seating areas.
Contenedores in Envigado is popular, particularly on the weekends. This is due to a nice selection of restaurants as well as having a nice atmosphere.
Chef Burger at Contenedores
Opened: January 2014
Website: http://www.contenedoresfoodplace.com/
Address: Carrera 48 #26 Sur 87, Envigado
Nearest Metro station: Ayurá on Line A
Inside Mercado Del Rio in Medellín
2. Mercado Del Rio
Mercado Del Rio is the largest gastronomic market in Medellín, which has a collection of over 50 trendy restaurants in a sizable warehouse space located next to the Bancolombia Headquarters building.
This trendy food market reportedly opened in October 2016. And it has become very popular. Mercado Del Rio has over 50 restaurants with a big variety of cuisines available.
Food options include traditional Colombian, hamburgers, Italian, Mexican, Peruvian, pizza, sandwiches, seafood, steaks, sushi, waffles, wings and so much more.
There are also several bars, a coffee bistro and desserts at several kiosks on the first floor. And on the second floor are located a couple sit-down restaurants along with the Sinko Market, which is a bar that serves food. There are also plenty of TVs, which show the local football (soccer) games when playing.
Also, we included visiting Mercado Del Rio in our list of 35 top things to do in Medellín.
The front of Mercado Del Rio
Opened: October 2016
Address: Calle 24 #48-28, El Poblado
Website: https://mercadodelrio.com/
Hours: 7 am to 9 pm, opens at 8 am on Sunday and can stay open later on the weekends
Nearest Metro station: Industriales on Line A
Inside Mercado Del Tranvía in Medellín
3. Mercado Del Tranvía
Mercado Del Tranvía is a popular gastronomic market in Medellín, which has a collection of 21 restaurants and bars in a warehouse located along the tranvía tramline of the metro system in the Buenos Aires neighborhood near El Centro.
This food market reportedly opened in October 2017. And it has become very popular.
Food options include traditional Colombian, hamburgers, Italian, Mexican, Peruvian, pizza, sandwiches, seafood, steaks, sushi, wings and so much more.
There are also a couple of bars, a coffee shop and desserts at several kiosks. And on the second floor are three independent terraces that provide more space to sit. Note these terraces can be reserved for special occasions like birthday parties.
Mercado Del Tranvía
Opened: October 2017
Address: Calle 49 # 34-29, Buenos Aires, Medellín
Website: https://www.facebook.com/mercadodeltranviamde/
Hours: Sunday to Thursday: Noon to 10 pm; Friday and Saturday: Noon to Midnight.
Nearest Metro station: Buenos Aires on the Tranvía tramcar line
The Mercado Del Norte in Bello
4. Mercado Del Norte
Mercado Del Norte is a popular gastronomic market in the Medellín metro area, which has a collection of about 25 restaurants and bars in a warehouse located in Bello, which is in the northern part of the Aburrá Valley.
This food market opened in January 2019. Food options include traditional Colombian, hamburgers, Italian, Mexican, Peruvian, pizza, sandwiches, seafood, steaks, sushi, wings and much more. Also, there are a couple of bars, a coffee shop and some desserts.
Entrance to Mercado del Norte
Opened: January 2019
Address: Calle 56 # 55-96, Bello
Website: https://www.facebook.com/elmercadodelnorte/
Hours: Sunday to Thursday: Noon to 10 pm; Friday and Saturday: Noon to 11 pm.
Nearest Metro station: Bello on Line A
Inside Mercadillo de Aranjuez
5. Mercadillo de Aranjuez
Mercadillo de Aranjuez is the smallest gastronomic market in the Medellín metro area. It only has five restaurants and a bar and is located one block from the Aranjuez park in Aranjuez.
This food market reportedly opened in February 2019. Since it’s small and located in a neighborhood not frequented by foreigners, this gastronomic market likely hasn’t been discovered by many foreigners.
Food options include Mexican, pizza, Peruvian, steaks and sushi.
Mercadillo de Aranjuez
Opened: February 2019
Address: Calle 56 # 55-96, Bello
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Mercadillo-de-Aranjuez-357797168350995/
Hours: 5 pm to 11 pm.
Nearest Metro station: Aranjuez on Line 1 or 2 of the Metroplús
The newest gastronomic market in the Aburrá Valley: Mercado de Sabaneta in Sabaneta
6. Mercado de Sabaneta
Mercado de Sabaneta is a relatively new gastronomic in Sabaneta, which will ultimately have a collection of 19 restaurants and bars in a building located near Parque Sabaneta in Sabaneta.
This food market opened on July 5, 2019. On opening day, there was a total of 11 food and drink places open at this new food market in Sabaneta. But there is space for several more locations. And by July 19, 2019, 14 places were open.
Food options include arepas, burgers, Colombian, gourmet hot dogs, pizza, steaks, sushi and more. Also, there are a couple of bars.
Mercado de Sabaneta, near Parque Sabaneta
Opened: July 2019
Address: Calle 70Sur # 43A-47, Sabaneta
Website: https://www.facebook.com/mercadodesabaneta/
Hours: 12:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Nearest Metro station: Sabaneta on Line A
The newest food market: Mercado La Colonia
7. Mercado La Colonia
Mercado La Colonia is a popular gastronomic market in Medellín located in El Centro along the Tranvía tramcar line with 19 restaurants and bars.
This food market opened in October 2019. And Mercado La Colonia has several small format restaurants with a variety of cuisines available.
Also, this new gastronomic market has free Wi-fi available and a free co-working space on the second floor with space for 25 workers.
Food options at Mercado La Colonia include Arabic, burgers, Colombian, Italian, Mexican, Peruvian, pizza, sushi, steaks, Venezuelan and more.
Inside Mercado La Colonia
Opened: October 2019
Address: Calle 49 # 40-28, El Centro, Medellín
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Mercado-De-La-Colonia-120414716021157/
Hours: 12:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Nearest Metro station:Pabellón del Agua on the TA Tranvía tram line
Mercado De La Playa in El Centro
8. Mercado De La Playa
Mercado De La Playa is the newest gastronomic market in Medellín that opened in December 2019 in El Centro with over 25 restaurants and bars.
This food market opened in December 2019 and it has several small format restaurants with a variety of cuisines available.
There are many food options at this food market including Arabic, burgers, Colombian, desserts, fruits, Italian, Peruvian, Portuguese, pizza, sandwiches, steaks, sushi, Tex-Mex, waffles, wings and more.
This is a large food market with capacity for about 1,000 people including over 800 seats on two floors. Also, there is a sound system and a raised area in the center for events.
At the grand opening of Mercado De La Playa in December 2019, photo courtesy of Mercado De La Playa
Opened: December 2019
Address: Calle 51 # 40-35, El Centro, Medellín
Website: https://mercadodelaplaya.com/
Hours: Noon to 11:00 pm
Nearest Metro station:Pabellón del Agua on the TA Tranvía tram line
Other Gastronomic Markets
Medellín used to have another food market that is now closed. Manila Food Market opened in April 2017 in the Manila barrio of El Poblado in the Los Patios Hostel. But Manila Food Market was small with less than 10 restaurants. Also, it reportedly failed due to a lack of customers in this location and closed in less than a year.
Also, Mercado Del Tranvía Envigado opened in November 2018 in Envigado but reported closed in September 2019. And Mercado Del Rio La Strada opened in July 2018 in El Poblado but reportedly closed in October 2019. And Mercado del Parque opened in September 2018 in Laureles but closed in April 2021.
The Bottom Line: Ultimate Guide to Gastronomic Markets in Medellín
Medellín and the Aburrá Valley area now has eight gastronomic markets with a total of over 165 small format restaurants.
Two of these food markets are in El Centro, one is located in El Poblado, one in Envigado, one in Sabaneta, one in Bello, one in Aranjuez and one is in Buenos Aires. The seven Mercado markets are similar and Contenedores is a different format.
Furthermore, these gastronomic markets in the Medellín metro area are popular. So, it is surprising to me that I haven’t yet found a similar gastronomic market in any other cities in Colombia I have been to.
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Editors note: updated on October 8, 2019 to remove Mercado Del Tranvía Envigado in Envigado, which has closed.
Editors note: updated on November 14, 2019 to remove Mercado Del Rio La Strada in El Poblado, which has closed.
Editors note: updated on December 5, 2019 to add Mercado La Colonia in El Centro, which opened in October 2019.
Editors note: updated on January 3, 2019 to add Mercado De La Playa in El Centro, which opened in December 2019.