Sign up with email

or

Already a member? Log in.

Trouble logging in?

Not a member? Sign up!

Having been divvied up and overshadowed and even having come back from a nasty fire, the Mercado San Juan Arcos de Belén, also known as San Juan Salto del Agua, has hung on tight as a staple market in Mexico City’s downtown.

Born from the 1950s-era split-up of the original San Juan marketplace, which stood only a few blocks away in what is now the Plaza San Juan off of Ayuntamiento, this is a very budget-friendly market in Mexico City’s downtown, largely bereft of high-end delicacies but bustling with mostly working-class families.

It is shouldered by two major traffic conduits, Eje Central and Arcos de Belén, and sits atop the two-line intersection of Metro Salto del Agua on the forest-green and pink lines.

The market is hemmed in by stands catering to boxing enthusiasts and porn aficionados on Arcos de Belén and Eje Central, but there are some great places to grab a bite to eat before or after just outside on López, where the main entrance is located.

The fire that completely destroyed 10 percent of the some 400 stalls broke out on April 3, 2012, and it took roughly a year for the market to fully recover. Fires are unfortunately common in Mexico’s markets due to jerry-rigged wiring, lack of maintenance and/or the weak and often corrupt inspection system.

The market is often confused with another of the markets that emerged from the split-up of the original San Juan, the Mercado San Juan Pugibet – a mecca for the capital’s foodies.

The slightly smaller San Juan Salto del Agua market offers a stark contrast to its gourmet cousin, selling economically priced, everyday fare and cheap meals to locals and the occasional foreigner, usually expats, who are looking to save by sticking to the basics.

That said, it does have a number of noteworthy stalls in a format nearly evenly split between vendors selling fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses and sundries and others selling fully prepared goods, including typical Mexican dishes, some in the blue-plate special style known as comida corrida, or guisados, stews and casseroles sold by weight that people often take home and reheat as sides.

However, the market’s most famous offerings are the Mexican-style fruit cocktails, known as escamochas. They are composed largely of tropical fruits, such as mangos, pineapples, cantaloupes, guavas, bananas, papayas and even the cake-like mamey – although it is not uncommon to see other fruits, such as apples, oranges, strawberries and watermelon, added in as well.

There are several stands to get these, located mostly near the corner of López and Arcos de Belén, but the most popular is La Lupita. In operation since 1990, the stand is perpetually crowded (prepare to shout out your order) and features a tiny, low-ceilinged second-floor eating area if you need a place to sit down.

The escamochas at La Lupita feature mamey, mango, pineapple, strawberry, apple, banana, papaya and watermelon soaking in orange juice and honey, all resting atop yogurt – which comes in orange, pecan, peach and strawberry varieties. It’s also topped with dried cranberries and Chantilly cream. Of course, all ingredients are optional, as they are freshly made before your eyes. The escamochas come in two sizes, massive and gargantuan – at 40 and 60 pesos each. They also make licuados, like fruity milkshakes, for 38 pesos. We recommend the mamey if you are up for straight-up dessert.

There is a standard set of juices and waters mixed with fruit and vegetables in a variety of sizes and prices. Practically everything is huge and easily shared.

La Lupita also has a full set of Mexican entrées, including tortas, enchiladas, carne asada, chilaquiles and more, available from the grill. They also feature less common options, such as club sandwiches (60 to 65 pesos), served with ingredients similar to those found in tortas (meats, egg, cheese, etc.), but prepared in a double-decker club style and served with fries or a salad.

Many of Lupita’s selection of about a dozen salads (80 to 90 pesos) break with ingredients typically utilized in Mexican salads and are prepared more in the style the juice combos are made with here, including an antioxidant salad and a high-fiber salad.

There are a couple of stands at the market we also always stop by when visiting. One is for guisados at Local 107, near the middle and toward the back wall of the market, when entering from López. Perfect for putting together sides for a last-minute dinner party, the options are widely varied, and they boast a number of cactus paddle-based salads, in addition to a colorful array of other options. Our favorite is the quelites – lamb’s quarters, a green similar to spinach – stewed with peppers, which works beautifully as a side or in quesadillas.

Another spot is in the first row on the Calle López entrance. The little stand, Local 202, features cactuses and other houseplants, in addition to quite a few herbals like basil and parsley, which have done much to help our little urban garden and our cooking.

  • August 16, 2016 Feira de São Cristóvão (0)
    Let’s say you have only two or three days in Rio. You want to experience a little real […] Posted in Rio
  • Ask CBOctober 20, 2015 Ask CB (0)
    Dear Culinary Backstreets, I’ve heard about “wet markets,” but what are they exactly? […] Posted in Shanghai
  • July 30, 2015 Els Encants (0)
    Els Encants is the kind of magical, exciting market where we arrive having in mind […] Posted in Barcelona
James Young

Published on October 16, 2015

Related stories

August 16, 2016

Feira de São Cristóvão: Northeast Beats (and Eats)

Rio | By Juarez Becoza
RioLet’s say you have only two or three days in Rio. You want to experience a little real Brazilian culture and don’t want to restrict yourself to the obvious tourist stops, overhyped bars and restaurants or usual “gringo” nightlife spots. Our recommendation? Spend a night or day – or both, even – at Feira de…
October 20, 2015

Ask CB: Shanghai Wet Markets?

Shanghai | By Kyle Long
ShanghaiDear Culinary Backstreets, I’ve heard about “wet markets,” but what are they exactly? And where can I find the best wet markets in Shanghai? Stocked with all the fresh produce and live seafood that hungry Shanghai residents could ever cook up, wet markets are an essential alternative to the brand-name supermarkets vying for their slice…
July 30, 2015

Els Encants: Flea Market Finds

Barcelona | By Paula Mourenza
BarcelonaEls Encants is the kind of magical, exciting market where we arrive having in mind exactly what we need, but after a few hours immersed among objects and voices, we emerge with a bag full of items we never knew we needed or that we could even find. This flea market is one of the…
Select your currency
USD United States (US) dollar
EUR Euro