Mercado Central de Belo Horizonte

The very best experience to understand and discover the local taste and culture. Being a Latino, some halls looked so familiar, I felt in Mexico, some others looked so Colombian or Ecuadorian... and of course, some felt a totally new experience and authentically local, 1000% Brazilian. Diversity as its best! Get lunch from the buffets with a nice portion of feijão and picanha, pared with a Brahma beer chopp. Then, look for a coffee with pão de queijo. And, since it is warm and humid, stop for a caipirinha, 500 ml or 1000 ml

A nice market with some good specialties and restaurants, but a lot of vendors selling the same products/brands. Worth a visit and to grab something local to eat!

If you ever visit Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais State in Brazil, this is a place worth being part of your tourist attraction place. But come with time to discover the beauty of art, sovernier, local food, and more. You won't regret it.

Big and a lovely experience. Every tourist should go to a city public markets to experience what the region has to offer in fruits and a variety of food stuff. The guys selling Turkish figs, wow! Thanks so much for those lovely figs that I sent to my father. He loves them.

Love this place. Hometown favorite. So many things to see and foods to try. So many places to buy cute things. If you’re a drinker this place is great to catch a game and chill at one of the bars inside like “Bar da Lora”. Parking is easy if you use their garage. Went on a Sunday towards closing and it was still pretty packed. Voted top 5 markets in the world. If you come to BH you have to stop here.

The best way to understand Minas Gerais culture... Well located and safe for the visitors. You will be able to eat,drink,buy and have fun. Don't forget to taste the beer and fígado com jiló (leaver). If you are going with your car, parking is available.

I heard it is recommended to be careful of putting your phone in your back pocket but we had a great time. Many things to see and buy here, and great food. It’s better to bring a person who speaks Portuguese to help you navigate, but it can be fun even without. Keep an eye out for cash only signs, though most places take cards.

Super cool market in the center of Belo Horizonte that is a must see for tourists and other visitors alike. You can buy all sorts of drinks, cheeses, food, and tourist. Souvenirs here. There are maybe 100 different stalls that are selling all types of things, even animals. There are several bars and places to eat located inside of the market, however, there is not a lot of places to sit and eat your food. Many people are standing eating and drinking in the areas near the restaurants and bars. Great atmosphere very fun.

Mercado at its best ; you can literally get everything here... Electronics, bags, art and craft, Food, fruits, beer, spics, chicken, dogs, ostrich, rats etc etc. You can see tourists and locals all hanging around here

It's a great place to experience the food and culture of Brazil/Belo. The snacks were great. I was not expecting to see so many bars with large crowds on a Sunday. Everywhere we stopped the service, the selections and value were awesome. I would recommend anyone visiting Belo to visit the market--its a vibe!

For visitors to BH, Mercado Central should be very high on your 'to-experience' list. Prepare yourself before you go; this place is hectic and loud and in the maze of alleyways it's easy to get a bit lost. But, think glass half-full and you'll enjoy the sounds and smells and see what's on offer. Seriously, you name it and some stall sells it: spices, produce, live animals (birds, fish etc), household items, electronics, pinga (cachaça), and much more. There are also a few bar(zinho)s and restaurants, including one that participates in, and has won, the annual comida de boteco (bar food) festival. Really a fantastic place. It tends to get many visitors from out of town (not many foreign tourists though) and as such the prices are often a little higher than usual; the difference is that here all shops are located under a single roof. Do Not Miss.

One of the most impressive local markets we've been to in Latin America. It has all the local flavor (raw meats, cheeses, flowers, furniture, animals, coffee, cachaça) that appeals to the visitor and the resident. It was well organized with isles of storefronts in an area that didn't seem too sketchy. The clientele seemed purposeful and the workers welcoming. I didn't feel threatened or feel like the area was dangerous, so it was nice to be at ease. The market was fairly clean, public bathrooms were available, there's a smaller upstairs portion that has more furniture and basket weaved items. There's such a diverse variety of product one can find here. There are a few stores that sell similar items which makes it a little easier to bargain prices. There's things that are very affordable to others that are high on quality. Very enjoyable market just to stop and look even if you're not looking for anything to buy.

Without a doubt my favorite market in Brazil, and one of my favorites within Latin America. The space is covered and indoors, but there are plenty of fans to keep a constant airflow and to regulate the temperature. I'm not sure if it was just the day and time I went, but the place never felt overcrowded, which is rare in markets like this. I was especially impressed with the variety of goods sold here. Live chickens and ducks, various pets, wood furniture, local cheeses, kitchenware, cachaças, the place has it all. It's also relatively to get to, being just a 15 minute walk, all downhill, from Praça da Liberdade. Typically I would barter for prices in a market, but everything here was so fairly priced that I didn't even bother. I had already eaten lunch, but I would love to come back to try some of the several restaurants that are located inside. Another thing separating this market from others was that I never felt like I was just seeing the same store over and over again. There are a few that offer similar items, but for the most part each shop felt unique and had something different to offer. It feels a little like a maze inside, but this is the type of place where I would love to get lost and just wander for hours.

It's a must for those visiting Belo horizonte. There you can find everything! Spices, food, art, furniture, cosmetics, animals, etc. It's not the cheapest place but the quality is good and some things you can only find here. Have lunch at restaurant Casa Cheia to experience delicious traditional food from Minas.