Mercado Tlacotal

The Mercado Tlacotal is the neighborhood market between Iztacalco‘s Colonia Gabriel Ramos Millán and the older Tlacotal Ramos Millán.

La Tlacotal is the Nahuatl name for the “Place of Jarillas,” referring to a creosote-like desert bush. The old name was preserved by the colonial-era Rancho Tlacotal. One of the historic farms of the “Granjas México,” the ranch took up much of the south-east of the Ciudad Deportiva to the north. This part of the ranch was used for growing cattle-feed at least in its later years.

Only in the 1940s did the neighborhood fill up with settlers arriving from the near north, especially in the Buenos Aires and Santa Julia neighborhoods that clung to the outskirts of Mexico City, at that time. Flooding around San Antonio Abad likely pushed others in the same decade. Among those to first build homes here were stonemasons, blacksmiths, bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, and many others.

A 2017 UAM study counted some 274 merchants within the Mercado Tlacotal. That puts it among the bigger markets, certainly in this area. While the exact number will always vary, among all of them, you’ll find a good number serving lunch every day. Travelers are reminded that for prepared foods, the market is always among the best deals. Food is fresher, less expensive, and expertly prepared.

Hours: Daily,  7 a.m. to 6 p.m.