Top 10 Food Markets in Europe

Rotterdam’s brand new EUR175m Markthal is a sensory explosion. The structure, designed by Dutch MVRDV, the architects of MVRDV, which opened in October, has the form of an extruded horseshoe, where flats are put to form the roof of the market hall. Underneath, there are 100 food and retail stands set on terraces. Various hot sausage rolls and frozen yogurt from Amy’s are made in Suriname. As a Christmas present for grandma, is there anything better than the whole Gouda cheese wheel or a jamon Iberico thigh from one of the butchers? The entire establishment is open late and designed to be a party, and there are bars too.

Dalston Food Market, Dalston, London

In addition to being the capital of partying in London, Dalston is now a popular food destination. Past outdoor Street Feast and Night Tales, events drew thousands of guests. Ridley Road Shopping Village is an enclave of Africa where you can sample. The Dalston’s weekly market for food launched on November 16 in the playground of the Petchey School. It’s the best place to visit for pressies (small batches of preserves, charcuteries, plants, and flowers). It’s also a great spot to grab a winter meal: souvlaki, Gyoza pizza, and souvlaki from Born and Raised are all available. They also offer “Korean burritos” from Kimchinary. Kimchinary’s marketplace’s Twitter feed includes daily updates of the most recent market stallholders.

Kauppatori, Helsinki

The world’s most renowned market Finland is in front of the cold Baltic waters running through Helsinki’s harbor. If you can stay clear of the seagulls that dive bomb and appear to believe they’re characters from The Birds by Hitchcock The Birds, this is the ideal spot to enjoy fresh fish. Herring is a specialty, as is salmon, served with boiled potatoes steaming hot. There are about 30 stalls. Some have tents heated so you can eat in the comfort of. For unique gifts, you can always get reindeer dried, cured, or dried into a form of”biltong.

Berlin Village Market, Berlin

Berlin, famous for their good times, Danny Faber and Andreas Socknick have joined forces to create the new venue Neue Heimat (New Home), backing onto the railyards that lie to the north Warschauer Strasse station in Friedrichshain. On Sundays at the Village Market, there’s nary a drink of mulled wines or a snowman made of marzipan in the vicinity. You can instead stock up on frozen yogurt in Mr. Whippy’s rigid Yogurt truck or savor a plate full of hipster-style, regulation pork burgers from the Gorilla Barbecue. Craft and art stands, live music, DJs, and even theatre productions exist.

* Open every Sunday midday-midnight, neueheimat.com

Bristol Eats, Bristol

There’s a way to prepare for the next installment of the southwest’s newest street food event on Twitter, at @Bristol_Eats, in which the identities of individuals who will be parking and grilling on December 4 are made public. There are people like the Beastie Boys, who prepare doughnuts with beef brisket; Gopal’s Curry Shack, which cooks spicy and vegan curry; and critical lime pie makers American Kitchen regularly participate in Bristol Eats’ events. The event occurs at Bristol’s Temple Quay and is run by a vast collective of traders.

* Every 2nd and 4th Thursday in the month, between noon and 2.30 pm, bristoleats.co.uk

Naschmarkt, Vienna

If you’ve satisfied your desire for art at the Secession, which is one of Europe’s finest-designed galleries, you’ll be able to indulge in real cravings right outside in the Naschmarkt. Eat Middle Eastern delicacies from Shakshuka to Sambusak in Neni and Orient-Occident. Of course, you will find stands that offer traditional Austrian tastes like pancakes, schnitzel, or even schnitzel. And every place serves the coffee the Viennese are in love with. The nearby weekend flea market is where you’ll want to shop for gifts, or you can also take home bags filled with Turkish espresso from Cafe Drechsler.

* Open Mon-Sat 6am-7.30pm, Sat 6am-6pm, naschmarkt-vienna.com

Great Market Hall, Budapest

Budapest’s Great Market Hall is an explosion of styles, located between the type of a Turkish mosque and a French train station. Renowned Hungarian designer Samu Pecz created this structure in the 1890s. It honors both Gustave Eiffel and his high-pitched ironwork inside and Gaudi with its extravagant exterior decor. This Great Market Hall is ground zero for anyone who loves Langos, a deep-fried hunk of dough topped with cheese and sour cream that is the ultimate Hungarian street food. A variety of stalls are available, and you can purchase paprika as well as Hungarian wine.

* Open Mon-Fri 6am-6pm, Sat 6am-3pm, piaconline.hu

Le Marche Raspail, Paris

Who knows which French movie stars may discover shopping in Le Marche Raspail? It is, according to reports, the spot to spot celebrities. It is one of the most chic shopping experiences on one side of the Left Bank. Sunday is organic called “Bio” day, and the market also houses one of the few food trucks in France, like Cantine Cali, which cooks burgers served with Bleu d’Auvergne. They are a crossroads of Californian fashionable and Gallic cuisine. The best gifts to buy are packages of Stevia or jars of organic pate.

* Open on Tues, Fri and Sun, 7am to 3pm,en.visitparisregion.com

Ostermalms Saluhall, Stockholm

If you know someone who is a chocolate fan, this is the perfect location to buy them a gift for Christmas that your sweet tooth will be grateful to you for. The homemade Swedish chocolate chokladsnittar (or chocolate pieces) are available from Borgs Bageri inside the gorgeous historic wrought-iron and glass market in Ostermalm dating back to 1888. To conquer a stomach and rumble, you can do what the Swedes do and have a bite of fish, but this time, it’s with a modern-day twist because there’s an eatery named Sushi Baren in the Swedish capital’s most fashionable market.

* Open Mon-Thurs 9am-6 pm, Fri 9.30am-7 pm, Sat 9.30am-4 pm, ostermalmshallen.se

Torvehallerne, Copenhagen

We tend to think of Scandinavians as modest, modern people; however, you can dress like a true troglodyte in Copenhagen’s most famous market, Torvehallerne. You can yell “Yabba Dabba Doo” as you step into Palaeo and take note that you won’t get an ostrich steak from the drive-in. Instead, you’ll be eating healthy raw veggies (avocado cream natural vegetable salad, almonds, omelet, pomegranate) that were believed to be the norm in prehistoric times. If you’re looking for gifts, go to the Bornholmer Butikken, where you can buy delicacies from the Island of Bornholm, like caramel, licorice, and island-style cheeses.