In A Nutshell: -Vega Central is a produce market where you can purchase in small or wholesale quantities. -I saw a wide variety of vegetables & fruits that were stacked neatly & presented nicely. -The prices vary by vendor, but seemed to be pretty consistent. Overall, this is a medium-sized market, but they have enough choices to create many meals. read more

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Santiago's main vegetable market (as opposed to Mercado Central that's more seafood), this is a great opportunity to experience the variety of fruits and vegetables that are unique to Santiago and Chile. Many colorful displays of produce here, I have never seen "Chilean" corn which is different than American corn in that it's a lot thicker. Interesting! Garlic, plantains, red peppers, onions, peaches, apples. What's available depends on what season it is. Prices are clearly marked and are probably a little bit negotiable. As near as I could tell, vendors only accept cash. read more

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I thought this was an okay experience. I honestly had my hopes up after Anthony Bourdain visited and from all the reviews I read. I agree that it is an authentic experience but it wasn't anything mind blowing, just usual produce and meat sold in a different format than the grocery store. It was very dirty, so if you are going to do this, then wear shoes that you don't care about. It's very crowded and we were warned by our hotel to be wary of getting fake money as change. We spent about 30-45min walking around and got the jist of it. It might have been cooler to do the formal tour of the market where you shop for ingredients and then have a cooking class with the ingredients you bought in the market. I found one of these through Uncorked but we opted for the Casablanca wine tour instead. read more

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This is my home away from home. The vega central has almost anything you would need from fresh fruits and veggies to dog shoes and tupperware and above all - great prices! Going to the Vega Central is part of my weekend routine where I stock up on my essentials for the week. It is very easy to get lose direction among the bustling of people, the yelling of merchants and the different aisles and bends that take you on an exciting adventure. Because I have been here so many times, I have a map I follow, starting in the main entrance and going through each aisle to pick up my veggies, fruits as well as my cheese, nuts, oats and ending the trip with the eggs. If this is going to be a common outing, I recommend picking up a cart on your way here (they sell them on the side of the church for $3,500) this is the easiest way to get everything you want (you won't be able to resist just buying what you can hold). I also recommend going down the Peruvian aisle (where the restaurants are) there you can pick up pre-made spicy salsas (such as rocoto and aji amarillo) as well as Tamales for the amazing price of $1.000 (a perfect after-vega snack!). If you are in need of any type of spice or baking good (such as buttermilk or coco powder and whole wheat flour) there are various places you can pick it up. I recommend also stopping to buy quinoa here (although it is expensive) there are still some places that sell it - as well as dried cranberries (something I haven't seen in Chile often). The most important thing is to take a quick walk through to see the prices versus quality because there is nothing worse buying broccoli and then finding it for half the price further down. **Mega Tip** If you have access to a car, I recommend coming early in the morning when they are first opening. I have been told that they basically are giving away produce - you just have to make sure you have someone to split it with. The vega is open until around 5pm but at around 2-3pm is when places start closing up for the day. Also, I have seen some people barter, but it is not customary. I could go on and on about the vega but instead of writing a novel, message me and I can give you any insider info you need :) read more

Vega Central - Kiosko en la vega central - Farmers Market Near Me - Santiago, RM

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I LOVE the Vega Central Market. It is by far the best and least expensive place to get all of your groceries for the week. They also have suppliers prices for restaurants, hotels, really any business. I go to the vega every week and I basically have my own route. You can get everything you might want from the supermarket and everything that the supermarket does not carry. Vegetables, fruit, dried grains, chia, party goods. I can even get stuff for my dog, such as food, treats, or that much needed winter doggie jacket. The vendors are mostly really nice and even remember you. Because of this I enjoy the Vega Central Market not just for it's amazing selection and prices but for it's social atmosphere too! Ojo: It is super easy to get lost at the vega, I STILL get lost as the place is huge and there are so many areas you might just pass over. read more

Vega Central - Farmers Market Near Me - Santiago, RM

Vega Central is a great place to buy fresh produce. Extremely cheap compared to the supermarkets. Can find all the local produce here that's in season. Fish and Meat are sold here but I would go to Mercado Central for the Fish as that's what it is known for and the meat market across the street for the meat. It is split into sections with the newer section having bathrooms and looking cleaner. It is an outside market so the older section does resemble this. Also has little restaurants in there as well, that the health department checks regularly. Great place to go for locals and a definite tourist spot for seeing local life. read more

The fruit is great, just don't eat the food upstairs. Definitely a must-see for visitors.