Mercado de San Juan Pugibet

Mercado de San Juan Pugibet is where Mexico City's chefs and curious eaters come for the ingredients no one else carries. You'll find imported European cheeses, cured Spanish ham, wild game, fresh ostrich and crocodile cuts, and live scorpions and tarantulas alongside aisles of specialty mushrooms, artisan moles, and impeccably fresh seafood. The market floor doubles as a tasting ground: order lion or zebra tacos at one of the sit-down stalls, pair Spanish chorizo and manchego with complimentary wine at a Spanish vendor's counter, or grab a tostada piled with sea urchin and octopus.

It's small, the aisles get tight on weekends, and prices run higher than your average mercado — you're paying for rarity and quality. Weekdays are calmer and give you room to talk with vendors who know their product inside out. The market operates daily from 8am to 5pm.