Metro Manila Food and Shopping Markets for Local Experiences

Malls are aplenty in the metro if you ever need to shop, but to truly experience life like locals, we suggest hitting up Metro Manila markets that often stay open till late for your shopping and street food fix. Not all of them are your typical tent-and-BBQ setup either – you’ll find full-sized food halls, gourmet food from Europe and the Middle East, and even massages in some of our picks. Manila has several food markets to choose from in various parts of the city with most being held at night. Why they don’t do this more in other cities I have no idea but the food markets in Manila are a great place to sample foods from all over and mingle with people.

Established Food and Lifestyle Markets

Mercato Centrale

One of the most established food and lifestyle markets in the metro, Mercato Centrale has several locations, so perhaps one will be easily accessible to you. You’ll be able to sample new and unique food items here because the market also happens to welcome new vendors with innovative culinary ideas. Fun fact: food businesses we know and love such as Manang’s Chicken, Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates, Bayani Brew, and Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza have made a name for themselves thanks to Mercato. You can find locations at Mall of Asia MAAX Park, Venice Piazza McKinley Hill, and Robinsons Townville in BF Homes.

Greenfield Weekend Market

Greenfield Weekend Market isn’t just for shopping, though it’s full of artisan food, plants, handicrafts, pet supplies, and gift items. You can also join a yoga class, art and craft lessons, and even get a tarot reading or have your portrait drawn at the 9-year-old event. Kids and your furry friends can also roam in the grassy field by the tents and you can sit at the wooden picnic benches to feast on fresh seafood, sushi, baked goods, and homestyle drinks. You’ll be near Greenfield District and Greenfield District Pavilion malls if you’d like to get some regular shopping done, but come back to the market just before midnight when vendors may just decide to lower their prices to clear stock.

Late-Night and Midnight Markets

Cucina Andare

The Cucina Andare market, located at Glorietta 3 Park across from the Shangrila Hotel is one of the newer venues. This is the place to find one of the newer entries to food mania in Manila, the Food Trucks. Unlike the food trucks in the US where the trucks travel around town and pick out prime spots for customers, the food trucks in Manila only show up at the food markets. From Philly Cheese Steaks to Tacos the trucks surround the perimeter of the Cucina Andare Market.

Midnight Mercato and Mezza Norte

The Midnight Mercato is held in Bonafacio City on the corner of 34th & 8th Ave., next to the soccer field, and opens from 10pm to 3 am every Friday and Saturday evening. Bonafacio is a great place at night with bars and music venues and the night market always draws a crowd. Another of the midnight markets is Mezza Norte. Mezza Norte caters to the call center workers that work at night. With hundreds of hungry people taking their lunch breaks it only made sense for some enterprising people to set up a venue where they could congregate, relax for a few minutes and grab some good food. Mezza Norte has recently relocated to Trinoma in Quezon City.

Banchetto

Banchetto bills itself as the Original Overnight Food Fiesta in Manila and has been around since 2007. Banchetto is open six times a week both daytime and night and operates in three locations: Shopwise, Forum and Manila Ocean Park.

Morning Markets for Early Risers

For early risers on Sundays, head over to the Lagazpi Sunday Market in Makati. Located in Legazpi Village on the corner of Rufino and Legazpi Streets, the market opens at 7:30 am and closes at 2 pm. From fresh crepes, breakfast and lunch items, organic products and fresh fruit drinks, it is a great way to start your morning. Another Makati area food market is the Salcedo Saturday Market, which is open from 7am to 2 pm.

Summary of Metro Manila Markets

Below is a table summarizing the key details of the markets mentioned in the text: