A stroll through some of the world's best food markets can provide more entertainment, drama, and eye-candy than anything you'll find on the Food Network.
The offerings not only tell a complex story about a country's landscape, they relate what's in season, what's for dinner, and what a culture holds dear.
They provide sustenance while doubling as a community center, with endless delicious pay-offs within.
These 15 iconic markets around the world are some of the richest in product, history, and local flavor.
Borough Market, London, England
Traditionalists shop side-by-side with trendsetting artisans at London's oldest market, which dates back 800 years. More than 100 stalls proffer baked goods, confections, cheese, charcuterie, wine, beer, fruit, veggies, spices, meat, fish and seafood, along with a staggering variety of dining options, from Thai street food to Indian dosa and Argentine empanadas. The market is so popular, it even publishes its own magazine, Market Life.
Carmel Market, Tel Aviv, Israel
A veritable opera awaits in each alley here, as vendors enjoy singing to sell their wares. Follow the music to fresh-baked bourekas—savory pastries filled with cheese, spinach, or potato—or to smoky grilled sausages or an entire Asian section for aficionados of Eastern ingredients. Minzar, the 24-hour restaurant on site, is a great stop for snacking.
Fish Market, Bergen, Norway
While browsers can buy some vacuum-sealed salmon to bring home as a souvenir, it's best to pull up a stool at one of the 40 purveyors to dive right into gems from the surrounding Nordic waters. This is where to compare and contrast crab and determine (once and for all) whether stone, king, or brown is what floats your boat; it's also where the adventurous can nibble on whale meat.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider