I stumbled into Mercado Central de Cádiz on a rainy 2018 morning, jet-lagged and starving. The smell – fish, oil, vinegar – woke me right up. No polished tourist spot; it's locals' turf, abuela recipes mixed with daily Bay hauls. Chatting vendors lately, 2026 looks solid: sustainable shifts, prices up ~8%, still bargains vs. big-city spots.

Budget €20-30/person for a ramble: oysters to sweets, weaving aisles with samples and chats. I'll share my favorites – seafood cluster first, then cures, veggies, twists. Like dragging a buddy through, detours included.

Seafood Stars: Oysters and Shrimp Fritters

Western wing first. Stall 12, María López – shucking since her teens. Plump Bay oysters, briny-cucumber finish, €1.80 each (2026). Lemon squeeze, slurp down. She grins: "Good for heartaches." Half-dozen €9-10; sat on a crate once post-breakup, felt better by number six. Low-impact farmed, traceable.

Two stalls over, Stall 15 (Hermanos Ruiz): tortillitas de camarones. Lacy-crispy shrimp fritters, €3.50/cone of six. Tiny camaronas pop sweet after crunch. Paco flips 'em fresh, shares boat stories. Burned my tongue once; he tossed extras. Shareable, even picky eaters dig in.

Tuna Duo: Ventresca Belly and Mojama Loin

East to tuna at Stall 28 (García family, almadraba traps). Ventresca: rosy-fatty slabs, €28/kg (€14/500g). Drizzle oil-salt, melts easy. Sample stretched my lunch days. Next, mojama: dried loin slices, chewy-salty depth, €45/kg (€22/500g). Thin slices key, says young García. €35 feeds four; packs well.

Jamón and Cheese Pairing

Aisle over, charcuterie row. Stall 42 (Jamones El Puerto): acorn-fed ibérico, €32/100g shaved (€16/50g plate). Nutty melt, pepper kick. Javier sniffs the leg with you: "Whispers buy me." Messy chin bliss. Next door, Stall 41 Payoyo cheese: goat-sheep creamy-sharp, €18/kg (€9/500g). Crumble atop – €25 platter total.

Aside: Javier's cat naps on a ham leg. Charming chaos.

Veggies and Family Picks

Produce wing for balance. Stall 65 (Huerta de la Bahía): heirloom tomatoes €2.50/kg, chickpeas, fennel. Ana demos gazpacho with local almonds. €5 veg pile; her farm's nearby, zero-waste.

Kids? Stall 67 olives €3.20/250g jar, Stall 70 pan con tomate €2.50/slice. Niece called it "magic land" last visit – free fruit samples seal it.

Tapas Twists and Sweet Send-Off

Central loop: Stall 55 espinacas con garbanzos €4/bowl – silky spinach stew. Or churros con chocolate €4, crisp-thick dunk. Stall 22 "olas amarillas" shrimp €6/punnet, raw-sweet crunch. Exit with honey almonds €3.80/bag – they disappear walking home.

Why This Market Hooks You

Cádiz soul in every bite – salty, generous. 2026 adds stall apps, but haggling stays. €25-40 feast. Questions? Mojama fans, spill below. What's your stall fave? Go wander, eat deep.