Strolling in the street of Moscow, or in luxurious Moscow shopping malls, you might wonder where Moscow locals go shopping, especially for daily necessities such as food and clothes. Not everyone likes to go to the mall every day, and certainly not for cheap goods. This is where markets, especially street markets become favorites. Street markets are where you can find some bargain.
Markets in Moscow are as interesting as its shopping malls. Actually, the local market is the best place if you want to experience authentic Russian life. This is where you can find a colorful day to day activities of Russians people. Be it working, shopping, bargaining, or maybe some went into an argument with sellers.
Going to the market in Russia will help you improve your Russian knowledge. After learning the basic, you might want to do some practice. You can try basic Russians skill for example when buying something or asking for a price of a certain product. So why not shopping while practicing the Russian language?
This list below is about 9 cheap and tasty markets in Moscow – Russia. This list will be helpful for anyone who has finished exploring and visiting the landmarks at The Red Square, and still, has plenty of time to do many more. It is also for visitors looking for alternatives over the usual shopping malls in Moscow. Check it out!
1. Danilovsky Market
The history of Danilovsky Market dated back since the 13th century. Yes, the market is that old. But it is not until 1986 the market being renovated to a modern dome-shaped building. The market is located just nearby the Tulskaya metro station, it is easy to reach.
The market offers wide ranges of fresh produce such as fruit, vegetables, meat, and fishes. Apart from that, the market is a heaven for foodies. The menu sold in this market are international food from all around the world. You can find Indian and Vietnamese food here, for example. Besides shopping, this market is also a cool place for hanging out with friends and certainly one of the 8 cheap and tasty markets in Moscow – Russia.
2. Izmailovsky Market
The Izmailovsky market is only a walking distance from Partizanskaya metro. It stands inside the Disney-like Izmailovo Kremlin walls. The market is a large open space with stalls selling all kind of goods. Although merchandise is the main attraction here, Izmailovsky Market also sells basic stuff such as food and clothes. The market is especially crowded at weekends, with tourists and locals visiting this market for their weekend shopping.
If you want to surround yourself with lots of souvenirs, Izmailovsky Market is the place to go. It offers plenty of choices for souvenirs from classic Matryoshkas, samovar to fur hat for kids. The prices are cheap, and you still can haggle to get an even lower price. The vendors here are also friendly, they won’t make you nervous when you struggle with your Russian language skill.
3. Riga (Rizhskiy) Flower Market
Take a break from markets with meat and fishes or other food produce for a while. It’s time to stop and smell the flower. Go to Riga Market, it is one of the best places in Moscow to get a fresh flower. Even if you’re not planning to buy anything, it’s just relaxing to just walk around the place and do a tour.
An interesting fact, flowers in Russia are mostly imported. Roses, for example, are imported from countries such as Ecuador and Colombia. Although imported, the price of the flowers here is surprisingly cheap, only 40 rubles for a rose. You can buy flowers at a cheaper wholesale price here, like many florists in Moscow do.
4. Dorogomilovskiy Market
Dorogomilovsky Market is where you can buy everything you want in Moscow. It is also one of the oldest markets in the city. The market sells fresh produce from the local farmers and fishermen. The quality of the product in this market is known to be a top notch. That’s why many Moscow’s top restaurants get their supplies from this market.
5. Sadovod
After flowers, this market is another market in Moscow not selling typical food items. Sadovod Market is where visitors find a pet! Yes, Sadovod is animal markets. Apart from pets, the market also sells fishing and hunting Pequipments.
You can adopt your dream pets here, whether you want kitten or puppies, there are plenty of choices which make you want to bring them all home. If visitors are skeptical about animal’s health, there’s veterinarian service to check the animal. This service is free of charge.
6. Usachovskiy Market
A hidden gem we managed to find for our list of 9 cheap and tasty markets in Moscow. Usachovskiy Market is popular for its instagrammable food that’s available from various food stalls here. The Market is wide and spacious. It has a high ceiling and a nice atmosphere to dine or hang out under. If you need any info about what to eat, this list of Russian cuisine will help you.
7. Levsha Flea Market
Flea market id where you can find other people junk that can be your treasure. Levsha Flea Market is a popular flea market you can find in Moscow. It sells thousands of unique items from art to antiquities. This market is also old, founded in 1824.
This flea market is the best place to experience layers of Russian history. Old people can be found selling old Soviet items, such as the painting of Lenin or Stalin. There is always a peculiar item to discover, items that dated back from years ago, each with its own history. You can ask the vendors and they’ll happy to explain each of the items.
8. Tishinka Flea Market
Tishinka Flea Market is located inside Tshinka shopping mall, instead of a building or a place on its own.
The flea market is more of an exhibition than a market. It held only four times a year by the shopping mall management. But it still interesting to visit!
Unlike a typical flea market, visitors might feel some classy atmosphere in this market. This is because, apart from selling vintage clothing, antiques, and accessories, Tishinka also offers items from current famous designers. This what makes Tishinka attracts many visitors to the mall. The flea market is heaven for hipsters or anyone with vintage taste.
9. Gorbushka Market
Now, this market is specializing in electronics. electronic brands from all around the world are represented in Gorbushka Market. This is where you can shop for the latest smartphone or camera. The market is Russians go to when they need to buy a tv or a laptop.
so those are the list of 9 cheap and tasty markets in Moscow – Russia. Whether you’re going for a brunch, or meeting with friends, or finding a good quality souvenir and everyday item, you can always count on the street market.