La Pescheria Catania – A Feast for the Eyes and Belly
See why the La Pescheria food market is an absolute must-visit on any itinerary to Catania
Catania’s colourful and famous market, La Pescheria is an absolute feast for the eyes and belly.
Despite visits to many exciting and colourful markets over the years like Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market, the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, London’s Borough Market, and Or Tor Kor Market in Bangkok – Catania’s La Pescheria stands out in an unassuming but unforgettable way.
The bright and beautifully presented produce at La Pescheria
There’s the collective character of the market with its colourful presentation of stalls, stall holders, and the quality and type of food on offer. If you’re not staying locally and want to eat, the Pescheria is surrounded by restaurants.
Local sales in full swing
Although the market is called La Pescheria, which literally translates to ‘the fish store’ in Italian, regular fruit and vegetable vendors and food stalls also add to the culinary chaos. Imagine swirls of fresh fish staring at you front-on or sideways, heavily salted anchovies tenderly offered stuffed with garlic and parsley, butchers dressed in white coats like doctors performing public surgery on joints and carcasses (cigarettes may or may not be poised momentarily on their mouths as they operate). The whole affair is comical, delicious, frightening and exciting all at the same time, all set to the sounds of the vendors persistently and passionately calling out, and some equally passionate locals responding to them.
I highly suggested smelling, touching, tasting and buying what you can, and can get away with! In the meantime, take a visual tour of La Pescheria below.
Opening Hours: 8am – 2pm Monday to Saturday – Closed Sunday’s (*note hours as per Google)
Address: Piazza Alonzo di Benedetto, Catania
The rustic setting of La Pescheria
Trays of oven roasted eggplants and onions for sale
A fish flatlay inside the fish section of the market
Wall art in and around the market is a common sight
Garlic and parsley stuffed anchovies
A butcher on the operating table
A slow day for some stall holders
