The Mercado Municipal — known to everyone as the Mercado Central — fills a whole block of the Baixa on Avenida 25 de Setembro. The 1903 cast-iron structure is one of the oldest in the city, and the high vaulted hall remains the city's main food market. The mid-morning crowds, the smell of fish and dried prawns and the bargaining make it one of the most photogenic places in Maputo.
Inside you will find seafood stalls (fresh prawns, calamari, kingfish, peixe-galo), butchers, fruit and vegetable sellers, spice mounds (cumin, peri-peri, dried turmeric), Indian Ocean shells and a row of capulana vendors at the back. The surrounding streets are equally lively — informal stalls spill across the pavement and the side-street economy moves at speed. Bring small notes and keep your wallet close.