The Mercado Municipal is the central market of Quelimane and the most vivid place in the city to spend an hour. It occupies a large covered building in the town centre and operates from early morning to late afternoon. The stalls sell produce from the Zambezia plateau — cassava, sweet potatoes, peanuts, mangoes — alongside dried fish, spices, charcoal, and household goods. The noise and density of commerce is typical of a Mozambican provincial capital market.
The fish section at the market reflects the city's coastal position: dried and smoked fish from the estuary fishing community are sold in large quantities, and the smell is noticeable from some distance. Fresh vegetables arrive in the morning from surrounding farms and sell out quickly. The market is also one of the better places to try street food — grilled chicken, fried doughnuts (mandazi), and fresh coconut water are sold from stalls at the perimeter throughout the day.