The Lucena Public Market is the commercial heart of the city and the best place to get a feel for provincial life in Quezon. The covered stalls spill across several blocks near the city centre, selling everything from fresh produce and dried fish to the province's signature products: coconut oil pressed that morning, jars of coconut jam (matamis na bao), and vacuum-packed longganisa Lucena sausages to take home.
The pancit habhab vendors cluster near the market entrances — watch for the banana-leaf-lined trays and the sound of woks clanging over gas burners. Morning is the best time to visit, when produce is freshest and the stalls are at their busiest. Come hungry.