Bender's central market is a sprawling, slightly chaotic complex covering both an indoor hall and an outdoor area of stalls. As in most former-Soviet cities it is one of the best places to see ordinary life: traders sell vegetables and fruit from the surrounding countryside, fresh and smoked cheese, river fish from the Dniester, jars of preserves, and household goods. Prices are in Transnistrian roubles; small euro or dollar bills can sometimes be changed at the kiosks nearby.
The market is busiest on weekend mornings. It is a short walk from the cathedral and is a useful place to buy water, fruit, or a quick lunch before continuing to the fortress.