The public market on Market Street is the beating heart of everyday St. John's. Friday and Saturday mornings are the busiest, when farmers from across the island bring in tropical fruit, vegetables, and spices alongside vendors selling saltfish, provisions, and local snacks. It is loud, colourful, and entirely unglamorous — which is exactly the point.
Saltfish and fungi (a cornmeal pudding) is the national dish and the thing to eat here. Look for vendors at the edges of the market selling it in paper plates, along with pepper pot, ducana (sweet potato dumplings), and fresh coconut water. The market building itself is a functional concrete structure, but the activity around it spills out onto the surrounding streets.