The Mercado Municipal on the central square is the most authentic reason to spend a morning in Ciudad Quesada. It is a full-service covered market serving a large agricultural region, with stalls selling fresh vegetables, dairy, meat, and prepared food alongside hardware, clothing, and household goods. The sodas (small local restaurants) inside serve the cheapest and most honest casados in the area — rice, beans, salad, a protein, and a drink for under $5.
The market is busiest on weekdays in the morning. Saturday brings the livestock auction on the outskirts of town, a separate experience worth combining if you are in the area on a weekend. The market is the obvious breakfast and lunch stop before heading out to the surrounding area.