Food bazaars: Banchetto or Mercato Centrale?

**isa1023** · May 4th, 2011 12:26 PM

Which of these two big food bazaars in the metro do you prefer?

Banchetto (Saturdays 12:00 am to 05:00 am at Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center)

Mercato Centrale (Fridays-Saturdays 10:00 pm to 03:00 am at The Fort)

I haven't tried the one in Salcedo yet, but it should be something similar.

Do you find their food prizes cheap?

Any uncommon food you've eaten there?

What makes these weekend midnight food stalls popular?

I've seen something similar (and smaller) at Laguna Bel-Air which happens Friday nights. Gives me the impression it's slowly becoming a fad.

**Patti** · May 4th, 2011 12:28 PM

Mercato Centrale mas ok yung crowd pati food choices..Affordable naman yung price and okay yung serving size..uncommon food?halos same Lang with banchetto eh..Natuwa Lang ako sa mercato kasi may gelato

**Horsepower** · May 4th, 2011 01:32 PM

I'd rather cook at home. Mahirap magkakain sa mga bazaar. Due to shortage of cleaning and sanitation kasi bazaar nga, these are the first things that are sacrificed. Imagine kung galing sa CR yung taga luto (hello Cholera, El Tor, Hepa et al.). At least, I wash five times before I cook and I never go to the CR while making food. YOu can't expect that same dedication to cleanliness in a bazaar since they're pressed for time, daming tao tapos siempre magbabantay ka pa baka may man-dekwat ng mga gamit mo or goods.

**foresterx** · May 4th, 2011 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Patti

Mercato Centrale mas ok yung crowd pati food choices..Affordable naman yung price and okay yung serving size..uncommon food?halos same Lang with banchetto eh..Natuwa Lang ako sa mercato kasi may gelato

+1 to this.

uncommon food i've eaten is the krispy kreme burger.

**cutedoc** · May 13th, 2011 05:26 PM

krispy kreme burger is good, something different =) i havent tried banchetto yet but mercato is okay, serves variety of food with organic produce and much more, its like salcedo or legaspi weekend market at the fort=)

**jojomonsalud** · May 13th, 2011 10:22 PM

medyo parang tiange ang branchetto since most of their customers are call center agents in ortigas masikip lalo na mga 1opm onwards

**sugarkane** · May 25th, 2011 01:39 AM

Originally Posted by isa1023

I haven't tried the one in Salcedo yet, but it should be something similar.

I have not been to any of these midnight food bazaars. I have gone to Mercato morning bazaar but my experiences proved to be unpleasant. The obscenely overpriced but unspectacular sandwich that I bought was an experience that's not easy to shake off. I don't think I'd be coming back soon

My loyal remains with Salcedo Market. The sense of community that the Salcedo market fosters is an experience that you cannot put a price on. It's unlikely that sellers will give you bad products because if it's a produce, they own the farm and if it's the food, it is their homecooking. The buyers and sellers become or are familiar with each other and bump into each other in other social situations. The market also offers a good variety of products - fruits, plants, homecooked food, pastries, raw food, juice and so much more artisinal products. It would be best to go before 8 because popular products run out early.

Another alternative would be the Legaspi Market which was formed by SLV a little after Salcedo Market. It's almost identical as Salcedo market, only it's on a Sunday