Mercado Gonzalez Ortega Fondas

The fondas inside Mercado Gonzalez Ortega occupy the lower level of a market hall built in 1889, just steps from the Catedral Basilica de Zacatecas, and remain one of the easiest ways to sample several Zacatecas classics in a single stop. Small counters serve gorditas filled with asado de boda, nopales or beans, carnitas tacos, and bean tamales, prepared fresh through the day by vendors who have often run their stalls for years. Beyond the fondas, the market's upper sections sell regional cheeses, queso de tuna and other sweets, as well as artisanal mezcal and wine, making it as much a shopping stop as a place to eat. The market also hosts cultural activities in its central atrium, including danzon dances on Wednesdays that draw an older local crowd. There is no reservation system since the fondas function as walk-up counters; the busiest time is midday, when both shoppers and lunch-seekers fill the market's aisles.