It’s tiny, it stinks, and it’s no foodie’s organic paradise, but the Haymarket is incredibly cheap and always an experience. The once-legendary HAYMARKET feels old-fashioned and authentic; crotchety vendors battle for your attention in heavy Boston or foreign accents, and their verbal abuse and withering looks as you peruse their wares and haggle is a rite of passage. They get mad at you for trying to pick the produce yourself, but if you let them do it for you they won’t give you the best stuff. Overall, though, you’ll be astonished at what you can buy for less than a dollar. Make sure to go as early as possible to get the freshest product. And remember, there’s a reason it’s so cheap — much of it is on the verge of expiration or rotting. But for the discerning shopper, there’s plenty of diamonds in the rough, as long as you eat them right away.
BOSTON HAYMARKET | Blackstone Street and surrounding area, near Quincy Market, Boston
