Munich's Viktualienmarkt - pictures

Hello all. I just returned from a trip to Munich and surrounding areas and had a very nice time. I wanted to share with you a few pictures of their Viktualienmarkt - or central market near the Marienplatz.

All I can say is that I was an extremely jealous Chicagoan in Munich when my wife and I came across this market. This is not a farmer's market but an outside market that is open year round and pretty much every day. You'll find meat vendors, produce vendors, and specialty vendors (spices, olives, bread, pasta, juices, etc.). There's also a nice section for flowers, food vendors and a beer garden (of course).

The trip overall was a learning experience. I quickly realized how far behind we are for such a large city (Chicago, that is), in terms of having a central food market or supplier of fresh (local if possible) produce and meat. We're a city of 3 million and Munich is about 1 million. Eating in Munich is wonderful, even in train stations and the airport. On a side trip to Salzburg, I found out that 50% of the surrounding farms' are organic.

Anyway, here are some pics:

Suckling pigs in the window. A typical butcher, focused on pork:



Another butcher:



One of the produce stands:



Same stand, different view (notice the white asparagus tips on the bottom of the photo):



A specialty vendor focused on olives and salads:



The beer garden: