Every weekend, a stretch of industrial land on W. Gertrude Avenue in North Richmond turns into a sprawling swap meet — the Richmond flea market, or Pulga — with nearly 30 restaurants and food stalls serving dishes from across Mexico and Latin America, according to a recent Nosh guide in The Oaklandside.

The basics

  • Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays
  • Admission: free Saturdays, $2 Sundays
  • Tip: Sundays are busier and fuller; many booths sit empty on Saturdays. A small train carries kids through the rows on Sundays.

What to eat

  • Barbacoa Mejía — Hidalgo-style lamb barbacoa slow-cooked overnight; the family stall was named in an August New York Times list of top Mexican restaurants in the U.S.
  • Churros My Fren — opens around 10:30 a.m.; $2 classic churros, filled churros, and a $28 giant spiral.
  • El Toque Divino — Salvadoran pupusas at $4 with curtido.
  • NM Snacks — botanas and a standout tamal de elote.
  • A nameless agua fresca stand near the kids' bounce house, where a peach agua fresca runs $4.
  • A tortilla-pressing family kitchen attached to the Produce Vega stand, open Saturdays with $3 tacos.

A market on the rebound

The market began in 2006 and closed for a time during the pandemic. Last fall, Richmond Confidential reported manager Noel Lopez saw vendor rentals fall from about 380 to about 225 and crowds drop from roughly 6,000 to 1,000 amid fears of immigration enforcement. This fall, the aisles have been busier; a Barbacoa Mejía server told The Oaklandside, "It's gotten much busier."