Since moving to Europe, I've come to love covered market halls. There's just something about having that kind of variety and freshness of fruits, vegetables, meats, and other delicacies at your fingertips. Not to mention that stepping into one is like walking through a confetti party: the riot of colors, tastes, smells, and even sounds excites the senses.
Stuttgart's Markthalle ("market hall") has become a real treat for us to shop at. Most grocery stores in the center of the city tend to be quite small, so the selection is limited. But at the Markthalle, we can get a variety of fresh foods that aren't regularly stocked at our local grocery store. For example, the fruit and vegetable stalls there offer some seasonal produce year-round. I can always find fresh cilantro and celery stalks (which aren't always available at our grocery store) at one of the vegetable stalls. I can also purchase the exact quantity of vegetables that I need for a recipe. This is especially handy for greens like spinach. If I bought spinach at the grocery store, then I'd have to buy a bulk bag and the leftovers would probably go to waste in my fridge since there's no way the two of us could eat it all fast enough.
