Markets in Mina
Head to the port for deals and steals when it comes to fresh food, home goods and plants
Fish Market
This spot is probably the best known of all the markets in Mina Zayed – and for good reason. The atmosphere as fishmongers yell out for your attention, the overpowering smell, and the sheer variety of seafood on offer (sea bream, squid, crab, shark and Sultan Ibrahim, to name a few) is dazzling. You can even get your fillets cooked right then and there. Go as early as you can, to ensure the best and freshest selection.
Fish Market, Mina Port, Abu Dhabi, daily 6am to 10.30pm. Taxi: Fish Market in Mina
Plant souk
Selling everything from perennials to potted exotic trees, find all your landscaping needs at this market. Plants are mostly sourced from Thailand, but there are some from Holland and even Taiwan. While it’s easy to wander through the open-air displays for inspiration, we recommend you ask sellers for the best stuff (usually hidden in the back or inside the shops), even if it’s an extra Dhs10 or so.
Plant Souk, Mina Port, Abu Dhabi, daily 8am to 11pm. Taxi: Plant Souk next to Iranian Market
Iranian Market
Located in Mina Port, just beside the Plant Souk, this outdoor space is filled with shops selling plastics home goods, oversized pots big enough to cook entire lambs, coat racks and porcelain dishes. Be warned, the products on sale are sourced from China (hence the cheap as chips prices) but aren’t necessarily the most durable.
Iranian Market, Mina Port, Abu Dhabi, daily 8am to 11pm. Taxi: Iranian Market next to Plant Souk
Fruit and Veg Market
This is our absolute favourite place to pick up elusive and seasonal fruit and vegetables, like the highly sought after Chaunsa Pakistani mangoes you wouldn’t regularly find at the supermarket. But there are plenty of apples, oranges, gourds and spuds, too. And once you’ve made friends with the fruit sellers, you’ll be able to call ahead and have them set aside the best produce for you. Fruit And Veg Market, Mina Port, Abu Dhabi, daily 8am to 10.30pm. Taxi: Fruit And Veg Market in Mina.