Food 151booths where stall owners can even cook the food for you to
eat right there. For fresh produce, many people in Santiago
go to La Vega Central located near the Mapocho River.
Groceries, produce and fresh flowers are sold wholesale and
retail. On weekends, ferias or fruit and vegetable markets
are set up in most neighbourhoods. Produce fresh from the
countryside is sold and it is well worth the extra stop.
In season, fruit and vegetables are cheap and very
flavourful. You must remember to weigh your fruit and
vegetables in the supermarkets in the special weighing
section, not at the check-out. All vegetables and fruit should
be washed in disinfectant solution that can be bought in the
supermarkets because of the heavy use of pesticides. Tap
water in Chile contains levels of bacteria that could upset
the foreigner’s stomach, especially upon arrival. Chileans
may swear that your water is safe, but they are immune to
the problem. Many foreigners, however, do drink tap water
without incident. Just remember that juice and ice in Chile
are both made with tap water, so only consume them if you
feel confident.