Ready for the freshest produce, the best prices and a colourful experience all around? 

If shopping is all about connecting with the culture for you, visit a farmer’s market or “shuka” for your groceries. Here, you can mix with locals, hear their jokes, haggle prices and maybe even get “hyurasirutyun” – a free treat or sample from one of the vendors. 

When shopping in the shuka, you’ll find much more than good deals. Farmers’ markets sell farm-fresh produce, coffee, spices, bread, eggs, fish and meat, local cheeses, dried fruits, nuts, local candy and chocolates, and so much more! You are bound to find some homemade items you might not see in a supermarket, including pickles, jams, wines, vinegars and vodkas. 

Here are a some of the best farmer’s markets to visit: 

Mergelyan Shuka 

Located across the roundabout from Yerevan’s Barekamutyun metro station on Hakob Hakobyan St., this open-air farmer’s market offers everything from produce to flowers to freshly made “zhingyalov hats,” traditional Armenian flatbread stuffed with local herbs and onions. 

Kayarani Shuka

Next to Yerevan’s Sasuntsi Davit metro and train station, you’ll find a partially enclosed market with seasonal fruits and vegetables, nuts and dried fruits, honey, freshly ground coffee beans and more. 

Khorenatsi Shuka 

This Yerevan-based enclosed market is a great place to get gifts for your loved ones. Grab a rope of “sujuk” to take home. Often called the “Snickers of the Caucasus,” sujuk is a rope of walnuts dipped repeatedly in thickened grape syrup. A bag of dried apricots is also a great gift. (Did you know that the genus and species of apricot – “Prunus Armenicus” – means Armenian plum in Latin?)  

Gyumri Shuka 

If your travels take you to Gyumri, don’t miss the city’s central open-air marketplace! Here, your senses can get pleasantly lost in the colours, sounds and scents from all sides! It’s a very authentic experience and you’ll pay significantly lower prices than you would in a supermarket. You can find a very wide assortment of fresh goods like produce, meat and cheese, bulk dry goods, and household items.  

Vanadzor Shuka

Armenia’s third biggest city – Vanadzor – also has a bustling shuka. It’s a great place for people watching. Grab a fresh snack from one of the stalls and watch the locals pass through their daily shopping routines. Don’t miss the colourful murals that adorn the marketplace! 

Outside the City

If you really enjoy Armenian food, keep your eyes open as you travel through the countryside.Roadside stands selling seasonal produce abound! Depending on the month of your visit and your exact location, you’ll find everything from watermelons to walnuts, peaches to pomegranates, and apples to asparagus.  

En route to Lake Sevan, watch for the bottles of brilliantly orange, freshly pressed sea buckthorn juice and varieties of fresh and smoked local fish. In Dilijan, you can find buckets of foraged forest mushrooms. Definitely stop by the roadside stands you’ll pass in the villages of Fioletovo and Lermontov in Armenia’s Lori region. The Molokan Russians who live there are famous for their homemade dairy products and pickles!  

Areni village is the place to stop for local wines, vodkas and stone fruits. The vendors are generous with samples here too! Check out the unique alcohols made from local fruits like blackberry, mulberry, apricot and cornelian cherry. 

Here are some of the ground rules to know when visiting a shuka:

• It’s best to take cash dram with you. Most vendors do not accept credit cards.
• Yes, you can haggle. The locals all do it, and you can too! 
• It’s perfectly acceptable to ask for a sample before you purchase. Most vendors will even happily cut off a slice of cheese, toss you a strawberry or pour you a small glass of homemade wine to taste.
• With that in mind, be aware that the shuka is not very accessible for those who don’t speak Armenian. You will find that most vendors speak Russian, some speak English and a few might have basic French or German language skills, but don’t expect this. 
• The open-air markets are open year-round, except in the case of severe or inclement weather. 
• Shukas generally don’t sell souvenirs. Your best bet there is to visit Vernissage or a flea market 

Grocery stores will always have their place; but if you’re searching for a taste of local colour and culture while you shop, hit up a shuka!