"On a muggy Saturday in August, along Coliseum Way a block away from the Oakland flea market, the weekday smells of diesel exhaust and the rumble of construction crews have been replaced with aromas from clay pots bubbling with a variety of delectable dishes, competing scents of lengua, and al pastor meats, and cheese oozing from quesadillas and searing itself on the griddle while salsa and Norteña rhythms pulse from a wall-mounted speaker."
"This cluster, located in a large industrial area, is lined with food stands along 50th Avenue and wraps around Coliseum Way. A handful of vendors - makeshift stands, modified storage containers, tarps covering patches of sidewalk - set up shop during the week. But the corridor is the busiest on weekends, especially Sundays, as families flock to the flea market. All the stalls have plenty of picnic-style seating under tarps."
Coliseum Way near the Oakland flea market transforms on weekends into an informal cluster of Mexican and Latin American food vendors. Makeshift stands, modified storage containers, and tarps line 50th Avenue and wrap around Coliseum Way, with picnic-style seating under tarps. The market thrived for at least a decade and survived pandemic shutdowns, but business dipped in 2025. Foot traffic and sales declined after President Donald Trump took office in January as customers feared ICE raids and detentions. The presence of police and security sometimes causes other customers to leave. Vendors remain hopeful and grateful for the stretch to build their businesses.
Read at The Oaklandside
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