El Mercat del Ninot food market in Eixample area of Barcelona. El Mercat del Ninot fresh food market in Eixample area of Barcelona. Many think El Mercat del Ninot actually means 'doll's market' because 'ninot' means 'doll' in the Catalan language.

That is a bit misleading however. The name Ninot does mean 'doll' but is also the name of a ship's figurehead and the market name is actually derived from a ship figurehead, which used to hang outside a tavern near the food market. And so the market got the nickname El Mercat del Ninot.

The original Ninot figurehead from the tavern is in the Barcelona's Maritime Museum. The Ninot market is very much a local neighbourhood food market and also has stalls with bars and has an award winning Patisserie bakery nearby.