[London] Borough Market is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London, and has easily become the must-visit food destination in London.
And it is located right next to the famous London Bridge, opened every day of the week (but try to visit before 3pm).
The Market consists of three main areas: Three Crown Square (larger producers and merchants), Green Market (small, specialist produce traders) and Borough Market Kitchen (street food traders).
Quite easy to navigate even if it is your first time there.
There are so many restaurants, cafes, bars and stalls there that it is impossible to try everything even if you visit multiple times.
Here are some of the 12 of the recommended food places at Borough Market (and there are many more, and sorry if I didn’t list your favourites!)
Padella
Love, love, love this handmade pasta shop. However, the long wait may just deter you. Here’s the tip: head over at 11:30am to scan a QR code to be added to their virtual queue. A notification will be sent to an app (to download) which becomes much easier.
Padella is created by Tim Siadatan and Jordan Freida, and offers a simple menu of eight seasonal pasta dishes.
The pasta dishes include Pici Cacio & Pepe (£10), Fettucine with Cobble Lane cured nduja, mascarpone & lemon (£9), and Ravioli of Westcombe ricotta with slow cooked tomato sauce (£10.50) – cooked with traditional Italian techniques and flavour combinations with quality British produce. Get a counter seat to watch all the action.
Bao Borough
Taiwanese favourite BAO Borough serves up dishes including as chicken nugget bao, beef meatball, fried egg, and Borough curry.
Get your hands on the fluffy Bao sandwiched with various fillings, which include the Classic Bao (£5.50), Fried Chicken Bao ($5.75), Beef Shortrib Bao (£6.50), and Curry Cheese Bao (£5.50).
Accompany with street side Taiwanese style dishes with a twist, from Taiwanese Fried Chicken (£7.75), Grilled XO Hispi Cabbage (£4.50) to Glazed Tofu with Taiwanese Pickle (£6).
Hobbs Roast
My friend described this as his “Mecca of London” and “live live must eat”.
Opened by Michael Hobbs and his wife Julie, the shop is known for hot meat baguettes filled roast loin of pork with stuffing and apple sauce, turkey breast with stuffing and cranberry sauce, and salt beef with dill pickle and mustard.
The Pulled Pork Burger goes for £6.50. Must insist on the apple sauce.
Ginger Pig
Ginger Pig’s meat is sourced from a network of like-minded farmers, with an emphasis on good animal husbandry and welfare. Therefore, you can be ensured of fresh pork on site.
Their Traditional Sausage Roll (£4.50) was superbly-delicious, buttery with succulent densely filled meat. Please get yourself one, but you may possibly need to share this as the fillings are substantial.
They also offer Spicy Lamb Sausage Roll, Pork Stilton Sausage Roll, Traditional Scotch Egg, and Black Pudding Scotch Egg.
Fish! Kitchen
Established in 1999, Fish! serves award-winning British beer-battered fish & chips. All produce is delivered each morning from Fish!’s very own fishmonger, Jarvis of Kingston, or sourced from other Borough Market traders.
Choices for their Beer-Batter Fish includes Cod (£12.95), Haddock (£11.95), Halibut (£12.95), and Sea Bream (£10.95). Add some vinegar on your chips, and tartar sauce for the sauce and you are all ready to go.
Bread Ahead
Bread Ahead Bakery on Cathedral Street always has a long queue, selling breads fresh from their ovens, pastries, cakes, filled croissants and of course instagrammable doughnuts.
Rabot 1745
Rabot 1745 is a unique cocoa theme café and restaurant that provides sanctuary for those looking for the comfort and welcoming ease of chocolate.
This is especially after walking through the busy Borough Market, squeezing past large groups of people sampling produce and indulging in various bites of street food fair.
Enjoy the lively atmosphere of Rabot with a delicious classic Hot Chocolate – creamy and smooth, offering a persuasive light silkiness that prevents you from finding it too sickly.
Monmouth Coffee Company
When it comes to an appreciation for well-sourced, eclectically served coffee, there are few places in London as qualified as Monmouth Coffee Company.
All in all, if you are a coffee drinker and are looking for a place that venerates coffee and feels warm and communal then Monmouth is your safe place.
Horn OK Please
“Horn OK Please” showcases the best of Indian vegetarian street food, with fresh, fragrant dishes drawn from all corners of the subcontinent.
Feast on its signature item of Moong Dal Dosa (£7), Dosa Chaat (£6.50), Samosa Chaat (£7) and Egg Kati Roll (£7).
Richard Haward’s Oysters
Borough Market has several fresh oyster shops, and this is one of the most popular. 7th generation owner Richard Haward’s forefathers have been harvesting oysters since as far back as 1792.
They offer West Mersea Rock Oysters at £2.40 each for an extra-large, opened to have dine-in. You can also opt for closed oysters to go, or half-opened for takeaways.
Turnips
Thanks to its viral offering of strawberries dipped in Belgian chocolate, this has become quite a hotspot.
While the sight of ripe strawberries being generously coated in smooth, gooey chocolate is undoubtedly appealing, the experience is not without its critics.
Priced at £8.50 for a small cup, some find this treat to be an overpriced indulgence.
For those willing to splurge, the experience may be worth the hype, though it’s likely to be a one-time indulgence rather than a regular stop for frequent market-goers.
Brood
Brood is located next to Southwark Cathedral, at the bottom of the steps leading into Borough Market from London Bridge.
Many of Brood’s team have also contributed towards the menu with recipes from their homelands. You can find anything from Paella with Seafood and Chicken (£9), German Hotdog (£7.50), Classic Burger (£8.95), to Lamb Kofte (£9.50) here.
Mei Mei
Quite a well-known stall opened by Elizabeth Haigh (unfortunately involved in a plagiarism case) who is Singapore-born and an ex-head chef at east London’s Pidgin.
The menu is inspired by Singaporean kopi tiams with menu items of Hainanese Chicken Rice (£8.50), Singapore Curry (£8.50), Cantonese Roast Duck Rice (£12.50) to the famous Nasi Lemak (£11.50).
Borough Market
8 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TL
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm (Mon – Fri), 8am – 5pm (Sat), 10am – 3pm (Sun)
Other Related Entries
Monmouth Coffee Company (Borough Market, London)
Ole and Steen (London)
Kaffeine (Fitzrovia, London)
Flat White (Soho, London)
Workshop Coffee (Marylebone, London)
Click HERE for other LONDON Food Entries
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