In my three years in London so far, one of my favourite trends that shows no sign of stopping has been the growth of fun street food markets with incredible eats. Not that it’s any hardship to sample your way around the riches of Borough Market, but street food markets are now an evening destination in their own right, as well as ideal spots to pick up brunch or fresh food and vegetables. While I haven’t (quite) managed to eat my way around all those that London has to offer, these are my favourites – you can usually find me at one on any given weekend!
Central
Borough Market: The big grand-daddy, Borough Market is said to have existed for more than 1000 years. It has clearly put that time to good use – there is a huge variety of stalls both in the main halls and tucked away in arches and down passage ways. It’s hugely popular which can mean it’s a bit of a scrum, but also offers lots of samples and delicious treats to make the effort worthwhile. More info // Tube: London Bridge // Monday – Saturday
Leather Lane: One of my favourite things about my new job this year? It brought me back in lunching proximity to Leather Lane! Hugely popular with workers in the area, on a sunny day it is jam-packed with people seeking the most delicious burritos, falafel boxes, lamb wraps and more. You can even pick up a bargain at the flea market stalls while you’re at it. More info // Tube: Chancery Lane // Monday – Friday
Maltby Street Market: Possibly my truest market love – the infatuation is so great, I have to ban myself from heading along too regularly, lest I get to a point where my feet know their own way there. I love its charming location tucked in the railway arches, and the specialist producers who are truly passionate about their food, whether it’s pizza, peanut butter, gin or delicate pastries. More info // Tube: London Bridge or Bermondsey // Saturday – Sunday
Southbank Centre Food Market: Speaking of markets I have to ban myself from, the Southbank market is temptingly close to my current flat and all to easy to wander past on a weekend. And once I’m wandering past, it’s FAR too easy to pop in… and then the toughest decision will be deciding whether it’s a day for pad thai, korrito, amazing lamb wraps or just a taster of Turkish Delight. It’s dangerous, I tell you! More info // Tube: Waterloo // Friday – Sunday
Whitecross Street: Another favourite with workers in central London, Whitecross is a small street lined with stalls offering a tempting range of lunchtime options. The burrito line is frequently halfway down the street, but one of my favourite traders is the Turkish lahmacun, a deliciously light bread topped with meat and vegetables and here rolled into a tasty spiral. Yum! More info // Tube: Barbican or Old Street // Monday – Friday
East
Broadway + Netil Markets: Hipsters, unite… it’s a Saturday morning so it must be time for Broadway Market! I jest… Broadway Market is popular with just about everyone in East London, and deservedly so. It has a huge range of street food and fresh produce, talented buskers, and a bunch of great cafes for those who’d rather sit down with their meals. I have an extremely hard time going past the scotch eggs, but when I do, I’ve loved the surf and turf burger tucked around the corner in the school yard, and the amazing curries, juices and pastries on offer. If you can save the room, wander a little farther (maybe 2 minutes) to Netil Market for the original Bao, stonefired pizza and serious strong cocktails. More info // Tube: Bethnal Green // Saturdays
Dinerama: One of three on my list from the genius team at Street Feast London, Dinerama is a compact mix of great street food and bars in Shoreditch. In my experience one of the hardest to get into due to its size and deserved popularity, Dinerama rewards with a changing menu of great traders, including one of my favourites, Yum Bun. They pop a roof on in winter so that you can visit year-round… dedication to their cause! More info // Tube: Old St // Thursday – Sunday
Street Feast Dalston: Yep, another from Street Feast… and you can basically take most of the above comments as applicable here, except that sprawling in and around an old warehouse means Street Feast has the space to pack in the revellers for more of those amazing eats. More info // Tube: Dalston Junction // Friday – Saturday
West
Little Feast: I’ll be honest, I don’t make it out west so much these days, but I’d happily trek back there again for the Scandi-chic and small but mighty vibes of Little Feast. I was highly impressed with the ability to book tables for groups, the carefully curated selection of food, and delicious cocktails. Plus it doesn’t hurt that it’s totally cute! More info // Tube: Goldhawk Road // Wednesday – Sunday
South
Greenwich Market: There’s so much to see out in Greenwich, from the Cutty Sark to the beautiful Naval College to the famous GMT line. Just as well there’s also great sustenance in the form of the Greenwich Market. A delicious range of traders from Japanese to burgers to cookies, your best bet is to grab a selection and head to the park, to hopefully enjoy in the sunshine. That can be tricky if you want to drag yourself away from the gorgeous arts and crafts that the market is also popular for. Good luck! More info // Tube: Cutty Sark // 7 days a week in summer
Hawker House: Finishing with a grand-daddy in terms of size, Hawker House was sprawling enough when I visited in winter, taking up a huge warehouse space down in Canada Water. For an update on the summer revamp, featuring tiki huts outside, check out Laura’s post here. Suffice to say, I had to give myself a stern talking-to in order to refrain from filling my stomach to bursting… another Street Feast team offering means their winning recipe of a great range of traders and delicious cocktails. Here I tried Roti Wala, a blend of Indian tacos, and the mouth-wateringly good arepas at Petare. I challenge you not to have to roll out of there! More info // Tube: Canada Water // Friday – Saturday
Ouffff… after all of that I feel like I need a lie-down! But first, tell me… where’s the best place you’ve had street food in London? Where should I head to next?
Linking up for #WanderfulWednesday with Marcella, Lauren, Van and Isabel – check out their travel link-up and their fantastic blogs using the links!
