Visiting a food market in London, dates back over 1,000 years and as someone who’s lived here for 20
of them, remains one of my favourite inexpensive things to do in the city. So in this video,
I want to share with you, my top 10 favourite food markets and I can guarantee there will be
at least 1 place here you haven’t heard of, but should definitely check out.
Now, whilst the food offered across all these markets cover the best of international
and locally sourced cuisine, I find it’s always
the venue itself that makes each experience so unique and exciting.
So, be on the lookout dining by the canal, inside a church, along a railway, surrounded by plants,
alongside the Thames, under a roof sheltering from the British weather, and eating with Hugh Grant.
If you’re new here then welcome, we make travel movies from around the world,
as well as our home town of London, hoping you might just find your next holiday inspiration.
This is Suitcase Monkey, sharing our must visit food markets in London.
THIS VIDEO IS SPONSORED BY SURFSHARK VPN.
So let’s begin, with my 3rd favourite market on this list,
and that is, Camden. And that’s not only because of the food market itself
but because of the exploring you can do along its canal routes. More on that later.
Dating back to 1974, Camden market was, and still is today, a Mecca for trendy trading, with music
and fashion shining through. This explains then why Camden was THE location for a shop, owned, by
the one and only Prince, in the 1990s. By Prince in the 1990s. Nowadays, it’s home to a life sized
statue of Amy Winehouse, which is adjacent to the Lock Tavern, the venue for some of her early gigs.
The market itself is quite spread out so I’d suggest starting from the famous foot bridge and
moving down into the food stalls. Almost every type of food you can imagine is here but it’s
worth continuing towards the Winehouse statue, and not just settling for the first thing you see,
as we tend to find the best stalls further back. I’ve linked all markets featured in
this video in the description below, so do check those out for more information on each.
Now, if it is raining and you’re without an umbrella,
definitely check out this street. Not only will it keep you dry,
but it’s super picturesque and crammed with cool independent shops.
Once you’ve got your food, the best place to get away from the crowds,
is walking east along the canal. This newly constructed area gives a lot more breathing space,
as well as additional food options, but is a great spot to sit and relax with your chosen dish.
Walking in the opposite direction, West along the canal, will carry you to Regents
Park and is a lovely walk also. If you’re on this route, I’d recommend St Marks Church,
which usually has a little outside coffee shop, perfect for a short pit stop.
A new cat on the block, not far from Bond Street,
is Mercato Mayfair. Deconsecrated in 1974, this church has now become home to a sprawling modern
food hall, split over 4 floors. So, where you might once have prayed to God,
you might now find yourself ordering a gin, which to some, is a very similar experience.
The church is a grade 1 listed building and is part of a 5 million pound project
that’s restored the church to its original glory. The main 2 floors are where most of the action is,
and I’d strongly recommend the Gelato stand which offers these tasty ice cream bars.
But also, because it’s not very well sign posted, do check out the basement floor, which reveals
this hidden wine cellar. And the top floor, which then takes you outside, onto the rooftop terrace.
This is the place to go if you want to feel like the cool kid in front of your friends.
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Malty Street Market is the smallest, most local option on this list and great if you’re looking
for somewhere more cosy. Opening in 2010, it’s a 15 minute walk from London Bridge Station.
1836 saw this quiet area in Bermondsey
ripped apart by the construction of the worlds first elevated train line.
Connecting Greenwich to the city, this viaduct now acts as the spine that all food markets feed from,
but also the roof for its boutique shops and restaurants, all which gives it a unique vibe.
The main street, called the Ropewalk barely stretches 400 feet but offers a
strong dose of delicious food that will slow you down as you meander through.
One trader I would definitely recommend, is La Pepia, a Venezuelan kitchen that cooked us their
main dish, Arepa. This Venezuelan staple contains a variety of meats and vegetables
with their signature melted cheese on top. Very messy to eat, but incredibly tasty.
While we’re in the London Bridge area, just a quick honourable mention to Vinegar Yard
which is a great choice for a summers drink. Several independent food traders all surround
this wide open space, and personally I always go for the Nanny Bills burger and croquettes
which are both excellent, despite their heart attack status. Not far from the
more traditional Borough Market, Vinegar Yard offers a more contemporary, youthful option,
and since im down with the kids, suits itself better for a night out or lunch with drinks.
Next up, is the best option on this list, if it’s a cold and wet miserable London day.
That’s because all of Seven Dials Market is indoors and under one roof.
It’s a Chic multi-level food court with dozens of micro-restaurants, stalls & bars.
Opening in the summer of 2019, this ex banana warehouse is the youngest place on this list.
For those who’ve watched our Unique London dining video, which I’ll link at the end,
this is the location for Pick and Cheese. Now, for any cheese lovers, this place is an absolute must,
being that its the worlds first cheese conveyor belt restaurant. When you head downstairs, this is
where the food court opens up as you’re surrounded by a multitude of flavours with canteen-like
seating in the centre. One of the benefits of this place is that it’s the most central market
in London so is an easy way to sample lots of different food types, during the Winter months.
Portobello Road Market is one of Londons most famous.
With its history stretching back 150 years this is the cities original antiques market
with plenty of bric-a-brac, fashion, food, and book shops.
You can easily make this trip last 2 plus hours and the route I’d suggest is to start
from Notting Hill Gate station and then walk north toward Ladbroke Grove. Walking this route along
Portobello Road starts with independent shops, before making way for its antiques main event
and then ending with a plethora of food markets, going all the way up to Golborne Road.
Around the area, you’ll also be treated to a number of colourful houses,
where you can Insta-pose for hours. Which I’m sure
pleases its residents greatly as you model on their front porch.
We are also in Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant Notting Hill territory.
So, be on the lockout for the famous front door of William Thacker, which is a must visit if
you’re a fan. And if you’re not a fan, then, it’s just a blue door and probably is worth skipping.
The bookshop inspiration for the movie is similarly worth a visit but other
ones I’d suggest are Books For Cooks and Lutyens & Rubinstein, which are both just around the corner.
There’s also the Biscuiteers shop which is excellent for iced biscuit souvenirs
and if you don’t believe me, just ask my Mother.
Situated in the trendy East End of London, Spitalfields Market is a mixture of independent
stalls, chain restaurants and pubs, and is probably joint first as my favourite London
market. There’s just so much variety here, I defy anyone not to find something to their liking.
Part food, part shopping, Spitalfields takes its name from the hospital and priory,
St. Mary’s Spittel that was founded in 1197.
One thing I really like about it, is that although it’s under cover for the sake of rain,
it still feels like an outside market, so is a great airy option
year round. It’s one of the most comfortable markets you’ll find, feeling clean and bright.
One of my favourite stalls here is Indi-go Rasoi which not only do great chilli chips
but this Samosa dish is always full of flavour and probably my favourite serving
in this entire video. Sorry, I’d already eaten it before I remembered to get the camera out.
What also makes Spitalfields unique, is that surrounding all the usual markets,
are a bunch of cool bricks and mortar shops, both inside and out the main square.
The Grocer is a good pub with comfy outdoor sofas and The Gun does some excellent pub grub also.
Now this next one is slightly left field since it isn’t a food market.
But, I’ll include it as we enjoy it so much, and we always end up ordering food when we’re here.
So check out Columbia Road Flower Market for something local and unique. Out of
everything on this list, it has most of the old school traditional London market vibes to it,
with lots of grown adults shouting flower names and prices, AT you.
I really love the energy of this place and we usually just wander up and down the street,
soaking in the atmosphere. Then, there are numerous shops and cafes to grab your
attention. An easy recommendation if you want something different.
So I covered Borough Market as one of my general to-dos in my 5 Days in London video
as it is a must visit and my other joint favourite. This is London’s oldest food market,
dating back 1000 years. The location of Borough Market is no coincidence, being that it sits in
close proximity to London Bridge. This area of passing was the first to cross the Thames,
massively opening up business in the south, and was thus a magnet for traders.
That history means you’re in good hands on arrival and largely is its
biggest selling point. You can feel the history and experience in this place.
Many of the traders here are the producers themselves: the farmer who reared the animal,
the fisherman who caught the fish, the baker who baked the bread.
For anyone who’s seen the aforementioned Unique London Dining video, this is also the location
for the Rabot London restaurant. The one where chocolate’s incorporated into every single dish.
And fun fact, right opposite is The Globe Tavern,
which is the home and front door to Bridgett Jones. So do make sure you say hello.
Greenwich Market fits the town itself perfectly, and for those keeping score
is my fourth favourite London market. There’s been a food market in this area
since 1737 but it has now spread out towards the Thames and the Cutty Sark.
Following the success of Camden market, Greenwich saw arts and crafts move into
this space in the mid 80s and it’s still a great destination for unique handmade gifts.
I’ve recently discovered the brilliantly titled Pimp my Ramen stall, which has these excellent
pulled pork burgers, but with ramen as the bun, which really works surprisingly well.
Don’t also forget to check out the many streets that dart from the central market,
taking you to the Greenwich Vintage market but also a bunch of great cafes such as Peyton and
Byrne, and Monsoon Cafe both of which do a great selection of cakes and coffee.
As mentioned with Camden, I find it best here to grab some food in the main market
and then walk towards the water as you have much more space to enjoy your food.
An honourable mention should also go to Brick Lane market,
which I just didn’t have enough footage from to include here. But this is a long,
vibrant street in the East End of London and is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.
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Follow us on all the usual socials where I post our food discoveries as they happen
and I’ve created this playlist which features unique London dining,
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Please do leave us a thumbs up and let us know your thoughts on the markets featured here.
This also helps the channel continue ato grow, as it shares us to newer viewers
who aren’t as fortunate as your good selves. Until the next one, thanks for watching Suitcase Monkey.