Borough Market has been a focal point of London’s food and trading for nearly 1000 years. Since the 1990s, the artisan food trend has taken London by storm and at its centre, the Market has overflowed with some of the capital’s most exciting and experimental restaurants.
From perfect pasta to crocodile steaks and vegan burgers, you’ll find anything and everything worth eating under its green steel ceiling. Discover one of London’s most famous markets and culinary delicacies worldwide on our exciting Borough Market Food Tour. We hope you brought a fork!
Where to eat in Borough Market? Our top picks:
- Padella
- Mrs King’s Pork Pies
- Bread Ahead
- The Cider House
Read on for mouthwatering details!
Padella
This Italian Eatery is famous for its popularity – you’ll always see a huge queue lined up outside. Take the time to wait it out, and you’ll experience some of London’s finest handmade, artisan Italian food.
From fettuccini with violet artichokes to pappardelle cooked in an eight-hour beef shin ragu, you’ll taste next-level pasta dishes that will put other restaurants to shame.
Mrs King’s Pork Pies
We wanted to choose something from the list reflecting traditional British food. The humble pork pie is the perfect pick; none is better than Mrs King’s Pork Pies. These salty meat-stuffed pastries are the real deal.
With a recipe that dates back to 1853 and nothing but prime shoulder meat from British pigs, you can be sure you’re getting a taste of British heritage with every bite. They even have a few exciting, different varieties for you to try. Don’t miss out.
Bread Ahead
There are so many fantastic bakeries serving fresh bread in Borough Market that it’s almost impossible to choose between them. Think of this entry as indicative of all the great places you can get a fresh loaf. Bread Ahead is an institution for marketgoers, working as a bakery and cooking school to serve quality British bread.
It’s hard to say what exactly you’ll be treated to when you arrive, as batches are different every day, but expect everything from beautiful wholegrain loaves to Asian flatbreads and Scandinavian delicacies.
The Cider House
You’ll find everything from gin to whiskey at Borough Market, but when it comes to great British alcohol, there are few things better than country cider.
The Cider House serves some of the country’s best, with different vintages from orchards across the New Forest, Somerset and Hertfordshire. A British cider is best when it’s dry, but feel free to explore as many flavours as you like.
Fun facts about Borough Market’s food:
- Neal’s Yard Dairy, one of the UK’s most famous cheesemongers, has a stall here. They helped revive traditional British farmhouse cheese-making.
- You can find food from more than 40 countries in the market, from Ethiopian coffee to Spanish jamón and Indian street food.
- Their custard-filled doughnuts have a cult following and are often called the best in London.
- The market is historically linked to Southwark’s riverside location; fresh fish trading goes back centuries, and it’s still one of the best places in London for oysters.
- There’s an increasing focus on natural wines and small-batch beers. Bedales and The Rake (a tiny beer bar) are market legends.
- Many stalls focus on low-waste, organic, and sustainable food. For example, some bakers use surplus bread to brew beer.
- Rabot 1745 (from Hotel Chocolat) and artisan chocolatiers sell unique cocoa-based treats, including cocoa-infused savoury dishes.
- Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, and Yotam Ottolenghi have all been known to shop (and film) at Borough Market.
We hope you’ll love your visit to Borough Market, and to explore more of London, take a look at our fantastic tours in the capital!
