Don’t get us wrong—we love eating out at some of London’s best restaurants. However, over the last few years the food scene has changed. Instead of booking in for a sit-down dinner, more and more Londoners love nothing more than heading to one of London’s many street food markets and finding a spot on a nearby curb to tuck into some delicious food. There’s always a great atmosphere and not to mention so many amazing smells that no scented candle will ever rival. It’s where all the cool kids are hanging out—and yes, that includes you.
Maltby Street Market
Maltby is one of London’s coolest weekend markets and a real hidden gem. As it’s off the beaten track, you’d most likely never stumble across it on a general walk. However, don’t be fooled—it’s one of the most popular foodie hangouts. It’s tucked away amongst the railway arches near London Bridge and stalls include giant scotch eggs, decadent brownies and epic cheese toasties.
What you should try: Bahn Mi Nen, Vietnamese street food with some of the best pho around.
Borough Market
Possibly London’s most famous market, Borough is a foodie’s paradise. Amongst the stall holders selling artisan oils and a huge selection of cheeses, there are some fantastic street food vendors cooking up dishes made to be devoured as you spend hours wandering around the bustling market. Go during the week to avoid the crowds.
What you should try: Scotchtails, specializing in the classic British scotch eggs, deep-fried with a runny yolk).
Leather Lane Market
The streets of the Leather Lane Market are lined with loads of great street food stalls, with cuisines from all around the world. It runs every weekday between 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and gets busy with city workers queuing up to get their lunchtime feast. Prices here are on the more affordable side of London’s street food scene.
What you should try: Crosstown Doughnuts. If doughnuts were in school, Crosstown would be the cool kids. They are made fresh everyday by hand and come in some unusual flavors. Maple bacon and banana, anyone?
Berwick Street Market
Berwick Street Market is one of London’s oldest markets, dating back to 1778. It’s right in the center of London in the busy Soho area. There are traditional stalls where the fruit man is shouting “Three punnets of raspberries for £2!”, as well as a diverse street food scene that makes this market popular with workers at nearby offices at lunchtime.
What you should try: Get some delicious Caribbean food at the Lime Hut which provides the traditional tasty island flavors with a health focused twist.
Broadway Market
Broadway Market is a Victorian street market in East London. While it’s only open Saturdays, the market has a community feel and lots of great street food stalls from worldwide cuisines. It’s also where Clare Ptak, baker of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding cake, first started her small business!
What you should try: Deeney’s. Deeney’s are famous for their haggis toasties named after the most famous Scotsman of all time (no, not the Proclaimers), Macbeth!
Southbank Centre
Tucked behind the Southbank, one of London’s busiest areas is a bustling street food market with more than 30 stalls of knockout food. Once you’ve worked out if you want Asian, Italian or Mexican, a walk along the riverside while devouring your lunch is what we would suggest.
What you should try: The Frenchie’s duck burger. It has confit duck, melted cheese, and truffle honey. Best served alongside some of their duck fat chips with truffle mayo.
Brick Lane
Every Sunday, East London’s Brick Lane is filled with endless stalls of street food from every corner of the world. You could make the mistake of staying on the main road, but if you head down the side streets, you’ll discover even more foodie gems. The atmosphere is electric and it’s a real experience for all the senses.
What you should try: The Rib Man. Famous for his unbelievably messy rib meat burgers, The Rib Man knows everything there is to know about cooking the perfect ribs.
Whitecross Street Market
The Whitecross Market is a weekday food market spanning a large area between Barbican and Old Street. Due to its urban location, it draws in hordes of workers every day looking for great lunch options from Indian to Italian, Mexican to Middle Eastern.
What you should try: Luardos Mexican street food made from scratch. They specialize in making delicious burritos, tacos and quesadillas.
Tooting Market
Probably one of the most traditional markets on this list, the indoor Tooting Market has been a center of commerce in South London for over 80 years. While everything from sugarcane to sari’s can be bought inside, over the last 10 years it has transformed into a foodie pardise. If you are willing to make the journey, you will be rewarded with not only a wide variety of international cuisine, but also 2 markets for the price of one! The sister Broadway Market is only a short walk away, boasting just as many options to chow down.
What you should try: The generous portions at Basil are the stuff of legend. Chinese, Thai and streetfood at its finest.
This blog post was updated on April 24, 2023.
Join us for an adventure through more than a thousand years of British culinary history! On our Borough Market & Southwark tour, we’ll show you where Londoners actually eat and introduce you to our friends who are proudly carrying on generations of gastronomic traditions.
