Find street food that’s ‘reet good at these London food markets and halls.
If you want to try some of London’s famous street food, be warned: the street is not exactly the place to look. Instead, try these abandoned halls, former warehouses and covered markets – they’ve all embraced the trend for casual-but-brilliant dining, and regularly host tons of different street food vendors for you and your friends to try. Get ready to EAT ALL THE THINGS at our favourite street food markets in London – bon appetit!
London food markets open now
1. Mercato Metropolitano, Borough
This sprawling street food market, with oodles of space to sit indoors and out, is open seven days a week and home to 21 street food stalls and bars. While the first hall has a loose Italian theme, head deeper inside to find ribs from Prarie Fire BBQ, tacos from Hermanos Tacos, biodynamic wines from France, and other edifying edibles. Live bands occasionally stomp through cover versions from atop a brewing tank, while vintage fairs, supper clubs and other events also take place here. More info.
2. Borough Market, London Bridge
Think ‘London food markets’, and this is probably the first place to spring to mind. With an internationally-famous reputation and a 1000-year history, Borough Market remains the gold standard for food markets in London. Open in full Wednesday – Saturday, the market has long offered fresh ingredients you can cook at home. But in keeping with the times, there’s an ever-growing street food offering: everything from Levantine-inspired mezze to ‘reinvented Scotch eggs’ can be found here. This is a very busy working market, so you’ll need to purchase, escape, retreat and eat! More info.
3. Eataly, Broadgate
Always exciting when a new arrival hits town, and in Eataly, we’ve got one of the most exciting food markets to hit London in years. Boasting 42,000 square feet of pasta, pizza, cheese, and dessert, a mix of sit-down and takeaway restaurants, and the largest Italian wine collection in London, it’s an absolute must-try. Read all about it here.
4. Pop Brixton
This colourful cluster of shipping containers in south London is a gastronomic wonderland, incorporating 21 different restaurants and stalls – including a few award-winning small-plates options sure to thrill any foodie. It’s open seven days a week: find out more about Pop Brixton.
5. Camden Market
Arguably the most epic street food line-up in London with 34 traders, this outdoor market runs seven days a week, but is strictly a daytime affair, catering for hungry tourists and Secret London writers. There’s something for everyone, including as-seen-on-social hits like halloumi fries and the infamous ‘cheesy wheel of pasta.’ This location is packed with market stalls, so you’ll need to enjoy your tray of treats perched somewhere nearby. More info.
6. The Kitchens, Old Spitalfields Market
If you’re headed Brick Lane way, make sure to stop by the Kitchens in Old Spitalfields Market for some of the best street food in the area. Ten outstanding east London chefs keep well fed – Dumpling Shack, Humble Crumble, and Pleasant Lady and among the recognisable names currently trading here. Open all week long: find out more here.
7. Bang Bang Oriental, Colindale
This epic food hall in north London celebrates the cuisine of east Asia, with over twenty different stalls to choose from. Dishes from Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and all corners of China await, from bite-size treats to spicy curries and quirky desserts. It’s open seven days a week, too. More info here.
8. Southbank Centre Food Market
In the heart of the South Bank, you’ll find one of the capital’s most varied and most popular food markets. Newly reopened after the lockdown, Southbank Centre Food Market boasts a dizzying range of cuisines, and it’ll take you several months (or one gluttonous weekend) to eat your way through them all. See more here.
9. Peckham Levels
Taking over the sixth floor of Peckham’s multi-storey car park is Peckham Levels. Now well-insulated from the elements, the family-friendly hall hosts six street food traders, including lockdown-born pizza pals 081 Pizzeria and joyful Bando Belly. There’s also cocktails, live music, and more thoughtfully-planned events await us once the lockdown is officially over. Meanwhile, there’s always Frank’s Cafe up on the roof! More info.
10. Model Market, Lewisham
The only Street Feast venue currently open is nicknamed ‘The European Capital of Vibes’, and whilst that may be a tad grandiose, this south-east London courtyard is still wildly popular on summer nights. Maybe it’s something to do with the rooftop tequila terrace? Find them every Thursday to Saturday, with a rotating cast of traders throughout the summer. Check it out.
11. KERB, various locations
KERB’s array of outdoor food markets stretch across London from north to south and east to west. Their markets have a tendency to come and go, but at the moment they’ve got spots at the National Theatre, West India Quay, London Bridge, Kings Cross, St Katharine Docks, and the Gherkin. Several are just lunchtime affairs though – see the full list here.
12. Mercato Mayfair
The sister market of Mercato Metropolitano is found inside a gorgeously restored church. The dominant religion here is food, with bountiful market stalls and street food traders filling the nave – down in the crypt, meanwhile, you’ll find a rather fancy wine bar with excellent vintages. See more here.
13. Hackney Bridge
A brand-spanking new spot that’s opened this spring, Hackney Bridge comes to us from the team behind the aforementioned Pop Brixton and Peckham Levels. The al fresco canalside spot can welcome 400 guests, and we reckon it’ll be a peachy place to hang out when the sun shines. Find out more here.
14. Seven Dials Market, Neal’s Yard
Turning an old banana warehouse into the West End’s only covered food market has turned out to be a masterstroke for the KERB gang. Their first indoor market is home to delights including a cheese conveyor belt restaurant, vegan Mexican cuisine, and some utterly banging fried chicken. It’s rather easy on the eyes, too. Read all about it here.
15. Kingly Court, Soho
More of a food court than a food market, but Kingly Court is a site of pilgrimage for any self-respecting London foodie. Behind the powder blue entrance, you’ll find a three-storey courtyard practically bursting at the seams with pizza, Greek food, ramen, and posh kebabs. With 21 separate dining options, this place was made for the indecisive. See more here.
16. Flat Iron Square, London Bridge
Squeezed between the road and the railway arches, Flat Iron Square nonetheless manages to delight out of all proportion with Baz & Fred’s stonebaked pizzas, Breddo’s magnificent tacos, Bittenclub’s zingy French-Vietnamese fusion food, Mother Clucker’s peerless fried chicken, and katsu greatness from Katsutopia. Four bars will take care of the drinks; read all about it here.
17. Crate, Walthamstow
Small but mighty, Crate is another shipping container village delivering the goods. Perched alongside St James’ Street station, you can tuck into Baggio Burger, Hanoi Ca Phe, and Crosstown Doughnuts here, whilst The Italian Bakery is perfect for picking up carby treats. A sister site in Loughton focuses more on retail than food. More here.
London food markets reopening soon
18. Hawker House, Canada Water
Tough times for the Street Feast empire have seen them close Dinerama and Giant Robot in the past year, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for the return of Hawker House. Canada Water’s premier food destination is an expansive warehouse with space for eight food traders and six bars; Korean BBQ, buttermilk fried chicken and steamed dumplings are favourites here. Keep an eye on reopening plans here.
19. Goods Way, Kings Cross
Lightly inspired by the food and music culture of New Orleans, Goods Way sadly opened mere weeks before the fist lockdown, and has had a pretty rough time of it since. Nevertheless, the food and drinks are excellent, led by The Duck Truck, Pomelo, and American-style cocktail bar Sweetwater. A reopening date is TBD, but it’s well worth a visit when it does. More here.
20. Market Hall Fulham
This former tube station entrance at Fulham Broadway was revamped into a space with nine brilliant street food kitchens competing for your affections. A lovely west London spot, but sadly Market Hall Fulham hasn’t opened its doors since the pandemic began. We eagerly await news on their return; in the meantime, read about it here.
21. Market Hall Victoria
The Market Halls gang moved pretty quickly after the Fulham branch opened, with Market Hall Victoria as their sophomore effort. Found next to Victoria station, Vicky is the bigger sister, with space for eleven food traders, three bars, and a smart roof terrace – unfortunately, there’s no word on a reopening. More here.
22. Market Hall West End
Sensing a theme yet? The third and final Market Hall (for now, given they’d also planned a Canary Wharf spot pre-pandemic) is the UK’s biggest food market, with space for 900 diners. As with Fulham and Victoria, it remains closed for the foreseeable. See more here.
23. Pergola on the Wharf, Canary Wharf
Pergola’s first outpost in the financial district opens this June, with no fewer than three separate bars, and a food menu that’s inspired by earth, land, and sea. There’s an outdoor terrace wrapped around the building that’ll prove popular on sunny days, and you can always wander into the adjoining attractive roof garden to go exploring! More info.
For more delicious inspiration, see our guide to the very best restaurants in London.
Also published on Medium.