Borough Market is London’s most famous market, so if you’re hoping to visit while you’re in London, these tips will help you find the market’s best food and also have the best experience.
If you’d prefer to experience my Borough Market guide in video form, watch my What to Eat in Borough Market video instead.
What to know before visiting Borough Market
Borough Market isn’t open on Sundays, and on Saturdays, it gets incredibly busy, so try to visit during the week if you can. Because of the hours, it’s best to plan for a later breakfast, lunch or very early dinner visit, as it closes around 5pm. As you can imagine, between noon and 2pm is the busiest time to visit Borough Market because it’s lunch time, and the market is a favourite lunch spot for Londoners who work nearby.
There are two main parts of the market, that are separated by a road, so make sure you visit both sides of the market, it’s fairly big!
And finally, if you visit Borough Market in a group, plan to each buy one dish and share amongst each other. You’ll want to try more than one thing while you’re there, and this is a great way to do it!
Top foods to try while at Borough Market
Brindisa’s Chorizo Grill – Chorizo Roll
If you like chorizo, then pop over to Brindisa’s Chorizo Grill and get yourself a Chorizo roll (how many times can I say chorizo in a sentence? A lot, apparently.) The sandwich is a favourite at the market, and for good reason. It’ll cost you £4.50 for spicy chorizo, piquillo peppers, and rocket on warm ciabatta bread.
Sweet treats at Comptoir Gourmand
Comptoir Gourmand has lots of Instagram-worthy sweet treats that taste pretty lovely too. Their meringues are ENORMOUS and infamous, but their macarons are probably their most popular item, and I can totally say they taste really good too– last time I was there, I got suckered into buying 10 for £10. On my last visit, they even had juicy-looking Lamingtons for you Kiwis and Aussies…
Kappacasein
Kappacasein is a french dairy shop, and their Borough Market stall is where you’ll want to try a cheese toastie, aka a grilled cheese sandwich to the Americans. It’s made with two types of cheese, plus leeks and onions, all melted and gooey on the inside. Just a tip– if you don’t like very crispy crusts, ask for a shorter toast time. Their cheese toasties will set you back £6 but if you’re a big fan of gooey cheesy-ness, then fork it out.
Read next: Top Romantic Things to Do in London
Bread Ahead
Bread Ahead makes warm, fresh bread and pastries in their shop around the corner and then sells them at their stall in Borough Market. I definitely recommend their sugary doughnuts, I’m not usually a fan but theirs are on point. Bread Ahead are also known for their cheese and olive sticks, but they taste best when nice and warm, so either buy it and heat it up back at your place or ask when a fresh, hot batch will arrive before you buy.
Monmouth Coffee
Not technically in Borough Market, but rather right next door, Monmouth coffee is probably the most famous coffee spot in London. Personally I don’t drink coffee but loads of people recommend it. There’s ALWAYS a line to get in, but if you go for takeaway instead of wanting to sit inside, the line with go much faster. Plus, I’ve heard it’s worth the wait from friends who are coffee fans.
Read next: Less-Touristy Areas to Visit in London
Gastronomica
For another sandwich spot, Gastronomica is a good shout. This Italian spot has typical Italian sandwiches as well as piadine, which are like sandwiches in thick, doughy wraps, that traditionally are from the Emilia Romagna region, so this is the spot I go when I want a taste of Bologna, one of my favourite cities in Italy. They have some other Italian treats there, and right across the way is also La Tua Pasta, where you can pick up some nice fresh pasta for lunch or to take home and cook up in your Airbnb for dinner later.
These aren’t the only spots for good food in Borough Market, so I’ll update this list with new suggestions as time goes on. Let me know in the comments what you think you’ll try!
