Borough Markets in London has to be one of my favourite places in this city! It is a specialist food wholesale and retail market and every time I go I discover something new and tasty!
I love to wander around and sample the delights of all the stalls and then make special purchases for whatever tickles my fancy. There are cheeses, jams, vinegars, olive oils, chocolates, baklava, cakes, breads, pastries, juices and smoothies, coffee and wines, the list goes on!
I like to think I have figured out the best approach for a foodie market like this. First up, if you arrive hungry I think it’s better to try and hold off buying lunch until you have done a good lap of the market so that you can identify which stall you will buy your main breakfast/lunch from. Otherwise you will most probably make a purchase and shove it down only to later see a better option around the corner resulting in a massive case of food envy!
One of my absolute faves has got to be the HEAVENLY HALLOUMI burger from The Veggie Table. These babies are so delicious I find myself getting one every time I visit. They are grilled and then popped into a wholegrain bun with salsa and optional hummus and pesto, or topped onto a mix of the uber healthy salads on offer which usually change each time. Just go and get one!
Another fave would be the brownies. Now I am a massive fan of brownies and I like to think I have sampled quite a range over the years, but two of the best can be purchased from Borough. The first is the heavy, fudgy and moist delight from the Cinnamon Tree Bakery stall inside. It’s diets off for these bad boys! They also mix in choc bits for that extra indulgence! The other is a Boston brownie from the shop Konditor and Cook outside the market on Stoney Street. These babies have fresh cranberries baked into them that just goes so well with the rich chocolately brownie. yum yum yum!
Coffee lovers queue for ages at Monmouth Coffee coffee who serve up a range of beans which you can also purchase by weight.
The quality of fresh produce is fantastic – check out the juiciness of the tomatoes…
Something new I picked up this time was Truffle Balsamic Glaze. We sampled this winner with fresh bread, but it can be used on cheese, poultry, risotto and pasta. It’s a thick balsamic glaze with the richness of truffle – something to break out when we are feeling posh I think!
And Artisan du chocolat have a little stand where you can pick up a mixed bag of choccies at the special Borough market price of £2! My fave is the Madagascar.
Geez, I LOVE this place!
If you live in London and you have never been – what are you waiting for? And if you ever visit London – make sure the market is on your list! Saturdays are always the busiest, so if you can, head down there on a Thursday or Friday instead. There are usually bargains to be bagged later in the day as vendors try to get rid of the last of their fresh stock. Bon Appo!
