Borough Market is London’s oldest food market and has existed for around 1,000 years! It’s rich in history and offers a huge choice of produce and ingredients for you to explore.
It’s often described as a foodie’s heaven because you can find almost any ingredient you need, from sweet to savoury, from the ordinary to the more peculiar.
Food is the most obvious reason you’d visit Borough Market, so I wanted to share with you five other reasons why I think it’s a great place to visit in London…
5. Location:
One of the great things about Borough Market is its location. It’s so easy for you to get to. It’s a stone’s throw from London Bridge Train station. You can easily access it by bus or bike and it also operates its own car parking system if you’re mad enough to drive through the city. Whether you’re on your lunch break looking for something different to eat or spending a day exploring London, we definitely recommend a wander through Borough Market.
Address: Borough Market, Southwark Street, London
Number: 020 7407 1002
4. Borough Market is Eco-Friendly:
Teaming up with the ‘FoodSave’ scheme ran by Plan Zheroes, Borough Market aims to see any food or packaging wastage recycled or up-cycled. All food waste is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant which breaks down organic material and turns it into power, fertiliser and water – isn’t that amazing?
Then all their traders aim to make every piece of packaging used either biodegradable or compostable. Knowing you can contribute to saving the planet during your visit makes you feel good. Another reason to visit is…
3. The Experience:
Set under the railway arches and shadow of the Shard, Borough Market is extremely atmospheric. It’s a place which pleases all your senses.
From the wonderful aromas of colourful foods to the sounds of people cooking and the lively buzz of visitors and tradesmen – it’s an enjoyable experience.
Even if you don’t have any money to spend, it’s nice to walk around and take it all in. Pay interest in all the foods on your way around and you might find something which you didn’t know about before.
2. The Traders of Borough Market:
The people running the stalls are so friendly; they are always up for a giggle and a cheeky haggle. A lot of them entice you with little tasters, but they are all so enthusiastic about what they’re selling. And they’re more than happy for you to try things.
I first visited Borough Market back when I was a pescatarian, and I remember the deep fried calamari was delicious! However, on recent visits, I’ve paid more attention to the health foods and worlds foods available. For example, sought-after spices and natural food colourings.
The traders come from all different backgrounds and offer a vast array of foods which they can easily teach you about if you ask which means that…
1. There’s Always Something New to Learn in Borough Market:
You can always come away from Borough Market feeling like you’ve learnt something new which is a great feeling. Whether it be a new food fact, a new taste, or a new idea for a recipe, you will always walk away feeling more fulfilled than when you arrived.
One lady I met, sold all these different types of mushrooms which she was able to teach me more about. She told me how mushrooms can be a great meat alternative due to their rich protein content. In particular, shredded ‘Pink Oyster’ mushroom cooked in Hickory Smoke oil can give a similar taste and texture to pulled meat. Apparently, Chanterelle mushrooms are a great addition to Italian pasta dishes.
She also sold courgette flowers, which she said are delicious stuffed with cheese and deep fried in tempura batter – sounds delicious!
REVIEW: La Tua Pasta
A visit to Borough Market wouldn’t be complete without trying some food. After wandering around for ages being very indecisive, I finally found a little Italian stall called La Tua Pasta which sold gorgeously handmade pasta and linguine.
They offered meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, but since Valentine’s Day was on the way, I thought I’d treat myself to their heart-shaped vegetarian pumpkin pasta. I had mine drizzled with their homemade pesto sauce and a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan. Since visiting, I’ve learnt parmesan isn’t vegetarian. However, this pasta was delicious at the time. Handmade pasta makes all the difference to the taste too. It has definitely inspired some recipes for a Life Without Meat.
If you’re in the area and haven’t already, you definitely won’t regret giving Borough Market a visit. You can find out more information on their website.
