Street food spots in London

London is one of the richest and unrivalled cities in the world, in terms of its food and beverage scene. This city, where you can find restaurants from almost every cuisine of the world, has a dreamlike variety that induces the excitement of food and drink enthusiasts. Even though the iconic pubs and Michelin-starred restaurants are important parts of the food and beverage scene, street food markets which have become a part of the city’s identity over time, have a different and special place for Londoners.

Most of the street food stands that you may encounter in almost every neighbourhood, provide a high standard of gastronomical experience with all their food offerings. Such a treasure for a foodie, in these markets there is an unlimited variety, from vegan dishes to Caribbean cuisine, to Philippine gourmet burgers and 3rd generation coffee makers and bakers.

You can come across these markets, where you can experience different street food, espeWe’ve explored the street food markets in London, which are encountered in almost every corner of the city, offering different tastes from world cuisine and have an important place in the culture of food and beverage. Ebru Atlan Tecirlioğlu / @ebruatlan

54 Turkish British Magazine I January - February 2020 cially at weekends, in many corners of the city. It is not easy to choose between different stands, while scrumptious scents fly through the air. Many stands allow you to taste the food they offer with small tasters, easily stealing your heart. Although, all the markets spread all over the city during the weekends, it is also possible to find nice alternative markets where you can eat, drink and explore on weekdays.

Street food culture in England has become increasingly popular, especially since the end of the 90s. Small operators, who suffered from the rapidly expanding restaurant and fast food chains, looking for lower-cost and low-risk business solutions have played a particular role in this trend to rise. The lack of mandatory legal barriers for selling food on the street has also made it easier for small entrepreneurs. A new opportunity has emerged on the streets for those who want to demonstrate their talents in cooking. In this way, the streets began to become the scene of flavour games of chefs from different cultures.

If you are a foodie whose heart beats for gourmet discoveries, you cannot understand London without exploring the food markets. You will get to know the food and drink culture, which has a great effect on the character and texture of the city, by visiting the top street markets we have compiled for you.

1. Borough Market There are dozens of street food markets throughout London, but the most famous of these is Borough Market. This market, which goes back 1000 years, deserves this reputation. Near London Bridge, the market hosts more than 70 stands with different international cuisines. It’s one of the best locations in the city to buy gourmet products such as fish, meat, deli products, cheese, olives, olive oil, handmade chocolate, and sourdough bread. Many stands offer free tasters for guests. This makes it a little easier to choose what you want to eat. The busiest day of the market, which is open between Monday and Saturday, is Saturday, when it hosts the highest number of stands. Go as early as possible to avoid crowds and don’t forget to discover the nearby traditional British pubs and walk along the river.

• Monday - Thursday: 10.00-17.00 • Friday: 10:00 - 18:00 • Saturday: 8.00-17.00 • Borough Market is closed on Sundays. • 8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL • boroughmarket.org.uk

2. Kerb Market Petra Barran, a street food vendor, is the person behind the idea of the Kerb street food market, which opens in 5 different boroughs of London on different days of the week. Petra Barran started her journey by converting an old ice cream truck she bought on eBay into a tiny kiosk, to sell her own chocolates and desserts. She discovered that street food is a rapidly rising trend while visiting markets and festivals in different cities in the UK, in 2010. She met a few other street food vendors who had similar experiences in London, offering fine-dining restaurant taste and quality food on the streets of London. The idea of bringing all of these vendors together in the same market came to her mind and subsequently the Kerb was born in 2012. Today, you can taste dishes from Filipino cuisine to Indian food, gnocchi and chicken wings made by the skilled chefs of Kerb at King’s Cross, where the market first appeared and various other boroughs of London. They also have workshops for those who are thinking about selling food on the street and want to invest in this business.

• King’s Cross - Granary SQ, N1C • Wednesday-Friday: 12:00 to 14:00 • Paddington - Sheldon Square, Paddington Central, W2 • Every 2 weeks on Wednesdays: 12.00- 14.00 • Gherkin – 30 St Mary Axe, EC3A • Thursday: 12.00-14.00 • St. Kats - St. Katharine Docks, London, E1W 1LA • Friday: 12.00-14.00 • West India Quay – West India Quay, E14 • Tuesday to Friday: 11.30-14.00 • www.kerbfood.com

3. Berwick Street Established in Soho, central London, the Berwick Street Market has existed since the 18th century. It is a colourful market hosting street food vendors as well as florists and vegetable and fruit shops. There are about 20 stands in the market. Caribbean and Egyptian stands and burrito and falafel stands are the most trendy ones. Some of the most delicious falafels you can eat throughout London are made here at the Jerusalem Falafel stand, which was established by an Israeli family. Combined with delicious vegetables and sauces, falafel wraps are a good alternative for vegans and vegetarians.

• Monday to Friday 11.00–15.00 • Berwick St, W1F 8ST • berwickstreetlondon.co.uk

4. Maltby Street Market Maltby Street Market is a small market operating in southeast London, on weekends since 2010. The number of stands is small, due to its size. This makes the dishes offered even more ambitious. This is a market where you can discover interesting flavours, with its African stand producing Mozambique style hot sauces, the brownie stand, the raclette stand and the waffle stand, offering fluffy Taiwanese waffles served in egg boxes.

• Saturday: 9.00-16.00 • Sunday: 11.00-16.00 • 41 Maltby St, London SE1 3PA • www.maltby.st

5. Camden Market Camden Market was established in the 70s in Camden Town, famous for its musicians and artists. There are antique shops, vintage clothing stores and souvenir shops in the market, and one part of the market is allocated to food vendors. There is a crazy variety of food in the market, which is open every day of the week, in north London. Exquisite wraps from Venezuelan, Indian, Mexican, Middle Eastern cuisines, interesting tastes from African cuisine, unusual burgers with creative touches, gluten-free pastas, vegan sandwiches, handmade chocolates and many more ambitious tastes are among the options you can try. • Camden Market is open from 10 am to late every day. • Camden Lock Place NW1 8AF • www.camdenmarket.com

6. Broadway Market Established in 1900 in Hackney, a cosmopolitan neighbourhood in the east of the city, Broadway Market is a large market with more than 100 stands, selling artisan breads, desserts and authentic foods from different cuisines around the world. In addition to food stands, you can also visit the stands with original clothes, handmade accessories and goods.

7. Mercato Metropolitano This huge market, where Italian and Londoner artisan producers come together, is also one of the best places to find the Napoli pizza. The wide area of 4000 square meters offers different seating arrangements in the garden and interior. Not only Italian dishes are on offer; but also dishes from many different cuisines, such as Vietnamese, Japanese, Mexican and Spanish are offered.

• Monday to Friday: 8.00-23.00 • Saturday: 11.00-23.00 • Sunday: 11.00-22.00 • 42 Newington Causeway SE1 6DR • www.mercatometropolitano.co.uk