Best street food spots in London

While British cuisine was not really something to rave about until the mid 19th century, a remarkable transformation came about in its food scene a few decades ago. London now competes with the best cities in the world for its culinary offerings and is a foodie haven for gastronomes from across the world. The remarkable change in its food scene was the result of diasporas of people from all over the world moving to and settling in London. With their arrival, the food scene in London became one of the most eclectic and exciting in Europe.
If you are passionate about food, then a visit to London would certainly satiate your gastronomic appetite like no other city. Springtime is a great time to visit the city, with balmy weather and warm sunshine making it ideal to explore the city’s numerous food markets. While finding suitable
accommodation in London is easy if you book in advance, the location you choose to stay in will impact your trip.
It is best to choose a hotel in the heart of the city like the Montcalm Hotel London ideally located in the centre of town. It offers easy access to the best food markets in London such as the following:

Borough Market: While London has numerous famous food markets, the most famous and oldest in the city is Borough Market. Apart from being around for than a millennium, it is among the most famous food markets of the world. The secret of its longevity was the Parliament Act of 1754 that accorded it permanent status for the benefit and use of the local community. A charitable trust owns Borough Market with a board of trustees managing the area.
A wide variety of stalls are located in Borough Market, run by producers who grow, cook and sell the food they produce. As part of the Slow Food movement in the UK, the process is transparent at all stages from provenance to production. A number of Slow Food movement accredited stalls sell a diverse variety of food items, produce and other food-related stuff.

Berwick Street Market: The market in the area exists from the 18th century, with the place getting official recognition later in 1892. The stalls here sell vegetables, fruits, flowers etc along with several street food stalls. One of the best places to shop for healthy food in the area is Savage Salads renowned for their vibrantly flavoured and coloured salads. Other food items on sale include souvlaki, sandwiches, burritos, baked good etc.
Broadway Market: The thriving market location is in the middle of Hackney, and stretches from London Fields right up to Regent’s Canal. The place is best visited on the weekends when a variety of stalls pop up in the area. Dumpling lovers must visit the popular Dumpling Shack famous for its succulent and tasty dumplings. Close by is School Yard Market, despite its smaller size offers a wealth of places to shop. The food here is eclectic and changes on a regular basis. From Chinese stalls to a wide selection of confectionary delights, there is plenty to savour here.

Brick Lane Market: There is much more to Brick Lane than its ubiquitous curry shops. Travel to the Truman Brewery area all the way to Shoreditch and you will find an array of food stalls in the area on a daily basis. This is the location of the popular Rib Man, famous for his giant baps covered with his fiery trademarked Holy F**k Sauce! Sunday is the best day to visit the market at the Truman Brewery as apart from a wide variety of global street food, vendors also have stalls selling jewellery, clothing, handbags etc. If you are looking for a diverse culinary selection at reasonable prices, head to the Boiler House Food Hall. The place is a popular haunt for locals, hipsters and visitors.

Brixton Market: The area has always been home to a market from the late 1800s, with stalls set up below the railway arches and then later stretching up to Electric Avenue. The market is a major draw with members of the African and Caribbean communities and is a place to shop for cheap food. Produce sold here include avocados, yams and rare to find fruits among other items. Visit the place on a Friday and the place sells an exciting mix of street food delicacies like Caribbean and Ethiopian dishes. Apart from the open market, check out the covered market in the area as well. While there is a string of famous restaurants in the area, many do not offer the facility to make reservations. So be ready to wait your turn to grab a table at places like Elephant, Salon or Mama Lan’s!

Greenwich Market: While certain sections of the market open on particular days, most of them open for business on Sundays. The market in Greenwich was set up in 1737, with the area now home to a melange of food stalls ranging from South American to Asian fare. There are some amazing seafood stalls, with oyster stalls popular with visitors who partied a little too much the night before. After all, oysters are known to provide effective relief from a nasty hangover! Vegans need not feel left out as there are several fabulous vegetarian stalls selling a variety of vegan delights.

Chapel Market: Another one of the daily street markets, Chapel Market is where you can find something for all. With great street food stalls, an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies and other food-related items sold in the area. On Sunday, the place is abuzz with visitors and shoppers, because of the Islington Farmers’ Market held in the area. It is when you can shop for some of the finest herbs, rare spices and delicatessen goods.