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London’s 3 best food markets revealed.
Borough Market is London's oldest food market (traditionally famous for its fruit and vegetables) and has been on its present site for 250 years
For a uniquely London-centric experience, you should avoid the tourist-traps and head straight to the city’s fantastic food markets!
Here you can tuck into anything from handmade sandwiches to more exotic fare at a fraction of restaurant prices, whilst mingling with the locals and getting a real taste of the capital. They’re also great areas to stay near to.
From internationally-famous Borough to friendly Pimlico Farmers’ and trendy Broadway; follow in the footsteps of Londoners in the know as we take you on a tour of the city’s lively food markets, as well as handy nearby hotels.
Borough Market
Borough Market is a foodie’s favourite in which you’ll find every gastronomic delicacy you could dream of. With cuisines ranging from French to Japanese and Chilean (covering everything in between!), as well as specialist stalls for teas, olives and mushrooms… the list of gastronomic delights is endless!
Gourmet breads at Borough Market
So whether you’re seeking out fresh, quality ingredients to knock up a dish at home or just want to browse the stalls and grab a smoothie, Borough Market certainly won’t disappoint.
Visiting Borough Market? Stay at nearby London Bridge Hotel: a super location to enjoy the vibrant South Bank. It’s currently impressively ranked in the top 30 London hotels on TripAdvisor (out of more than 1100 competitors). Guests love its location, solid service and modern rooms.
Check the best rate for London Bridge Hotel from 30+ hotel booking sites
Broadway Market
Broadway Market in trendy Shoreditch is rapidly gaining popularity, just like the area as a whole.
It has enjoyed huge growth in recent times as visitors choose to shun underwhelming, overpriced supermarket food. You’ll find fresh breads, seafood, handmade cheeses, exceptional meats and much more, alongside vintage clothes and knick-knacks in this bustling East London market.
Why not get your fruit and veg from one of London's vibrant markets?
A couple of fairly cheap hotels located conveniently between this market and central London are the Premier Inn London City Tower Hill (currently in the TripAdvisor top 50) and Ibis London City (ranked in the top 150).
Both are to the East of the capital’s main attractions and certainly “do the job” in providing reasonably-priced accommodation.
Check the best rate for Premier Inn Tower Hill from 30+ hotel booking sites
Check the best rate for Ibis London City from 30+ hotel booking sites
Pimlico Road Farmers’ Market
There’s a warm atmosphere at the intimate Pimlico Road Farmers’ Market, where produce is organic and from within 100 miles of the M25 (the large ring road which encircles London). Friendly stall owners are on standby to offer advice and free samples as you meander around the 30 or so stalls.
Based near posh Sloane Square, it’s a favourite with celebs and famous chefs. Don’t be surprised if you bump into Gordon Ramsay, Kylie Minogue or Elle McPherson as you select some delicious treats to take home.
Are you visiting Pimlico Farmers’ Market? We suggest you stay at the Draycott Hotel, currently in London’s top 20 hotels on TripAdvisor.
The Draycott Hotel provides rooms with considerable individual character
It’s a very cosy hotel and guests seem to appreciate the generous personal touches given such as complimentary drinks, welcome cards and so on. According to guest reviews, the hotel’s staff are both cheerful and efficient.
Check the best rate for the Draycott Hotel from 30+ hotel booking sites
The Draycott also has completely free wi-fi: a real godsend. It has imaginatively named all its rooms after a literary or theatrical connection.
While not cheap, it has bags of character and is in the heart of trendy Chelsea. We previously featured an interesting Brazilian-Japanese fusion restaurant in the same area, which is also known for its great nightlife.
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Photo credits: Draycott Hotel.
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Everyone knows Borough Market and that in my mind is absolutely the best, besides which there are some great pubs nearby. But Pimlico is the real ‘secret’ market – hardly anyone seems to know about it. Buffalo mozzarella from the west country, wonderful quiches and pies, and lots of free samples as you point out. Definitely worth checking out.