The Beauty of Borough Market

Borough Market is one of London's finest food experiences
- photo courtesy of David Iliff via Creative Commons

If you’ve see Bridget Jones’s Diary, you’ve seen Borough Market. It’s the site of her walk of heartbreak: bunny costume and tears. Bridget lives opposite the market : no schelpping her fruit and veg onto the train to get home after Saturday morning shopping; she could just cross the road. For the rest of us in London, the effort of getting to Borough Market is still worth it.

Located under the railway viaduct near London Bridge Station, it’s one of London’s most iconic markets – there’s been a market here since the 13th century – full of life and stallholders who can joke, charm and barter with the best of them. And they are not just slinging bags of potatoes at you. The traders of the 130 stalls know and love food, many of them grow or make what they sell. You can ask them just about anything about the food they’re selling and end up with a wealth of knowledge shared.

On a non-rainy day, you’ll find Southwark Cathedral churchyard adjacent to the market full of people surrounded by bags of shopping, all sitting around rewarding themselves with some of the market’s finest treats. My favourite: the raclette. This is heaven on a plastic plate: incredible melted cheese over new potatoes, pickles, and onion. The stall, out near the Jubilee Market entrance closest to the church, is called Kappacasein but your nose and the lines will lead you there. In addition they make the best toasted cheese sandwich in London, honestly.

There are also excellent coffee places and restaurants at the market, most of which are open even on days when the market’s not on. Borough Market is open Thursday and Friday afternoons and all day Saturday.

- Philippa Burne

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