i love a good market and borough market is one of those places where there are so many different…read morethings to try you honestly don't even know where to start what we got: - wild mushroom risotto - fish and chips from fish! kitchen - pistachio cannoli from gastronomica market we came on a bank holiday and i was honestly surprised it wasn't insanely crowded. the lines moved pretty quickly and we didn't have to wait too long for food either. seating was definitely packed, but we got lucky and managed to snag a table after hovering around for a bit. everything we tried was delicious. the risotto was super creamy and comforting, the fish and chips were crispy and fresh, and the pistachio cannoli was the perfect sweet treat to end everything with. definitely one of those spots i'd come back to just to keep trying more food stalls.-

Definitely a must if you're in london but it's very easy to get over-stimulated and lost in my…read moreopinion because it gets super packed. I went in 2 different times: saturday at 3pm and wednesday at 10am. Two completely different vibes. I tried the famous sandwich from the black pig, viral chocolate covered strawberries and bread ahead. Black pig - the best one sandwich: it was AMAZING!!! I was a bit scared to get this since i was by myself but let me tell you, it was not heavy as i expected it to be. Just delicious overall and would totally recommend. Chocolate strawberries: I love strawberries and chocolate but definitely think you can find cheaper alternatives anywhere in london. Bread Ahead: my new favorite pastry place. I pretty much got a donut from this place (not this location) everyday because the black currant cheesecake donut was that good. I got the tiramisu and crème brûlée donut which my brother liked and i wish i could've tasted them before they went bad but anyways, I would totally recommend the donuts from here! Their chocolate chips cookies are HUGE and delicious as well. This was probably one of my favorite markets!

I won't repeat what other reviews have said; simply confirming that the price range, variety, and…read moretastiness of foods is as reviewed by others; a delightful, culinary sampling of London's diversity. At least 10+ stalls, including vegetarian options. Pretty busy and lively during weekday lunch hour! The space is outdoors and is not covered, so bring an umbrella and/or coat as needed, and I didn't see a lot of place to sit and eat there, so it's mainly takeaway. Bathrooms: Not that I saw.

a mixture of cultures and tastes from around the world. a place to taste diversity.read more

Smokin' Aces - is literally ACE in terms of taste. Wow. I can't believe how good these guys are…read more They are located in Chapel Market and only do lunch time service although apparently might open a full time restaurant somewhere. The chicken is just sublime, and the sauce selection they recommend - is brilliant with it. I go for the salad box - which includes, chicken, salad and mac and cheese. And they give lots of it. All for £5 - I repeat 5£!!! You must go at half 12 otherwise the queue can be quite lengthy. Many go because the portion sizes are incredible but the quality of the food is up there. Sometimes I can't finish it and have to take it back for dinner. what more can I say - mind blown.

If you are a BBQ lover, go there! If you are a hungry BBQ…read morelover, definitely go there! The portions are Huge! Normally when I have BBQ I would finish a platter for 2 people by my own. But the £6 BBQ box here.....I couldn't finish Meats are good, sauces are good, pork cheeks highly recommended! My only concern would be that the meat may need a lil more smoke.

Thank GOODNESS I found something in London to fill the Allen St. Poutine-shaped void in my heart…read morethis summer. The Poutinerie is a pop-up at the Brick Lane Market every Sunday. While the market is worth a trip in and of itself (if seemingly endless streets of awesome vintage finds and other food stalls are your thing), The Poutinerie sealed the deal for me. If you've followed along with my reviews this shouldn't surprise you, but I consider myself something of a poutine connoisseur. I wasn't super optimistic about the quality of the poutine in London, but I had no reason to be skeptical, as The Poutinerie delivered. Maybe it's just because everything is better served out of a food stall, but the dish was great. I got the regular, and the curds-to-gravy ratio was good, and the fries were fresh. No complaints here! Service was quick and friendly as well. It was a little more expensive than I was expecting, but well worth it considering just how badly I was craving poutine at the time.

I learned something after eating this great poutine. As the cheese is squeaking beneath my teeth…read moreand the crisp chips are holding well under the brown gravy pressure, I realized I don't enjoy poutine that much. I merely eat it when I'm away from my poutine addicted girlfriend; hoping to make her jealous. The Poutinerie had a great, eye-catching signage. There was a chalkboard explaining what poutine is and what they offered. If you want to compare poutine, do what I did and order the original. Otherwise, you can order the The Coq au Vin or the Philly Cheese Steak. I'll upload some pictures so you can see what this includes. I overheard as I walking past once done with the markets that this was their first day. I hope it went well for them and I hope they return. I think they have a really good product.

Fifth time visitor from the US to London and first time in the Hackney area! It feels very much…read morelike a hip/up and coming area, which celebrates inclusivity. The market itself is wonderful! Even midday on the weekend, it was much less busy than some of the more popular/tourist markets in London. The food!! So much variety with interesting local and international flavors. Really something for everyone. And the wares were actually good and shoppable. I really liked the colors and quality of the clothing, pottery, accessories etc that I was seeing. Sometimes I feel like market wares are kind of just souvenir-ish or cheaper looking, but this is stuff I would actually shop and buy because I really like it, not just for the novelty of shopping a market. The streets along the market are adorned with cute cafes and shops as well. Dog friendly, bike friendly. And a fun little canal walk nearby. In terms of getting here from Central London - I found the most convenient way to get here was via city bus, and navigating that was super easy. I just found the best bus number and route via Google Maps (though I know there's a more accurate city app of some sort), and you can tap to pay when you board using credit card, Apple Pay etc. I boarded at London Bridge so there were a ton of people, but the tip if you're at a bus stop alone is to make sure to stick an arm out to indicate to the bus driver that you want to board so they stop. Then before getting to your stop, there's a "stop" button you can push from your seat to indicate you want the bus to stop so you can get off. And then just walk off. Easy!

Broadway Market is my favourite market in London and in the world to date…read more Why? Well, it may not be the biggest market, but it sure does have every cuisine you can think of, every treat you can imagine, and the street vendors are super friendly and passionate about their products. It is THE market for ultimate food heaven. The market only runs on a Saturday, so best to get there early... which means more time to eat! It covers one whole street, and is surrounded by a mix of shops and cafes, so it is really easy to navigate through. I recently spent a morning at Broadway Market and loved every minute of it. Highlights: * Fine Fayre for Scottish Eggs - or soft boiled eggs, wrapped in sausage, covered in breadcrumbs and fried until crispy on the outside. Prior to this, I had never tried a Scotch egg and after spending a few days in Edinburgh, we couldn't go past their Haggis one. Served with mustard and chutney, it had lovely textures and flavours, in particular the runny yolk and outer crisp. * Deeny's for a Scottish sandwich - like your normal toasted sandwich, but one step more gourmet! We were very happy because the sandwiches are filled with their homemade haggis spread (already missing haggis now that I'm back in Auckland!). The sandwiches were also oozing with cheddar and melt in your mouth! * Meringue Girls - I was looking forward to trying a meringue from Meringue Girls, mainly because we don't really have anything like it in Auckland and also one of the co-owners is a Kiwi... so of course I had to try one! Their stand is very colourful, with rows and rows of beautifully presented meringues. They sell two varieties - their original 'Meringue Kisses' with flavours like passionfruit, chocolate, hazelnut and one called 'Unicorn Poop' and rounder meringues which come with an individual topping, like fresh fruit, shredded coconut and crushed pistachios. I chose a raspberry meringue, which was super cute and sweet! * Vegetable Stew from Creole Kitchen, serving French/Caribbean dishes. My Mum actually had this for lunch, but luckily I got a taste! Beautiful flavours and vegetables never tasted so good! * A Berliner (a German pastry similar to a doughnut) from Artisan Foods - my sweet treat after our Scottish eggs and haggis toasted sandwich. This was oozing with custard (one of my favourite things) and hit my sweet spot! Other things you will find: * All the fresh produce and there is lots of it. Stands selling apples, all kinds of berries, tomatoes in all shapes and colours and a vast selection of vegetables. *The array of sweet treats in general - think German fruit cheesecake, S S'mores chocolate cheesecake, French pastries, sweet tarts, strudels (like apple and cinnamon), epic looking fudge, bounty brownie, eclairs, vegan cakes and doughnuts. Seriously everything! *Savoury delights - olives, olives, olives, Ciabatta sandwiches (with fillings like salami and brie), ethnic dishes and salads, homemade pies, sausage rolls, rainbow bagels, falafel and Japanese katsu chicken. *CHEESE, CHEESE and more CHEESE. My latest obsession and there is one stand selling it all. As well as the vast array of foods, you will also find stallholders selling flowers, vintage items, clothing and coffee. Other things I loved about Broadway Market is that there are dogs everywhere! Dogs AND Food meant one happy me. And there is street art too, and one mural (below) suited our rainy day particularly well. Some may say that Broadway Market is super busy, and I totally agree. But it is truly an amazing market. If you are in London and are after some foodie heaven, then definitely add this market to the top of your list!

These guys may be a bit hard to track down, sometimes, but the duck confit burgers and duck fat…read morechips they're cranking out meticulously and to absolute perfection are without comparison anywhere in the UK, (in my humble opinion). It's about all they're serving, but trust me, it's enough. The duck confit burgers come with your choice of 3 different cheeses, bleu cheese, raclette, or goat's cheese. Personally, I'm not the biggest cheese fan, and always go for the raclette, as it's milder. What makes the burgers even better is the truffle mayo- and if you're lucky, truffle honey- that they're putting on them, which makes the flavors pop all the more. The chips also come with a huge dollop of truffle mayo on top. One setback I would say to the whole operation is the usual lack of seating wherever these guys are to be found. If you don't have friends with you, that means you need to either only order one thing to hold it with one hand and eat with the other, or make a friend fast, to help share the load. Still, it is one of THE best burgers- duck, or otherwise- I've ever had, so I'm not complaining... too much. At £8 a pop- or £10 including the chips- it may not be the cheapest- nor the healthiest- thing you can find on the streets, but it's definitely worth every pence.

I first experienced The Frenchie in November of 2013 at the Real Food Market on the Southbank. I…read morewas excited to visit the Real Food Market, as I had lived in Waterloo in the fall of 2012 and had eaten at least 2 meals there every weekend. The Frenchie was a new addition to the Real Food lineup and upon reading "Duck Confit Brioche Bun" I knew that my old favorites didn't stand a chance. Since then, I have bumped into The Frenchie stands in several markets across London. I've tried everything they have to offer (they're all so amazing). Here's my quick rundown. Duck fat fries with truffle mayo £4 (i think?) omgsogood. like too good. I get these as a walking around snack almost every time I see this stand. Perfect to munch on while you're making the difficult decision of what to eat. Duck confit brioche bun £6 duck confit cooked on a flat top with duck cracklin (omg) and your choice of cheese. In order of my preference: goat cheese with honey, blue cheese with honey, cheddar. The bun is griddled with duck fat and the sandwich is built with mustard, onion jam and rocket. It's divine. Also, if you have your phone out and show them you liking/following The Frenchie on social media they'll give you £1 off. Jussayin. Go here.

Best tacos I've ever had. Buttermilk fried chicken with a spicy sauce, jalapeños and salsa. Heaven…read more Started with one and ended up having around 4 of these. Caution: once you have one you won't be able to stop.

I'm always on the lookout for a good taco (the Californian in me) and I will say this was a pretty…read moresolid taco for London. We went to check out Dinerama this weekend partly due to how close it was to our apartment but also the food choices looked good. I'm literally always craving tacos so when I saw Breddo's on the list, I wanted to check it out. They had three to choose from: Baja fish (fried), 10 hr short rib and fried chicken. Never had a fried chicken taco and today wasn't going to be the day; thus I opted for the fish and short rib (2 for £7). The friendly server took my name and explained it would be a few minutes. Fine by me as I definitely appreciate freshly made tacos. :) After a few minutes, my name was called. The counter had some salsa and sliced red chilies available and I opted to try out the salsa (would have loved some chilies but that would have involved awkwardly reaching over a man eating his tacos... never get between a (wo)man and their tacos). Anyways, after walking the short distance to our table, I was excited to dig in. The tortillas were fresh though slightly cold on the edges (the short walk in London winter?) but the fish was warm and expertly fried. The batter wasn't too heavy and allowed the freshness and flakiness of the fish to shine. I could have done with a bit less crema/mayonnaise but the shredded cabbage, sliced radish and smattering of tomato did take me back to San Diego fish tacos - not as good but one of the best renditions I've had in London. The short rib was also really great. Tender and flavorful without being dry. I had added some of the salsa which had some heat (love!) but also seemed to be a bit sweet (blah). You could tell the tortillas were freshly made and they were strong enough to keep all the ingredients in without being incredibly thick - hate when the tortilla breaks due to all the toppings resulting in eating a taco with a fork... just no. While there were some things I didn't love about these tacos; overall, they are a great option for those going through Californian taco withdrawals. I'll definitely be back at Dinerama to give them another try!

Nothing like the smell of cheese being grilled in a delicious sandwich with pulled pork. I for one…read moream a big fan of it. You can find Grill My Cheese at the Friday market of Southbank Centre and I definitely think you need to try a sandwich. The cheese one is £6 and the pork one £6.50 and they are both delicious. In terms of street food this is a good one.

The best grilled cheese sandwich in London. I've seen a lot of new places come about over past year…read morebut this is the original after starring in many food markets. Of course the ultimate and maybe the main rival is Borough Markets finest Kappacasein has been been around forever to the delight of many but in terms of a place more central namely leather lane most on the times GMC is outstanding. Mostly £5-7 the don't hold back on cheese and the bread is toasted perfectly. The one I'm looking out for is their special of peanut butter and jelly.

The La Mian Stall is an institution and long time resident at the the sunday market at Brick Lane…read more To find them, they are near the top of brick lane market, right underneath the underpass, closer to Shoreditch High Street Station than Aldgate East. Sundays only from some time in the morning until 5pm when the market shuts down. What you will find is a little taste of Asia in the best possible way. Hand-stretched flour noodles (la-mian) made right there before your very eyes, boiled, then served in the broth and meat accompaniments of your choosing. I had one with minced pork and 'special sauce' (who doesn't like special sauce?) and it was really good. The noodles were (obviously) really fresh, the broth was decent, and the pork bits salty and flavourful. AND all for about £5 a bowl. They also have chicken, roast pork, chilli tripe, and all kinds of available versions in addtion to some wok-fried items and really tasty dim sum. The only dim sum I tried was char siew bao, and it was legit (£1.50 for two). Plus they have a plastic table-clothed table for a few people (can maybe fit about 8 or so people) and some cheap plastic stools to sit on, so it is one of the few places along the brick lane market where you can actually sit down to eat. So authentic in its practicality and function that it makes me smile. This is also a great stall because you can stare at the guy making noodles, which is a fun show in itself. He's got skills.

** IMPORTANT NOTE: I think these guys go on holidays for 3-4 months at the beginning of the year,…read moreso don't freak out like I did when I kept visiting Brick Lane every Sunday hoping to catch them! Hopefully they'll be back soon :( ** I've been extremely picky about Chinese food since arriving in London, but luckily, this little La Mian stall under the bridge at Brick Lane has got it right! Fresh hand pulled noodles (la mian), swimming in a bowl of broth with your choice of roast duck, chicken, minced pork, and a few other variations. They also serve up other small dim sum items, such as pork buns, shrimp dumplings (har gow), pork dumplings (shiu mai), spring rolls, etc. I've tried their roast chicken leg, which is very good. The broth that they use is a mixture of soy, chicken (possibly beef) bouillon stock powder, plus a few other things. I think the broth could be better, but for the quantity I get, and by London standards - there's not much else to complain about! I've also had their tan tan noodles, which came with 5 or 6 pork shu mai. The shu mai was alright, I don't think they make this, and it was in a spicy peanutty soup. I've had proper tan tan noodles before, and this kind of missed the mark. Tasty in general, yes.. but doesn't really resonate a true bowl of tan tan noodles. i think I'm just gonna stick with normal noodles in a basic broth + meat! As for seating, there's a little table with a few small stools, but good luck getting a seat unless you're on your own! There's also a huge jar of chili oil on the table too, so don't forget to drizzle some over your noodles before taking off. The cost is very reasonable, especially for the quantity that you get. I think it runs you anywhere from £5.50-£7 per bowl, and even though they don't look THAT big - don't let it deceive you, as you will literally have to roll away. In Chinatown, a crappy bowl of noodles will cost you about £6, plus their "discretionary" (translation: mandatory) service charge. However, be prepared to wait for your food! Its awesome watching the noodle man do his thang, but with everyone standing around watching, its hard to figure out where to queue, and if people are even waiting in the queue. I believe this is a 2-man show, and while I get that they are popular and I'm sure they're popping out as many orders as they can - we waited 45 minutes for 4 bowls of noodles, which is a bit ridiculous. I think if they had a 3rd person in there, it would really speed things up. In any case though, if you have a lazy Sunday, get in line :)

This is a nice little coffee shop / bakery on the high street, you can find a whole range of…read moreartisan breads, cakes and pastries all freshly made and very tasty. They also have a good range of teas and coffees which are of high quality. The staff are always friendly, and they use the wallspace inside for exhibiting the work of local artists which is a nice way to get involved with the local community. The only drawbacks are firstly that it's a bit pricey, but then these places usually are so that's only to be expected. Secondly though, if you're eating in the seating area always feels a bit claustrophobic - quite simply because it is a very small space! I'm not sure if there's anything they could do about it, but it would be great if sometime in the future they moved to a bigger shop and had a more roomy seating area.

Lovely flat white, Portuguese tart and chill vibes. Cute spot, and I'll go again when in that area.read more