This London foodie spot has just been crowned the best in the world
Making its mark(et)
Who doesn’t love a food market? Any kind of market, really. Supermarket, Farmer’s Market, Craft Market – there’s no bad option, like potatoes. One of the UK’s markets really is the King of all the markets; it’s the eye in the artisan jewelled crown of the striped gazebo awnings – and now it’s been recognised as the best in the world. None other than London’s little (okay, huge) old Borough Market.
The latest accolade for the city to scoop up comes courtesy of Food & Wine magazine, who have been compiling its annual Global Tastemakers Awards – and they really know their stuff. The experts have rounded up the world’s best markets for food and drink through proper testing and thorough research (no, they’re not hiring at the moment, I checked). Little London did preeeeetty well, with the brilliant Borough Market coming in the top spot.
Despite London and the rest of the UK having plenty of other scrumptious spots to curtail any gnawing hunger, Borough Market was the only UK spot to make the top 10. Borough Market was marked out as “London’s oldest surviving food market”, with a delicious 1,000-year history when it was established at the foot of London Bridge. Food&Wine complimented the market, calling it “just as vibrant as ever” and “Though it has become a popular tourist destination, the market is still a favourite of local chefs and restaurateurs, not to mention regular Londoners. To avoid the crowds, visit on weekday mornings before the lunch rush.”.
Yes, they've been known to sell strawberries with some melted chocolate for a whopping £9.50 (hey, cost of living, who can blame them), however, the market is home to some of the most mouthwatering and TikTok not-so-secret-gems you could hope for. As the panel pointed out, the market has more than 100 stalls, stands, restaurants, bars, and shops that sell everything from fine British cheeses to Persian stews, Jamaican sauces, and sustainable Cypriot street food. Agora is one of our personal top favourites, serving up Greek food good enough to make you temporarily forget you're in your 30-minute lunch break in the rain and not chalky cliff away from a dazzling azure sea cove. And the cheese. Borough Market triggers some kind of Pavlovian response where suddenly all we can think about is cheese. Even if you don't want to spend a fair whack on food, it's worth making a detour through the market if you're nearby and casually pretending to be surprised by the artisan olive-wood boards of samples that are dotted around. Follow us for more life hacks...
The top 10 markets for food and drink (according to the Global Tastemakers Awards)
- Borough Market, London
- Chatuchak Market, Bangkok
- Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, Lyon
- Mercado de la Merced, Mexico City
- Marché couvert des Enfants Rouges, Paris
- Mercat de la Boqueria, Barcelona
- Granville Island Public Market, Vancouver
- Nishiki Market, Kyoto
- Vucciria, Palermo
- Viktualienmarkt, Munich
You can have a look at Food & Wine’s full findings here.
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