8 Street Food Locations in London

If you’re a sucker for some sizzling roadside eats and a vibrant casual dining atmosphere, then you need to stick London at the top of your must-visit destinations list.

Nowhere else compares to the lively street food markets in London, from the vegan delights in the Borough Market to Caribbean specialties in the Camden Market. When you come here, it’s like going on a culinary adventure around the globe in one sitting.

In this post, I’m going to share with you my eight favorite street food markets in London, some of which I take our customers to visit on my London food tours. So you can preview what’s in store if you happen to join us the next time you’re in one of the world’s oldest cities!

Borough Market

Often hailed as one of London’s oldest food markets, it would be only right of me to start this line-up with the great Borough Market. 

Set close to the well-known London Bridge, Borough Market lies under an open-roof structure and features over 100 street food stalls. What I love about Borough Market is you can get your hands on any cuisine you can think of, from vegan eats to Middle Eastern choices; the list is endless!

Even after visiting here over 20 times, I still haven’t had the chance to try everything, but I have been lucky to try the best bits, including the traditional Greek-style taverna Agora. 

Every time I eat here, I feel like I’m back in Greece, with the roasted chicken spinning on the flaming rotisserie and the chefs carefully preparing the line of meze dishes for the hungry customers.

My beloved choice at Agora is the Greek salad. I still reminisce about my last time there, curled up at my curbside wooden table. My mouth still waters over the herbaceous notes from the oregano leaves and the sourness of the red wine vinegar mixed with the creamy crumble from the feta.

Borough Market – London SE1 9AL, United Kingdom – Tuesday to Sunday, closed Monday

Camden Market

Next on my list needs no introduction; it’s the trendy Camden Market situated at Camden Lock Place. 

This is the largest food market in London, with over 1,000 stalls, including local Indian and Persian street food booths, hip bars, and cool cafes. It’s that big. It has four entrances combining two old markets and is surrounded by old traditional bricked British-style buildings. It’s a pure wonderland.

I like to visit the Camden Market for one place in particular to satisfy my sweet tooth, and that’s Churros London.

Not only are their churros some of the best I’ve ever tasted, but I love how they also let you choose your toppings, including melted chocolate, before deliberating over crumbled nuts and drizzling it with warm caramel.

They come in a black metal holder with the cone stuck in the middle and your sauces on the side. Every bite is so crispy with a warm, fluffy inside, and the chocolate gives it a cacao-like kick with a salted edge from the caramel.

Camden Market – 32 Camden Lock Place, Camden, London, NW1 8AF – Every day

KERB

KERB has transformed London’s street food scene in recent years with its creative concept. It’s simple: They find the best street food talent out there and give them a space to work their magic at one of their four locations across London.

KERB has set up at Cowcross Yards, Gypsy Hill, The Gherkin, and Fleet Place. I have a soft spot for the one at the Gherkin, as the hotel I always stay at when I’m in London is close by. 

Depending on the day, they usually have six to eight pop-up stalls set up, so it’s quite small. I’ve personally tried them all, from Pakistani/Mexican-infused snacks at Pako Taco to all-time Aussie favorites like chicken parma at Parma Medics. 

But nothing comes close to the classic bowl of pho you can get at the Vietnamese stall, Hanoi Cà Phê. It’s like being in Vietnam all over again for me; the way it comes out in the little brown paper bowl with chopstix and the earthy and smoky aromas steaming from it is divine.

The beef brisket blended with the soft rice noodles creates an explosion of meaty, barbecued flavors, and the chewy sweetness from the rice noodles creates a nice balance. When I squeezed my lime wedge over it, the zesty drips added a nice tanginess to the umami-like beef broth.

KERB Market – 30 Street Mary Axe, EC3A, London – Every Thursday, 11:30 am to 2:00 pm

Maltby Street Market

The Maltby Street Market in Bermondsey may be small compared to some other options in South London, but it definitely earns a spot on my list of London street food locations.

On the weekends, this flag-lined foodie hot spot comes alive with food traders offering dishes from far-flung corners of the world like Ethiopia, Lebanon, and Latin America. But be warned! You may feel slightly claustrophobic if you make a visit here because it does get busy.

If you happen to visit the Maltby Street Market during the oyster season (September/October to March/April), I advise you to hit up Walrus & Carpenter. This stall serves up some of the tastiest oysters I’ve ever tried, and they offer fantastic deals if you order a glass of cava with them.

A couple of months back, I ordered five oysters with caviar and cava. The oysters came out on a plate shaped like an actual oyster with a bowl of caviar in the middle. I got a strong salty and creamy taste when I slurped on the first oyster.

After I finished each one, I moved on to the caviar with toast points, which had some buttery and nutty flavors; the taste was incredible with the crunch from the toast points. It paired nicely with the crisp, refreshing, lightly soured apple flavors from the ice-cold glass of cava.

The Maltby Street Market – Arch 46, Ropewalk, Maltby St, London SE1 3PA, United Kingdom – Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Sunday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Street Food Union

Street Food Union is an absolute must if you’re in and around Soho for lunchtime! This lively market is one of London’s up-and-coming spots just outside of Chinatown. 

It’s made up of one long stretch of stalls with a great selection of mouthwatering curries, veggie dishes, surf and turf, and loaded fries; you name it, they’ve probably got it at Street Food Union.

I never knew this place existed until I stumbled across it late last year on a stroll around London’s West End. The smell of Filipino sausage was enough to lure me in alone. I couldn’t resist the traditional longsilog from Spoon and Rice, a traditional Filipino stall.

For those of you who don’t know what longsilog is, it’s a dish with Filipino sausage, fried rice, and eggs. It came out with four pieces of sausage, which had a delightful combination of flavors like garlic, vinegar, and various herbs.

I chopped it up and mixed it with the fried rice and egg. The egg had crispy edges, which was a delightful contrast to the fluffy texture of the rice. Overall, the flavor profile was quite sweet, with some nutty, creamy, and soy-like notes.

Street Food Union – 51-53 Rupert St, London W1D 7PQ, United Kingdom – Tuesday to Friday, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

Southbank Centre Food Market

Along the River Thames beside the Royal Festival Hall, the South Bank is a dynamic area at the heart of London’s cultural scene and is home to the Southbank Centre Food Market. 

You can’t go wrong with the food options at the Southbank Centre Food Market. It has over 40 stalls; I did over five laps of the place before I could decide what I wanted, between the mix of European, African, Asian, and American cuisines; it was too much teasing for my belly to handle.

In the end, I approached the Polish Deli, as I didn’t know much about Polish cuisine and wanted to give it a try. It’s operated by two of the friendliest people, Magda and Grzegorz, who were fantastic with their recommendations and explaining some of the dishes to a novice like me.

I saw this woman with a portion of BBQ smoked pork sausage with roast baby potatoes, and it was calling out to me.

The BBQ smoked pork sausage had a bold and smoky flavor, complemented by a hint of sweetness from the barbecue sauce. It was paired excellently with the crisp exterior of the roast baby potatoes, which had an earthy taste and melted in my mouth as soon as they landed on my palate.

Southbank Centre Food Market – GV4M+6J, London SE1 8XX, United Kingdom – Friday, 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Saturday, 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, and Sunday, 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Leather Lane Stars Market

Leather Lane Stars mixes the best of traditional East London with the new. Only a two-minute walk from Farringdon and Chancery Lane tube stations, this 400-year-old market is constantly evolving, with endless stands offering sidewalk snacks, aromatic coffees, and ice-cold beers.

New street food vendors appear constantly at Leather Lane Stars Market, and it’s not just food either. After you’ve had a bite to eat, you can saunter through to pick up some flowers from one of the florists or handmade bags from one of the merchants.

Back to the food! If you can scout out the Japanese stall when you’re there, be sure to order some of the chicken with teriyaki sauce; oh my word, it was fantastic. Given the substantial portion size and the tantalizing caramelization brought about by the teriyaki sauce, it was heavenly.

The teriyaki sauce coated the chicken in a glossy glaze, infusing it with sweet and savory notes. It also had hints of soy, ginger, and garlic, which complemented the juicy interior of the chicken. Honestly, it was so good that I ordered a second portion with no shame.

Leather Lane Stars Market – 75 Leather Ln, London EC1N 7TJ, United Kingdom – Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, and closed on Saturday and Sunday

Brockley Market

Last but not least, it would be rude of me not to give a mention to the fabulous Brockley Market set in the Lewisham College Car Park in southern London; it has some of the best food around.

Only open on Saturdays, Brockley Market is an award-winning outdoor urban food court specializing in dishes made with local produce, including hearty breakfasts and yummy lunches. 

If you’re not up for a full-on meal from one of the eateries here, there are also vendors in all corners selling fresh fruit and veg so you can bring all the tastes home to your kitchen.

The first time I visited Brockley Market, I was in awe at how diverse the food options were, especially for a spot that goes unnoticed under the radar. Think freshly caught fish, dumplings, biscuits, cakes, organic bread, cheeses, locally roasted coffee, charcuterie boards, and natural wines; it’s all up for grabs.

You have to make it a priority to go to Mother Flipper Burger at Brockley Market. As far as burgers go, it’s unrivaled: juicy red meat, gooey melted cheese, crispy sesame-seeded buns, and crispy French fries that are out of this world.

Every single time I go to the Brockley Market, I order a cheeseburger here. I think it’s the nutty aromas of the sesame seeds enhancing the juicy beef patty and the satisfying crunch from the crispy French fries that does it for me every time.

Brockley Market – Lewisham College Car Park, Lewisham Way, London SE4 1UT, United Kingdom – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Conclusion

It all sounds too delicious and exciting, right? The street food scene in London is thriving, from bustling hip haunts in Soho to local food bazaars in the southern part of the city.

You could come to London twenty times and still come across more traditional food markets; this type of landscape is just that big, and it’s not going anywhere. When I say you can try food from anywhere in the world in the British capital, I mean it: London has it all.