The 18 Best Places To Eat At Borough Market
UPDATED AUGUST 2019
Casa Do Frango
Casa Do Frango specialises in Algarvian-style ‘frango’ chicken, which is cooked over wood charcoal. The result is extra tender (and extra flavourful) half joints of peri-peri chicken. The wood-fired grill is the centrepoint of the open kitchen within the main glass-vaulted space. Amid greenery and industrial architectural finishes, counter-top seats and long communal tables make this a convivial spot to enjoy Portuguese-style starters, from grilled whole chorizo with black olive mayo and Algarvian gazpacho (a garlic-laden must-order) to grilled prawns served with white wine and parsley. Don't even think about leaving without sampling one of the kitchen's pastel de nata egg tarts. They're among the best we’ve had outside Portugal.
32 Southwark Street, SE1 1TU
Visit CasaDoFrango.co.uk
Bao Borough
Cult Taiwanese favourite Bao launched its third site on the fringes of Borough Market in May. We think it’s the team’s best spot yet. Among the new dishes, we loved the 40-day aged steak served with Taipei butter rice; the moreish spiced beef butter scallops; prawn shia song – an addictive hybrid between a prawn cocktail and a doughnut; and best of all, the curry cheese bao, made with fried cheese from nearby Neal’s Yard Dairy, curry sauce, Sichuan oil and fermented chilli. Exclusive to this site is a karaoke room downstairs, plus a Suntory Hi-Ball machine, which pours out whisky and sodas in three flavour combinations, using fruit from the market stalls. Make sure to order a bottle of Bao’s homemade sake for the table, especially if you’re heading downstairs for a turn on the mic.
13 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD
Visit BaoLondon.com
Flor
July saw the long-awaited arrival of Flor, an all-day restaurant, wine bar and bakery from the team behind Michelin-starred Lyle’s in Shoreditch. Guests can sit up at the relaxed counter overlooking the open kitchen, or climb the original black cast-iron spiral staircase to a space that makes a feature of the building’s 19th-century brickwork. Come evening, the kitchen serves simple plates including burrata, grilled bread and salted tomatoes; Cornish pollack brandade with pickled peppers; lamb ribs, yoghurt and black lime; and whole Dover sole with capers and wild marjoram. The wine list is approachable and sourced from agriculturally responsible producers. Best of all, perhaps, a large selection is available by the glass.
1 Bedale Street, SE1 9AL
Visit FlorLondon.com
Native
One of our favourite openings of 2016, Native landed in Covent Garden to tremendous praise, mainly for its inventive use of foraged ingredients. Now you’ll find the team just around the corner from Borough Market. Much larger than the Covent Garden original, the new site comprises an expansive dining room decked out with parquet wooden floors, exposed brick, trailing greenery and – a rare treat in this part of town – widely spaced tables. A seasonal menu includes the likes of potato risotto with fermented truffle, tamari and spenwood cheese; fallow deer with caramelised cauliflower, carrots, carrot tops and salsa verde; followed by Braeburn apple pie with chamomile cream, smoked caramel and pistachio. Even the drinks use naturally sourced ingredients, and the sea buckthorn negroni is not to be missed.
32 Southwark Street, SE1 1TU
Visit EatNative.co.uk
Wright Brothers Borough
Borough Market is the location of the first Wright Brothers restaurant, which the seafood specialists opened in 2005. Intimate and informal, guests can sit up on barrels with a glass of something cold and watch the chefs shuck and serve oysters. Menu highlights include king scallops with spiced squash purée and caramelised sherry vinegar; Brixham fish soup with rouille, gruyère and croutons; and a traditional beef, Guinness and oyster pie. The restaurant hosts regular oyster masterclasses at which experts dispel myths and explain health benefits while guests taste their way around the British Isles and France by eating six natural, two dressed and two cooked oysters.
11 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD
Visit TheWrightBrothers.co.uk
BaoziInn London Bridge
Borough newcomer BaoziInn London Bridge is the third – and now flagship – restaurant-bar from the BaoziInn Group. Famed for its well-priced all-day Cantonese dim sum with Hunan and Sichuan influences, Baozilnn Soho quickly gained a loyal following and its new sister in Borough is all set to do the same. The focus here is on a range of Cantonese roasted meats with a fiery kick – think BBQ roast duck and crispy roast pork belly – served alongside popular dishes such as dan dan noodles and grilled scallop skewers. An impressive open kitchen will dominate the ground floor, with the first floor dedicated to a cocktail bar and lounge.
34-36 Southwark Street, SE1 1TU; BaoziInn London Bridge is on soft launch until 3rd September
Visit BaoziInn.com
Arabica Bar & Kitchen
Fusing Middle Eastern aromas with British meat and vegetables, this Levantine restaurant is a must-visit for a languid lunch or early supper. Make sure to order the vension man’ouseh – venison salami, tomato, halloumi, pickled beetroot, wild rocket, cherry molasses and za'atar, cooked in a clay oven.
3 Rochester Walk, SE1 9AF
Visit ArabicaBarAndKitchen.com
Bedales of Borough
Bedales of Borough is a compact enoteca-style bar which offers pavement tables, cold cuts and cheeses, plus wine tastings. Serving small seasonal plates, with ingredients sourced from Borough Market, the bar itself serves a seasonal and constantly changing wine list. We love the new terrace which opened up this summer.
5 Bedale Street, SE1 9AL
Visit BedalesWines.com
Bread Ahead
Stock up on everything from fermented sourdough bread and white tin loaves to cheese and olive sticks, focaccia and ciabatta, as well as doughnuts and sweet treats, at this original Bread Ahead stall. Keen bakers can now book into a bread, doughnut or Scandinavian pastries masterclass to recreate Bread Ahead treats back at home.
Cathedral Street, SE1 9DE
Visit BreadAhead.com
Brindisa
Transport your taste buds to sunnier climes with Brindisa’s wonderful selection of Spanish cheese, cured meats and flavour-infused oils and vinegars. The deli is constantly buzzing, with food lovers stocking up on essential weekend supplies, and for those with bigger appetites, there’s a chorizo grill that serves up tasty rolls – spicy chorizo, piquillo peppers and crisp rocket leaves sandwiched between slices of crunchy ciabatta.
The Floral Hall, SE1 9AF
Visit Brindisa.com
El Pastor
This cool taqueria comes from the same team behind Quo Vadis and Barrafina and is a dab-hand at rustling up plates of tasty, authentic tacos. Tuck into toppings such as chipotle chicken and prawn al mojo de ajo, while sharing options come in the form of carnitas with confit pork, and short rib specked with guajilla rub, salsa la maya and optional bone marrow.
6-7A Stoney Street, SE1 9AA
Visit TacosElPastor.co.uk
Gelateria 3Bis
Gelateria 3Bis was started in Rimini, on Italy’s Adriatic coast, in 1987. Its name comes from the address of the small laboratory where the team’s gelato was first churned. Now also located in Notting Hill and Borough Market, the kitchen is home to one of the market’s most popular food stalls. We’re a big fan of the gelato crepes.
4 Park Street, SE1 9AB
Visit Gelateria3Bis.co.uk
The Ginger Pig
There’s no better hangover cure than a Ginger Pig sausage roll – the buttery pastry and highest-grade pork combination is a must-try. When it comes to meat, these guys really know their stuff; don’t be shy to ask for some expert tips, they’re more than willing to pass on their tricks of the trade.
Stoney Street, SE1 1TL
Visit TheGingerPig.co.uk
Gourmet Goat
Championing ethically-sourced, sustainable British meats – including kid goat, mutton and rose veal – this eastern Mediterranean street-food stall serves up everything from soft pittas filled with succulent, grilled kebabs to fresh salads topped with griddled halloumi, smoky cuts of meat and crunchy veg.
27 Rochester Walk, SE1 9AF
Visit GourmetGoat.co.uk
Hawksmoor Borough
The latest in a long line of meat-focused eateries, Borough Market’s Hawksmoor steak joint offers the same delicious cuts as its sister outposts, alongside a tasty selection of quirky cocktails. New for this site is its Cook’s Room, a private kitchen that offers some of the best feasting experiences in the capital.
16 Winchester Walk, SE1 9AQ
Visit TheHawksmoor.com
Padella
There’s no better place to indulge your pasta fix than Padella, London’s enduringly popular Italian eatery and winner of Observer Food Monthly’s 'Best Cheap Eats'. It’s just outside the market and there’s always a queue, but believe us, it’s well worth the wait. The team’s small plates of tagliatelle with nduja, mascarpone and parsley and pappardelle with eight-hour Dexter beef shin ragu are to die for.
6 Southwark Street, SE1 1TQ
Visit Padella.co
Roast
For a Sunday lunch guaranteed to get your mum’s seal of approval, Roast ticks all the boxes. Enjoy a traditional roast dinner with all the trimmings, including pork belly with mashed potato and Bramley apple sauce, Welsh lamb leg with girolles and rare roast beef with Yorkshires and roast potatoes in beef dripping.
The Floral Hall, SE1 1TL
Visit Roast-Restaurant.com
Elliot's Café
This quaint café serves up superlative plates of modern British grub, each elegantly arranged and bursting with flavour. Ideal for a lunch or dinner date, the café uses ingredients from vendors around the market to create the freshest dishes around.
2 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD
Visit ElliotsCafe.com
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