Best Street Food

London's street food scene grew dramatically through the 2010s into something genuinely world-class — driven partly by market culture and partly by the number of first- and second-generation immigrants cooking food from their own backgrounds to a high standard at accessible prices.

Where to Find It

Markets with strong street food: Borough Market (year-round, most stalls Wednesday–Saturday), Broadway Market in Hackney (Saturday), Maltby Street Market near Bermondsey (Saturday–Sunday), and Camden's Stables Market (daily, at its fullest on weekends). Dedicated food markets: KERB Kings Cross (weekday lunch, rotating traders) and Mercato Metropolitano near Elephant & Castle are among the better permanent indoor options.

What to Look For

The strongest stalls at London street food markets are usually running a very short menu (two or three things) executed consistently well rather than a long list covering many cuisines. Look for traders who clearly know one cuisine deeply — Taiwanese, West African, Persian and Yemeni food are all represented well at various London markets at the moment.

Tips for Visiting

• Go with an empty stomach and plan to eat from two or three stalls rather than one big portion.
• Weekday lunches at office-district markets (KERB, for example) are often better value than weekend tourist-oriented spots.
• Maltby Street Market on a Saturday morning is quieter than Borough and worth knowing about.
• Follow the queue — in a busy market, a line of people at one stall is usually reliable signal.