If you’re looking to rent or buy property in London, you’ll want to take note of these five stars on the street food map
While many flash-in-the-pan food crazes come and go in the blink of an eye, there’s no denying London’s love of street food has blossomed, and it shows no sign of fading. Encompassing anything that’s sold by a non-permanent vendor, several new destinations for curbside cuisine have cropped up alongside the more well-established food markets like Borough and Broadway.
Acklam Village Market
A spin-off of its Portobello Road parent, Ladbroke Grove’s Acklam Village Market is a decidedly recreational affair – punters come to indulge in food and drink rather than hardcore haggling, set to a soundtrack of live music throughout the afternoon. The menu is an international street food connoisseur’s dream, offering Venezuelan arepas (a kind of bean or pulled beef filled pita), Transylvanian Chimney Cakes (steaming cylinders of sweet, crunchy pastry) and pizza made the Naples way, with a deep-fried base. Vegetarians are well catered for thanks to Egyptian falafel and Ethiopian vegan cuisine from the Queens of Sheba, as are those with a sweet tooth: Pistachio Rose makes Indian-inspired baked goodies, while Silmar’s Taste specialises in creamy Portuguese custard tarts.
:: Acklam Road, W10. Open Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Visit www.acklamvillagemarket.com.Pimlico Road Farmers’ Market
Pimlico Farmers’ Market is a bit like a very posh outdoor supermarket, at least one filled with the freshest regional and locally-sourced produce. A rotating selection comprised of around 50 stall holders, Pimlico is great for organic fruit and veg, poultry, seafood and several artisanal cheesemongers. For truly free range food, try the Forager Ltd stall, stocked with Miles Irving’s latest finds pilfered (legally, of course) from the countryside of Kent. As for ready to eat treats, some of London’s favourite food stalls pitch up on a regular basis. Flour Power Bakery’s brownies are legendary and you’ll have to queue for a Sorbitium ice cream in high Summer.
:: Orange Square, corner of Pimlico Road and Ebury Street, SW1. Open every Saturday, 9am to 1pm. Visit www.lfm.org.uk.Kerb King’s Cross
Offering the nine to fivers in the surrounding offices an enviable array that no doubt beats your average packed lunch, Kerb is the collective of street traders that congregate behind King’s Cross station every weekday. What’s on the menu? Try the Heartbreaker, an ox heart and beef burger from underused meat cut specialists Tongue ’n Cheek, or a MabMuffin from Original Fry Up Material, their own version of the Maccy D’s breakfast bap. The Mourinho is a toasted shrimp sandwich served by moustachioed Mr Gurmetti and the Spianta is a pizza topped with spicy Calabrian sausage from the brothers at Fundi Pizza. Lunch breaks never sounded so appetising.
:: Kerb, King’s Boulevard, N1. Open Monday to Friday, 11am to 2.30pm. Visit www.kerbfood.com.Broadway Market
Home to a pie shop that has been dolling out jellied eels since 1900, it’s only in the last 10 years that Broadway Market has become the bustling weekend hub that it is today. Every Saturday it heaves with skinny-jeaned arty types from the Hackney surrounds, lured by the vintage clothes stalls and the aroma of freshly brewed Vietnamese coffee. On the food front, amongst Broadway’s one hundred stalls you’ll find lots to munch on the move, like Deeney’s soup and toasties, savoury steamed Yum Buns and the literally-titled Eat My Pies. Cookies, cupcakes and other sugary hits can be obtained from a variety of bakery vendors.
:: Broadway Market, E8. Open 9am to 5pm every Saturday. Visit www.broadwaymarket.co.uk.Portobello and Golborne Road Markets
Possibly London’s most well-known market, Portobello Road doesn’t just kit out Notting Hill’s hipsters with their vintage threads, it’s home to a fine food selection too, bringing the best of continental European flavours to London. Cheese stall Une Normande a Londres is a must-visit for Francophile foodies, followed by the Bread Stall for something crusty with which to munch your brie. For hot food on the go, Jamon Jamon is famed for its enormous pans of steaming paella. Grab a bowl, then make dessert a portion of Spain’s answer to the doughnut – hot, sugar-coated churros. Round the corner, Golborne Road is a dedicated food market that’s home to the award-winning Moroccan Soup Stand and you can also stock up on fruit and veg throughout the week.
:: Portobello Road, W11. Open Friday and Saturday, from around 9am to 5pm. Golborne Road Market, W10, is open Monday to Wednesday 8am to 7pm and until 1pm on Thursday. Visit www.shopportobello.co.uk