Borough Market isn’t just about food stalls. It also boasts some of the city’s top restaurants. Here are the ones you don’t want to miss.
London is a haven for foodies, from street food vendors to classically styled restaurants, there’s never a lack of things to indulge in.
But, it has to be said that Borough Market is one of the best places to find some delicious food. Though the market is known for its market stalls selling tasty snacks, the area’s restaurants deserve a whole lotta love too.
There are outposts of some of the city’s favourite eateries: Bancone, Berenjak and Padella notwithstanding. There’s also some great local spots like the unbeatable Rambutan and one of our favourite spots of them all, Elliot’s.
But enough talk, let’s get to eating – the question is: where?
The Best Restaurants in Borough Market
Parillan
Parillan makes it into our guide for being not only one of the best restaurants in this neck of the woods but one of our favourite places for Spanish food full stop.
The chefs work true magic in this place, largely off a wood-fire grill with some superb quality seafood. You should come with a group so you can share some plates and sample as much as possible. Don’t pass up on the mussels, and order either the monkfish or the lemon sole if you can.
All this should be washed down with something from their wine collection. Don’t overlook the Cava, it’s a great accompaniment to the seafood – but be warned, it can slip down a little too easily…
El Pastor
Just under the London Bridge railway arches is El Pastor. This lively Mexican joint is full of fresh and vibrant flavours that will light your mouth up and delight your taste buds.
They make all the taco shells out of specialist Mexican corn to give it an authentic flavour and source all their ingredients from local farmers to ensure the air-miles are kept low and the produce is fresh.
The menu is full of traditional dishes inspired by the many taquerias of Mexico. If you visit, you simply must try out the signature tacos which always turn out to be the highlight of every visit.
Also, make sure to try out the fish tacos for a very different flavour that is just as satisfying.
Padella
Want some of the best pasta that all of London has to offer? Then you simply cannot do better than Padella – we’re huge fans.
If you can, try to sit at one of the kitchen counter seats, which will allow you to watch the expert chefs at work, so you can see your food prepared right in front of you. This makes every bite all the more delicious, knowing the love and artistry that went into it all.
We recommend the ravioli with ricotta and sage butter, though anything from the menu promises great value.
It’s that value that’s what draws so many people in. If you can control yourself you can feasibly eat a bowl of pasta with a glass of vino on the side and all for under £15. Not bad for some of the most highly rated food in the capital…
Rambutan
There was a period (and there probably still is) where you walked into anyone’s London kitchen and you’d probably find an Ottolenghi cookbook. Well, there’s a new kid on the block now.
It comes in the form of Rambutan, a Sri Lankan restaurant that’s been taking the London dining world by storm. It opened off the back of a near cult following of the cookbook of the same name by chef/author Cynthia Shanmugalingam.
You’ll be dining on many dishes you’ll find in the book, presented in simple one-page-menu form with sharing in mind. Things change regularly but if you’re lucky enough to be booked in when the tamarind prawn curry is on the menu, don’t miss out on it.
Flat Iron
If you want to eat food in a truly vibrant and immense location, then you can’t do much better than Flat Iron in Borough Market.
This favourite eatery of ours is located in an interestingly curved ex-industrial building that gives the whole restaurant a vast sense of space.
The menu is centred around their steak – and for good reason. It’s perfectly juicy, and the sides (get the beef-dripping chips) are divine.
The restaurant was founded in 2012 on the principle of providing reasonably priced steaks to the people, and that principle lives on. You can eat a meal for two here without breaking the bank, making it a great spot for date night.
Berenjak
You may have heard this name before. You may have even had the misfortune of being turned away from their original Soho branch for lack of available seating – there’s no shame, we’ve been there too.
If you did get in, you’ll know that you’re in for more of a feast than a regular old dinner, and with some of the best cooking London has to offer. The cooking is Persian and follows the lead of Tehran’s street food scene.
You’ll be eating hefty kebabs, putting away alarming amounts of seriously delicious meze and leaving with your sides splitting. You’ll also be itching to come back for more.
Lobos Meat & Tapas
There’s nothing better than some great tapas. A medley of small dishes to snack on and fill your mouth with thousands of interesting and mind-blowing flavour combinations. If that’s what you’re after, then Lobos Meat & Tapas is the place for you.
Though the restaurant itself may seem quite small, the menu makes up for it. Remember to order the Padron peppers and the patatas bravas, and you won’t go too far wrong.
They also have a great menu of ‘meat tapas’ – heartier dishes made to share. Iberico pork features heavily throughout and shines on every dish. If you want to try a bit of all of that, go for the Iberico Pork Selection, a tasting platter of all the best bits.
BAO Borough
BAO have become a bit of a mainstay on the London dining scene but their Borough restaurant is not to be overlooked.
This excellent Asian-fusion restaurant draws on the late-night izakaya bars of Japan and has some really creative dishes on their menu – food that’s t sure to get you excited and goes very well with a few too many hi-balls.
The classics are of course the fluffy bao buns with an array of deliciously meaty (and a few veggie) fillings but you should order a portion of the Taiwanese Fried Chicken and definitely a skewer or two.
If you want a truly fun experience, you can even rent out the private Karaoke room to chow down on delicious food and drinks while enjoying some hilarious karaoke with friends.
Bancone
Lots of popular restaurants choose Borough Market to open their second location. With all the great food around, it is a safe bet. Not that Bancone needed a safe bet though…
They’ve got one of the longest waiting lists in the city for their original Covent Garden location. That’s thanks in part to the Michelin Bib Gourmand award they were given for top-quality, great-value cooking.
The same quality and value can be found at their Borough location, though without such massive waits for a table.
The food is Italian, mainly pasta that’s made fresh and doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg. Once you’ve tried it you’ll be wondering how all the other Italian restaurants in this city can get away with charging so much for food that’s often not half as good as it is here.
Elliot’s
When visiting London, many people choose to dine on food from all across the world, and while that is definitely a great idea, we also feel that there are many British restaurants out there that don’t get nearly as much attention as they truly deserve.
Elliot’s is one of them. This incredible eatery takes some staple British dishes and maximises their potential to the absolute limit – the Middlewhite pork chop, sage, lemon & brown butter being a case in point.
They also do these excellent cheese puffs, part of a small plates menu that’s well worth nibbling through with a glass of wine if you just need something to round off an afternoon of eating your way through Borough Market.
If you want classic British food like you’ve never tasted before, then you definitely should give it a try.
Wright Brothers Oyster & Porter House
This excellent restaurant is perfect if you want to experience high-quality seafood at a level that you’ll be hard-pressed to get elsewhere – it’s, in our books, one of the best restaurants in the area.
Easily some of the highlight dishes are the dressed crab, which has a delightful blend of taste and texture that is totally unrivalled by other similar restaurants, as well as the beef and oyster pie which creates an interesting twist on the classic British pie.
In fact, oysters are the top things on the menu here, and the chefs certainly know how to bring out the best in what can often be a tricky ingredient.
Tapas Brindisa London Bridge
Tapas Brindisa has become a very popular destination amongst tapas super-fans, so much so that the restaurant has also opened a number of other branches across the city. However, the London Bridge location, just short of Borough Market, is easily our favourite location.
The food served in Tapas Brindisa is truly incredible, and you must make a point of tasting the delicious gambas al ajillo – the classic prawns in garlic oil, done here to perfection.
Though, if you’re ever at a loss for what to eat, simply ask your waiter, and they’ll be more than happy to make some recommendations for you.
The same goes for the wine, which is what you’ll also want to make sure you order. The selection of Spanish wines they have on offer is second to none and must be sampled in abundance
Casa Do Frango
We’d be remiss to not mention Casa do Frango in our guide. This fantastic eatery serves up some great, authentic southern Portuguese cooking that’s great for a sharing meal with friends.
The chicken dishes in this restaurant are simply divine – with Piri-Piri flavours that put Nandos right to shame, and beautifully tender meat that falls off the bone.
You’ll also be charmed by the restaurant itself. The space is light and airy and hung all around with potted plants that give it a very sunny European feel, even on the bleakest of London days.
Applebee’s Fish
Applebee’s Fish is one you don’t want to miss. They’ve been running since the late 90s with a stand in Borough Market and a really charming, and very stylish restaurant just on the edge of it.
The first thing you’ll notice about the food here is just how fresh the fish is. They source it on the day and it tells. To do this they work closely with their fishermen suppliers and have used these relationships to ensure that their produce is all sustainably sourced.
Whether you’re picking your way through perfectly grilled scallops (and you should be at Applebee’s) or tucking into whole crabs, you won’t be let down by the food here.
Arabica Bar And Kitchen
Arabica actually started out as a small stall trading spices and creating delicious Middle Eastern dishes. Clearly it proved to be immensely popular and successful, as the stall soon branched out into a full-fledged restaurant, and one you don’t want to miss.
The amazing blend of spices across all of the dishes on the Arabica menu easily brings out the best in everything they cook.
What to order? Honestly, go wild and pick a few items from the mezze menu – just make sure you include the lamb hummus.
You’ll also want to ensure there are a few kebabs on the table too. They do a Chicken and Pistachio Shish that’s in the rankings for our death-row meal. Yes, it’s that good.
Hawksmoor Borough
There are few restaurants in London better suited for cooking delicious steaks than Hawksmoor Borough.
This steak-centric spot is one of our favourite steakhouses in the capital. All of the beef served is locally sourced from within Britain, which leads to some truly delicious and juicy steaks the likes of which you’ve never tasted before.
They also work closely with their farmers to ensure that all the beef is sustainably sourced, so there’s (almost) no guilt for chowing down on a big hunk of beef.
Steaks are tantalising as anything here, often coming dry aged, but make sure to grab a couple of starters (the bone marrow on toast for us please) and sides – they’re paired well to bring out the flavours even more.
The cocktails list is equally impressive – go for the classic mojito and you will not be disappointed.
Oh, and while we’re at it they do a seriously good sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Ok, Hawskmoor is just great across the board. Can you tell we’re fans?
The Borough Market Kitchen
If you can’t quite decide which cuisine you’re feeling, head on down to the Borough Market Kitchen, food court of the market, and try out a few different things.
Grab a table with a bunch of friends, and peruse the local food delights and various stalls that populate the area.
Our top picks? We definitely recommend checking out vendors such as Elpiniki – they specialise in truly delectable Goat Kofta Pitas which ooze flavour with every bite and make for a perfect and fulfilling lunch.
Borough Market
This one is obviously a bit of a no-brainer, even if it isn’t a restaurant at all. The market is one of the best places to eat in London. It attracts the hungry masses and food obsessed in their thousands.
If you want our advice, kick things off with a bit of shellfish from Richard Haward’s Oysters to freshen the tongue, then stop by La Tua Pasta for something more filling.
Comptoir Gourmand will serve you well for a bite of something sweet to round off your meal but to really get to the bottom of this place you’ll want to read our Borough Market Guide.
