If you’re a keen foodie or want to uncover a part of London’s history, a trip to the UK's capital city isn’t complete without a visit to Borough Market.
Borough Market has existed in its current location since 1756, although it is thought to have been trading since 1014. It’s easy to imagine traders of the past rushing to set up their stalls each morning as commuters flocked in from the nearby London Bridge train station.
Nestled under the railway arches, you can hear the trains thundering overhead as you wander around the bustling market, giving you a sense of being in the city’s heart. It’s the best place to sample local artisan products, enjoy a delicious lunch or grab a coffee and croissant.
However you prefer to experience it, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Borough Market.
What to expect at Borough Market
Food, food and more food; with more than 100 stalls, stands, restaurants and pubs, Borough Market is one of the most famous and best food markets in the UK.
While the pubs are lively and inviting, it’s the food traders serving up delicious food and quality produce that are the real attraction.
There’s truly something for everyone. If you fancy trying some cheese, the famous Neal’s Yard Dairy or the Borough Cheese Company are must-stops for samples. For people with a sweet tooth, the Greedy Goat serves up artisan, small-batch ice cream made with goat's milk and sustainable wonky fruit.
Wash it all down with a glass of small batch gin or vodka from the East London Liquor Co, based out of a converted glue factory in London’s old distilling quarter.
Or, if you can’t decide on what to buy, you can always order from traders later and get treats delivered to your home.
Though there’s nothing better than wandering around and following your nose, official food tours can also be booked online. These are run by Celia Brooks, a food expert, author, and TV personality. Starting at 10 am and finishing at 1 pm on selected Fridays, you’ll probably want to skip breakfast and lunch!
What time does Borough Market open?
Borough Market is open seven days a week. With the food market and its street food vendors serving between 10 am and 5 pm on weekdays. On Saturdays, the market is open a couple of hours earlier at 8 am and shuts as usual at 5 pm. On Sundays, it opens at 10 am and closes at 3 pm.
The pubs and restaurants surrounding the market have their own opening hours, so it’s worth checking the websites of individual locations you’d like to visit. If you want to dine after the market closes, don’t worry, there’s still plenty to eat and drink after the traders have gone.
Travelling to Borough Market by train
Borough Market is only a three-minute walk away from London Bridge train station. Services come here from across the whole city and the south of the UK.
London Bridge also has an underground station which can be reached via the Jubilee and Northern lines. So if you’re travelling from outside of London, you can take a train from your nearest UK city or town to London Euston, King’s Cross or Waterloo before catching the Northern line to London Bridge.
Once you disembark the underground, leave the station on the west side. This takes you out to Borough High Street. From here, you are practically on top of the market. Walk for a few minutes, passing Southwark Cathedral, and you will see the entrance to Borough Market on your right.
Popular UK routes to London
If you want to visit Borough Market as part of your London day trip or short break, then you can easily via a train to London Euston. Services can be boarded regularly from many UK towns and cities, including Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.
Avanti West Coast operates trains from all major UK cities into central London. The cheapest and easiest way to book tickets is on our website or via our app. There are no booking fees and you can select your seat in advance. So all you need to do is sit back and get ready to tuck into some truly delicious food.
