The Open Guide to London: the free London guide

• Nearby Tube Stops: London Bridge (come out of the Borough High Street exit (other end from the London Bridge exit), take the stairs rather than the escalator, and you'll be right by the market entrance

• List of traders

I visited on a sunny Friday lunchtime. My first impression was that it was fantastically bustling, full of lots of people at least half of which were eating something. There are a good range of food stalls ranging from organic ostrich meat to olives and from cakes to fresh fish. There are a good number of nice looking greengrocers which stock items that I have never seen before - wonderful fresh wild mushrooms and some fantastic looking vine tomatoes. There are a number of stalls which sell food to take away so that you can browse whilst tucking into something tasty including organic beef burgers, soups, sandwichs, hot chorizos and tagine. London's best scones, no contest: and often less than half price late afternoon. I would recommend a visit here if you are ever in the neighbourhood and looking for a snack or if you want to cook something special for the weekend.

Coming here really reminds you that the supermarkets really are soulless and not that much fun. Be prepared for crowds, especially on the weekend.

Make sure to check out:

• Mrs Bassa's Indian Kitchen — really good brinjal (aubergine) chutney.
• Total Organics. A group of three stalls comprising wholefoods groceries (including some fresh vegetables), hot and cold foods, and a totally amazing juice bar that serves the best açai smoothies in town! I've been coming here regularly on Fridays since giving up drinking --IvorW.
• Utobeer — a good selection of bottled beers including several from the small St Peter's brewery; Belgian beer including Chimay and two or three Krieks; Heather Ale's Kelpie; and lots of other stuff, including the Adelaide Cooper's Red. Credit and debit cards accepted.
• The bread stall near the Borough High Street entrance — the bread is sold at half-price towards the end of the day.
• New Forest Cider — real cider, apple juice and apples (does he still turn up? Not seen him for a while) - yes he does most weeks.
• A branch of [Cranberry] — just by the central crossroads; a huge range of dried fruit and nuts. Check out the dried sour cherries, mmmmm. (Also dried mango.)
• Sillfield Farms — game pies and other meat (and odd patés, such as proper wild boar paté not padded with goose liver) — they are awesomely and wonderfully good and I want more of them.
• L'Artisan du Chocolat — the same chocolates served at the Fat Duck, Gordon Ramsay and the British Airways Concorde. The salted caramels are outstanding, and there is often killer hot chocolate on offer.
• The wild/gourmet mushroom stall — sample prices chestnut mushrooms £3.50/kg. They also have samphire at £9/kg when it's in season.
• The tofu stall — very nice fresh tofu for £2.00/325g, also smoked and otherwise seasoned varieties like 5-spices.
• Brindisa sells all sorts of Spanish food; their barbecued chorizo sandwiches are of particular note.
• Dark Sugar, a confectionery stall (with cakes too) run by two huge black guys who are extremely good at their job. Lots of the stuff has an interesting Caribbean twist - coconut, spices and unrefined sugar are much in evidence.
• Colchester oysters - i'm not sure what the name of the stall is, but there's a chap from Colchester, and he's brought oysters with him. The finest oysters in the world! -- Tom A (i suspect bias -- ed.)

Has just won Best Market in the Observer Food Monthly

Other attractions nearby

• The Market Porter is a must, if you are in the area during opening hours - the nearby [Wheatsheaf]? is a good pub too, and often less crowded.
• Neals Yard Dairy sell the finest cheeses known to humanity
• Bramah Tea and Coffee Museum.
• Menier Chocolate Factory

Other writeups

• A very detailed writeup of the market and its history at Everything2