10 of the best food markets in London to make lunch more exciting
La Dolce vita in London? Yes please
Is there a saying about if you're bored of London, you're bored of life? Because there should be, thanks to the fact the English capital is stuffed full of cool things to do, great museums and art collections, and delicious brunch spots. Plus, there are loads of brilliant food markets to add to your bucket list, for when you want to mix up your lunch options, or just fancy eating your way around various different stalls in an afternoon.
So whether you're a big fan of pizza by the slice, or Lebanese food has your name written all over it, here are nine of the best London food markets to know about now.
Eataly London - Taste of Eataly Festival 17th July 2025
Closest tube station: Liverpool Street
Opening times: 7am - 11pm Monday to Friday, 9am - 11pm Saturday and Sunday. Taste of Eataly Festival: Thursday, 17th July.
Venue: Indoor and outdoors
Eataly London has long been one of the capital's favourite Italian food destinations. With three restaurants, a market, counters, bars, a café, and a cookery school, there's even a magical outside Aperol Bar ready and waiting to give you a taste of La Dolce Vita.
But as well as being home to a myriad of Italian jewels, Eataly London also hosts the annual Taste of Eataly Festival. A vibrant, day-long Italian feast celebrating the best of Italian cuisine, guests can embark on a tasting journey featuring delicious food, refreshing summery drinks, live music, and authentic Italian summer flair.
Packages start from £25 for 5 tokens or £32 for 7 tokens. On arrival, guests will be given a tasting pouch and glass alongside a festival map to guide them through the culinary space. And, with most dishes and drinks priced at just 1-2 tokens each, it means you can fully immerse yourself in an Italian dream.
Oh, and from 6pm onwards, guests can enjoy live acoustic music at Eataly’s central bar. Err, see you there?
Borough Market
Closest tube station: London Bridge, Borough Market
Opening times: 10am - 5pm on Tuesday to Friday, 9am - 5pm on Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday.
Venue: Outdoors
When you think of food markets in London, the chances are you think of Borough Market, one of the largest and oldest ones in London (it's thought to date back as far as the 12th century.)
Whether you're after fresh produce to take home, like delicious breads and cheeses, or jars of honey and jam, or want to eat your way around the stalls in an afternoon, they have everything. We're talking mac and cheese, pulled pork sandwiches, strawberries with warm liquid chocolate poured over the top and fresh doughnuts, warm from the oven. Yum.
Berwick Street Market
Closest tube station: Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Oxford Street
Opening times: The market is open Monday to Saturday 8am until late afternoon
Venue: Outdoors
Whether you find yourself central on a weekday or want to switch up your usual lunch order, Berwick Street Market is a great choice right in the centre of Soho. Dating back to the 1700s, you can find stalls like Greek2Go, Savage Salads and Jerusalem Falafel, as well as traditional fruit and vegetable and florist stalls.
Seven Dials Market
Closest tube station: Covent Garden, Leicester Square
Opening times: Monday - Saturday from noon until 11pm, and on Sundays, noon until 9pm.
Venue: Indoors
The Seven Dials food court is nestled in the cobbled streets of Covent Garden, and is under cover - making it a perfect option for the unreliable British weather. Split across two levels, you'll find 20 independent traders and two bars, alongside trestle table seating, meaning you can sit and chat for hours while working your way around the stalls. The pizza is a must!
Maltby Street Market
Closest tube station: London Bridge
Opening times: Saturdays from 10am to 5pm, and Sundays from 11am - 4pm. Closed in the week.
Venue: Outdoors
Just a short walk away from Borough Market is a hidden gem on Maltby Street, a weekend market hidden beneath the railway arches. Here, you'll find brilliant restaurants and bars, alongside loads of independent food stalls. Whether you're after a banging sausage sandwich, gyozas, Lebanese street food or fresh oysters, there are so many options.
Herne Hill Market
Closest tube station: Herne Hill train station, Brixton
Opening times: Only open on Sundays from 10am - 4pm
Venue: Outdoors
Just opposite Brockwell Park you'll find Herne Hill market, a pedestrianised road opposite the Herne Hill train station. Made up from craft and food sellers, the market aims to highlight locally-produced foods and arts and crafts from within 100 miles of the market. You'll find everything from juicy olives and dips, mochi from Mochipops, fresh bread and bakes, and so much more. Yum.
Arcade Food Hall, Tottenham Court Road and Battersea Power Station
Closest tube station: There are two: head to Tottenham Court Road for the original Arcade Food Hall, and to Battersea Power Station tube for the one south of the river.
Opening times: From Monday to Saturday, it's open 11:30am - 10:30pm, and then on Sundays, 11:30am - 9pm
Venue: Indoors
One of the more bougie options is Arcade Food Hall, which has two branches: One next to Tottenham Court Road, and one in the Battersea Power Station development. They lean into the food hall vibe but with a more luxe feel, thanks to its central cocktail bar. Enjoy cuisines from around the world: North Indian butter chicken, US-style smash burgers and Mexican tacos.
Brixton Village Market
Closest tube station: Brixton
Opening times: Open from 6am to midnight every day
Venue: Indoors
We honestly couldn't put it better than the Brixton Village Market put it themselves: "it’s authentic global cuisine, experimental cocktails bars or craft beers you’re after, you’ll find a world of flavour in Brixton Village." Whether you're after burgers, tacos, seafood, Lebanese or so much more, you can get it all here.
Broadway Market Tooting
Closest tube station: Tooting, Tooting Bec
Opening times: Open 7am - 11pm from Tuesday to Thursday, 7am to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 10am to 10pm on Sundays
Venue: Indoors
Established in 1936, Broadway Market is one of South London's oldest markets, and is so much more than *just* a food market. Yes, it has incredible cocktail and cuisines on offer, but you'll also find groceries, clothes, electronics and more, as well as Tooting Market just around the corner with even more options. Slab City & The Lab is a great pizza place, while Elsa's Vegan Kitchen is a nice meat-free option.
Spitalfields Market
Closest tube station: Liverpool Street
Opening times: The market is open from 10am - 9:30pm on Monday to Friday, 10am - 9.30pm on Saturday and 10am - 5pm on Sundays
Venue: Under cover
If you're in East London, Spitalfields Market is a great shout for lunch or dinner thanks to various different street food trucks and stalls. Whether you want fish and chips, Nigerian food, sandwiches, Indian or so much more, it's all here.
Dusty Baxter-Wright is an award-winning journalist and the Entertainment and Lifestyle Director at Cosmopolitan, having previously worked at Sugarscape. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 for her work covering pop culture, careers, interiors and travel, and oversees the site’s Entertainment and Lifestyle strategy across print, digital and video. As a journalist for the best part of a decade, she has interviewed everyone from Louis Theroux and Channing Tatum to Margot Robbie and Ncuti Gatwa, while she has also spoken on Times Radio and BBC Radio. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram here.
Sophie Williams is a Freelance Journalist and Copywriter, covering everything from Fashion to Entertainment to music, Lifestyle and Features. She has interviewed a range of musical artists and authors including Alyssa Edwards, Courtney Barnett, Confidence Man, The Vaccines, Loyle Carner, Gabrielle, and John Niven, and has written for publications like Metro, Reader's Digest, ITV's Woo! and Vice’s NBGA. She is also working on a book for HarperCollins about Taylor Swift, due to be published in 2024.
22 of our favourite spring cocktail recipes
30 of the best Italian restaurants in London
Why everyone on TikTok is eating yoghurt cheesecake
Is oat milk good – or bad – for you?
