At Maltby Street Market, you’ll arrive with an empty stomach and full wallet, and leave quite the opposite.
I don’t know about you, but I’m exactly the kind of person who’s liable to bankrupt themselves at a food market. Such is the burden of being a food-obsessed Londoner, I’m afraid. And if you’re anything like me, you’re going to find Maltby Street Market a particularly enticing prospect, as this hideaway market is chock full of delicious discoveries.
See also: 19 more magnificent weekend markets that are perfect for perusing.
Of course, you’ll need to do a bit of sleuthing to find it first. Since opening in 2010, Maltby Street Market has been hidden away in a tangle of streets between London Bridge and Bermondsey stations, and sheltered next to the mainline railway to London Bridge, so it doesn’t exactly shout about its existence. But once you’ve found it, there’s no shortage of mouthwatering discoveries lurking in the stalls and railway arches.
The market is centred on a central alley known as the Ropewalk, and I defy anyone to walk down it without their stomach rumbling. It’s sort of a foodie gauntlet, in which temptation lies on either side just waiting to ensnare you. On one side, you’ve got smashing tapas spot Bar Tozino, perfect patisserie from Comptoir Gourmand, and The Snapery‘s legendary cinnamon buns set up in the railway arches.
On the other side of the Ropewalk, temptation comes in the form of a parade of street food stalls, including juicy Japanese cuisine from Gyoza Guys, smashing steak from The Beefsteaks, and fab fromage from cult faves The Cheese Truck.
Once you’ve waddled all that off, you can sip on gin from Little Bird, grab a pick-me-up from Craft Coffee, and indulge your sweet tooth at Waffle On or one of Bad Brownie‘s many London outposts. Wait, you thought I was done talking about food? Oh, my sweet summer child, you were wrong.
Anyway, other non-foodie curiosities can also be found, chiefly in the form of LASSCO – alternatively known as The London Architectural Salvage and Supply Co. It’s essentially an interior designer’s dream, filled with antiques and curiosities of all shapes and sizes, and it’s all for sale if you’ve got the cash. They also do the decor for Little Bird and Bar Tozino, so you’ll be shopping without even knowing it…
As you can probably tell, I’m quite a big fan of Maltby Street Market – and that admiration only grew when the market unveiled a long-planned expansion up neighbouring Tanner Street. Doubling in size means the addition of even more producers and food trucks, along with a fleet of boutique craft stalls. Additionally, they added a big seating area and a community bike repair shop, which sounds Proper Lovely.
Plus, for winter 2019, they’re launching ‘Maltby Street After Dark’, a weekly Christmas market that runs every Friday night from November 22nd until December 20th. You’ll be able to wander beneath a twinkling canopy of lights, feasting on Christmas-inspired menus from the range of street food traders, and enjoying live carols, wreath making demonstrations, and hot mulled wine. Guess there’s never been a better time to check it out, eh?
Location: Maltby Street, Bermondsey, SE1 3PA
Opening hours: 10am-5pm (Saturday), 11am-4pm (Sunday), closed weekdays.
Entry: free! (See more free things to do in London).
More info: on their website.
Featured image: @greatbritishfood
Also published on Medium.