Foodie Heaven In London? It DOES Exist - Under a Bridge
The lively scene at Maltby Street’s weekend market. (Photo: Amy T. Zielinski)
By Jennifer Ceaser
When it comes to London’s food markets, no doubt Borough Market tops your list — yours and every other tourist’s.
But where do the city’s real foodies go? We asked Matt Varona, a London native and member of the culinary team behind Carousel, a new hot spot in Marylebone that hosts pop-up dining experiences by emerging international chefs.
Varona guides us to Maltby Street Market in Bermondsey; on weekends, the lively jumble of hyper-local food stalls and makeshift bars and eateries sprouts up beneath a stretch of Victorian railway — taking over spaces used Monday to Friday by an architectural salvage and supply company.
Scotch eggs from Finest Fayre on Maltby. (Photo: Amy T. Zielinski)
You’ll want to sample a bit of everything, so arrive hungry, early (the market closes at 4 p.m.) and don’t miss these must-eats.
Camembert, Gruyere, big wheels of aged Comte — all the artisanal cheeses and cured meats here are imported from France. Buy a wedge for an affordable picnic lunch.
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The perfect vehicle for that cheese is a White Stick ($3.25) — shaped like a baguette, but denser and chewier — at this bakery owned by noted English chef Fergus Henderson. Or queue up for the justly famous (and exceedingly messy) custard donuts ($4) — tip: bite with caution. Starting mid-day, unusual bites are served, including smoked sprats (similar to sardines) with potato and dill ($10.75) and lamb tongues with green beans and pickled walnuts ($13.40).
Their salted caramel won best brownie at this year’s London Chocolate festival, but Varona enjoys the kooky flavors like bacon and maple syrup; margarita; lime with coconut marshmallow; and something called banoffee pie, which involves bananas, toffee, and cream (from $5.50).
Market Champagne and Shellfish
Snag a table among the stacked floorboards inside a railway arch (weekdays, it serves as a carpentry workshop) and order a dozen freshly shucked local oysters — on a recent visit, big, briny ones from coastal Dorset were on offer (three for $8) — along with a round of champers (from $8.80/glass).
Scottish salmon is salted, cured and cold-smoked in Stoke Newington, in the London borough of Hackney. No need to buy a whole fish: generous slices of the silky salmon are served atop bread with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of dill (around $3.50).
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Sparrow Bar
Mornings at this pop-up gin-only joint, go for the spicy Bloody Mary (spiced with African Volcano peri peri sauce, from another Maltby food stall) or the Early Bird Breakfast Martini (with grapefruit juice, Cointreau and marmalade); afternoons, sip a classic Negroni or G&T. All cocktails, $8, are made with small-batch Little Bird gin distilled in London.
Chef Matt Varona (inset) favors Bar Tozino on Maltby Street. (Photo: Amy T. Zielinski; Amy T. Zielinski)
The owners of this cozy, rustic tapas joint tucked inside a railway arch have sliced ham for Ferrán Adria and the Spanish Royal Family, so they know their way around a leg of jamon. Along with five types of ham (from $8/plate), the menu offers Spanish artisanal cheeses (from $8/plate), garlicky pan con tomate ($4.80) and anchovies galore (from $8). Pair your tapas with a glass of Catalan beer, Moritz ($3.25), or Varona’s favorite, red vermouth over ice ($6.50). One of the few permanent restaurants on Maltby Street, it’s open Wednesday to Sunday outside of market hours; on weekends, get your jamon to go at the takeaway stand.
The scent alone will draw you to this “kerbside” waffle stand, which whips up savory and sweet options using locally sourced ingredients. Try the slow-roasted duck waffle with fresh plum sauce topped with a biodynamic egg ($11.25) or go pure English and top your waffle with strawberries and champagne cream ($8).
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Piles of cocoa-dusted truffles in exotic flavors like cider and cinnamon and cardamom and orange are impossible to pass up (prices vary).
Sheathed in a sleek black canister, this organic extra virgin olive oil is imported from the (gay) owner’s family plot in Murcia, Spain — and is an easily portable gift ($16/500 ml).
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