Borough Market in London has been named the UK's best place to shop in TripAdvisor's travellers' ranking, earning an impressive 4.6 out of five rating from more than 14,500 reviews. The historic market, located on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, has been welcoming shoppers for around 1,000 years.
Market Features and Offerings
Borough Market is home to more than 100 market stalls, shops and restaurants selling food and drink from across Britain and around the world. Visitors can buy everything from fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and fish to artisan breads, cheeses, pastries, chocolates and cured meats. There are also stalls selling oils, vinegars, olives, spices and street food from a wide range of countries.
Three Crown Square is the market's largest trading area and a popular place to shop for fresh produce. Borough Market Kitchen is another favourite, serving ready-to-eat dishes including Ethiopian stews, gourmet grilled cheese and many other international meals.
Notable Traders and Visitor Experience
Some of the market's best-known traders include The Borough Cheese Company, Bath Soft Cheese Co., Alpine Deli, Applebee's Fish, 13 Acre Orchard, Artisan Foods and Arabica To Go. The market attracts between 15 and 20 million visitors every year, making it one of the UK's most popular food destinations.
Borough Market's official website says: "At Borough Market, we don't just sell good food and drink, we celebrate it. We enjoy how it tastes and the way it makes us feel, but we also appreciate its ability to connect us to the people who produced it and the places it was made."
"If all you come with is an appetite, you'll be able to sate it in a thousand ways. But if you care about what you eat and where it comes from, our traders can feed your curiosity too. Here, in this historic setting, you'll find an incredible range of food from all over Britain and the rest of the world - and every item has a story to tell."
Tips for Visiting
Those hoping to avoid the busiest periods are advised to visit on Wednesday or Thursday mornings when the full market is open but the crowds are usually smaller. Saturdays are the busiest day of the week, while weekdays between midday and 2pm are also particularly busy as office workers head there for lunch.
History of Borough Market
The market's history stretches back to at least 1014, when traders gathered at the southern end of London Bridge to sell grain, fish and livestock. In 1756, Parliament tried to close the market because of congestion, but local residents raised £6,000 to move it off the main road and to its current site. During the 1990s, it changed from a wholesale fruit and vegetable market into the retail food destination visitors know today.
Visitor Reviews
One person wrote on TripAdvisor: "We really hadn't done our research on food markets and happened to be going by and stopped for lunch. What an impressive place to be! It was so crowded, but the food and atmosphere were well worth the visit."
Another added: "Borough Market delivers on every level, from its vibe to its food. Every time we go, we have a different type of food, and I'm yet to find one I don't like. You absolutely must go and have the best sausage rolls known to man, but be prepared to queue."
A third wrote: "This market is simply extraordinary! A continuous explosion of colours, scents and irresistible flavours that overwhelm you as you enter. There are foods from all over the world, with spectacular stalls offering cheeses, truffles, cold cuts and specialities of all kinds."
