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If you needed another excuse to spend your Saturday dodging crowds and loading up on cheese, here it is. Borough Market has officially been crowned the world's best food market by Food & Wine magazine's annual Global Tastemakers Awards - beating out competition from Bangkok, Lyon, Paris, and Mexico City to take the title.
And honestly? No arguments from us.
London has always punched well above its weight when it comes to food markets, but Borough is the one that started it all. Sitting beneath the railway arches just south of London Bridge, this Southwark institution has been drawing in hungry traders and hungrier visitors for over 1,000 years - making it one of the oldest and largest food markets in the UK.
What Makes Borough Market So Good?
With over 100 stalls, stands, restaurants, and bars, Borough Market isn't short of options. On any given visit, you might find yourself moving from a slab of aged Comté to a pulled pork roll to a glass of natural wine, all within the space of about 15 minutes. That's the Borough experience: chaotic, brilliant, and hard to replicate.
The traders, in our opinion, are the real draw. Many have been here for decades, sourcing from small British producers and international artisans alike. The quality is genuinely exceptional - this isn't a tourist trap dressed up as a market, it's the real thing, and the award reflects that.
What's The Full Global Top 10? Borough didn't just edge it - it topped a genuinely world-class shortlist.
Here's how the full ranking broke down:
- Borough Market, London
- Chatuchak Market, Bangkok
- Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, Lyon
- Mercado de la Merced, Mexico City
- Marche couvert des Enfants Rouges, Paris
- Mercat de la Boqueria, Barcelona
- Granville Island Public Market, Vancouver
- Nishiki Market, Kyoto
- Vucciria, Palermo
- Viktualienmarkt, Munich
Planning A Visit To Borough Market?
Borough Market is open Monday to Saturday, with Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday offering the best trader access. Entry is free. It's a five-minute walk from London Bridge station.
Go hungry, bring cash as a backup, and avoid Saturday afternoon unless you enjoy being slowly shuffled through a crowd of people eating scotch eggs.
For the best experience: arrive between 10am and midday on a weekday, head straight for the Bread Ahead doughnuts, and figure out the rest as you go.
