Maltby Street Market, London Guide - Where to Find the Best of the Market

Today I want to share my Maltby Street Market guide with you. This under-the-radar food market in London is one of the best local secrets in the city. I hope you enjoy discovering it.

Maltby Street Market

There’s a problem with London’s markets. The best of them have become victims of their own success, getting so crowded on the weekends that it’s hard to move, let alone breathe.

Borough Market, London’s most beloved food market, is a prime example. But just down the road, Maltby Street Market has the best of Borough without the crowds.

Opened in 2010, it’s now one of the most beloved local markets in south London. And despite being a market that sells consumer goods, this market doesn’t seem to want consumers to find it.

Tucked away in pockets of old brick railway arches in Bermondsey, the market is so hidden that it would be easy to walk by without knowing it’s here.

But for those that persevere—and I’m one of them—it’s worth the effort.

Maltby Street Market Hours

The market is open on Saturdays and Sundays, making it the perfect place to come on a weekend in London.

On Saturdays it’s open from 10am to 5pm, so it’s easy to go for breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon snack or drink. Maltby Street Market Sunday hours are 11am to 4pm, so it’s slightly more limited.

I like going mid-morning, especially in the summer when it gets busier in the afternoons. It’s fun to have my pick of what’s on offer that day.

Druid Street Shops

Starting on Druid Street, there’s a series of arches in a long line of auto repair shops that have been taken over by some of London’s best bakeries, breweries, and purveyors of all things delicious.

From L’Emporio, with its mouth-watering Italian pastas and pastries, to St John Bakery, where some of the city’s best loaves are leavened, it’s a great taste of what’s to come.

Maltby Street Market Restaurants

And what’s to come is just through the arches on a skinny alley called Ropewalk (presumably because it’s so narrow you feel like you’re walking on a tightrope as you move down it).

The alley is lined by the backs of the railway arches on Druid Street, only this area is all about tasting, sampling, and savoring under a plethora of flags from around the world.

Some of the arches have little restaurants in them, while others dedicate their interiors to production and place an eclectic mix of colorful tables and chairs outside in the alley.

There are a lot of great Maltby Street Market restaurants, from rustic cafes to proper places where people can sit down and enjoy a full meal.

Maltby Street Market Stalls

Maltby Street Market stalls line the rest of the space, and everything from decadent brownies to bao buns is out to tempt the taste buds.

When I go, I love wandering down the row, taking in stalls selling Brazilian food, vendors shucking oysters, and traders offering waffles with every kind of topping imaginable.

I like hearing the sizzling of sandwiches on the grills and seeing the sights of Middle Eastern foods in all their radiant colors.

I also enjoy smelling the rich aroma of coffee and touching the ripe fruits and vegetables of the season. It’s an amazing sensory experience.