Where is the street food in London actually good?

Borough Market (London Bridge) is the benchmark: the trading days are Wednesday through Saturday, and the lunch crowd thins noticeably after 2pm. Maltby Street Market in Bermondsey runs Saturday and Sunday mornings and draws fewer tourists for comparable quality — the braised beef brisket roll from Roast's stall and the salt beef bagels hold up. Kerb operates rotating street food markets at King's Cross (weekdays) and various pop-up sites; their vendor curation is consistent enough that almost anything from the lineup is worth ordering. For a single-trader experience, the arepa stall at Broadway Market in Hackney (Saturday only) and the jerk chicken at Ridley Road in Dalston on weekday mornings are the real thing rather than performance food. Avoid the South Bank riverside stretch near the Tate Modern entirely — it's overpriced and aimed squarely at people who won't return. The reliable rule: the farther east you go from Zone 1, the better the value and the more honest the cooking.

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Plan a real trip there, and Trip Friend can answer every follow-up — with your dates, your style, and your places baked into the conversation.

• Where do locals actually go for aperitivo in London?
• Where do locals drink coffee in London?
• What does a local breakfast look like in London?
• Where can I eat after midnight in London?
• How do I get from the airport to the city in London?
• Cash or card in London — what do locals actually use?