Borough Market Food Tour with Masterchef judge William Sitwell

Overview

Begin your tour outside the Golden Hinde ship as we hear about Borough Market’s origins over 1000 years ago and why it had a unique relationship with the City of London. From wandering goats, to Victorian viaducts to dealing with COVID-19, the market has had to deal with a lot over its lifetime.

While standing outside Borough Market’s stunning facade, hear how this market had to reinvent and revive itself in the 1990s and how an old portico was moved from the Royal Opera House to Borough Market for only £1. Then grab a coffee at Monmouth! Founded in a basement on Monmouth Street near Covent Garden, this café was one of the first specialist retailers to arrive here in the late 1990s.

Learn about some of Borough Market’s international traders. Brindisa has become a destination for lovers of all things Iberian! It’s become one of the country’s best-known importers of high quality, carefully sourced Spanish food. Meanwhile, Kontidor is known for its signature, and very German, bread, cakes, pies and pastries.

Get a taste of some of Borough Market’s seafood. Learn how the Wright Brothers, Robin Hancock and Ben Wright, democratised the oyster in London and opened it up to a much wider audience, helping to shed the image of a delicacy affordable only by the wealthy. This is a perfect example of how Borough is still a breeding ground for successful food businesses.

Head into the Kitchen, this is the area of the market where raw ingredients are transformed into incredible dishes, with a whole host of cuisines prepared by traders from all over the world! Some favorites include ‘Shuk’, which serves incredible Tel Aviv-style stuffed pitas, ‘Khanom Krok’, who specialise in authentic Thai food with a great range of vegetarian and vegan options, and ‘Horn Ok Please’, where Indian veggie dishes take centre stage.

Head into Three Crown Square, a structure which dates back to the 18th century. If you look up, you’ll notice the iconic, recently restored Victorian glass and ironwork roof, which allows a massive amount of natural daylight in, lighting the entire structure so that electric lights are barely needed. Learn more about Borough market’s ancient and modern history.

Whether you’re a carnivore or follow a plant-based diet, Borough Market has something for you. Stalls like ‘Shellseekers’ pride themselves on their excellent seafood while ‘Turnips’ and ‘Fitz’ offer some of London’s best veggie options, whether this be organically grown fruit & veg, or a selection of products created from foragers around England.

Finish the tour with a drink in hand, be this beer, wine, or something stronger! Scour over 700 beers at ‘Utobeer’ for a pale, a pilsner or maybe a porter, then head over to the ‘Cartwright Brothers’ for their excellent selection of wines from around the world.

The Vidi Guides experience is enriched with on-screen photos and videos. We also point out where to take the perfect Instagram photos during the tour, and include recommendations for food, drinks, and local attractions. Don't worry, none of our recommendations are sponsored - they are simply favourites of the locals who helped craft the experience.

Vidi Guides creates immersive audio experiences that sound like podcasts. This is a self-guided audio tour that can be started or stopped at your own convenience. Download the Vidi Guides app & your Borough Market tour to explore the area independently and safely! Make sure to download your tour before your visit to streamline your trip!