The Borough Market is an open-air market in London specialising in both local and global speciality foods. The market is probably the most famous in the city, mostly due to its size and longevity. Particularly appreciated by visitors are the high-quality food samples and street foods prepared on the spot.

Over the years, Borough Market has gone from a wholesale to a primarily-retail market and in doing so has become a hotspot for tourism.

Although Borough Market as we know it was established in 1756, the area today occupied by the stalls has been a market spot for centuries - since 1014, according to some. Even in these earlier times, the (then wholesale) market was extremely popular, so much so that in 1754 it was abolished because of the disruption it caused to local traffic.

Only two years later, when it was reestablished, it quickly gained traction again, thanks to its riverside location. The market remained a staple of fresh produce trade in London until supermarkets were introduced and supplanted local supply chain distributors, putting many out of business.

By the 1990s, the market had to reinvent itself as a retail-oriented market to survive. Nevertheless, to this day, Borough Market still carries out its wholesale activities on weekdays between 2:00 am and 8:00 am, before opening to the public.

Borough Market is divided into three main areas. In the Borough Market Kitchen, you can try out all sorts of street food, while the Green Market is where the smaller specialist produce traders are. If you want to find the larger producers and merchants, you can head to the Three Crown Square area.

The area all around Borough Market is also particularly lively and welcoming, with several restaurants, bars, and shops in the streets surrounding the market.

Location

8 Southwark Street, Southwark, London SE1 1TL

The Borough Market is located under the suspended railway tracks just in front of London Bridge, in the Southwark area by the River Thames, in Central London. The area is densely populated by monuments and sites of interest for tourists.

Just across the street from the Borough Market, for example, you’ll find the Old Operating Theatre, and behind that is The Shard, the tallest building in the UK. If instead, you turn towards the river, you will find The Monument and not far from it the Tower of London. In the opposite direction, west of Borough Market, is Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern not far behind it.

Borough Market schedule and entries

The Borough Market is open every day and always free to enter for everyone. From Monday to Friday, opening hours go from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, while on Saturdays the early opening at 8:00 am gives you a couple of extra hours in the morning. On Sundays, the Borough Market is open from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Keep in mind that the busiest time at the Market is on Sunday afternoon, so if you want to avoid big crowds we suggest you visit early in the morning during the week. The best time to visit Borough Market is probably between Wednesday and Saturday, since that’s when crowds are smaller and most businesses are active. On Mondays and Tuesdays, the number of open stalls at the market is reduced.

Transport

There are a couple of different ways you get to the Borough Market. The first and most popular is by Tube. The stop London Bridge, along the Jubilee and Northern lines, is just a couple of minutes away from the Market.

Alternatively, there also are a lot of buses stopping in the area. Lines 17, 21, 35, 43, 47, 133, 141, 149, 344, 381, and 388 are all good options, dropping you off within walking distance of Borough Market.

If you want, you can also take a cab, but we don’t particularly recommend it. The area is extremely central, and traffic can be slow, so it would be costly and not time-effective to take a taxi.

Nearby sights

The Old Operating Theatre - just across the street from Borough Market.

The Shard - 350 m (0.2 miles) east, 5-minute walk.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre - 500 m (0.3 miles) west, 6-minute walk.

The Monument - 650 m (0.4 miles) north, 8-minute walk.

HMS Belfast - 700 m (0.4 miles) east, 8-minute walk.

Tower Bridge - 1 km (0.6 miles) east, 13-minute walk.

Tate Modern - 1 km (0.6 miles) west, 12-minute walk.

Tower of London - 1.2 km (0.7 miles) northeast, 14-minute walk.