Maltby Street Market

Move over Borough Market, there's a new market in town...

Maltby Street Market

I've always been a fan of Borough Market, after all I used to work at the Ginger Pig there. However, I find it pretty much impossible to go these days. If I venture there on the only day I can, Saturday, I'm overwhelmed by the huge number of other visitors making it impossible to get anywhere near the stalls. These days Borough Market's also on the expensive side of things.

My friends Andy and Fiona live in Bermondsey and they've always told me that I must visit Maltby Street Market. When M and I ventured (slightly!) East to watch the London Marathon, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to go.

Nestled under railway arches, Maltby Street Market is a hidden gem. It's still small and local enough to maintain its charm. I'm still undecided as if I'm doing the right thing blogging about it...

It's teeming with local food producers selling their exceptional street food and various drinks.

I went for this amazing gammon ham with spicy scotch bonnet jam from Mamas the Word.

Stage 1: close roll and tie up hair

Stage 2: how best to tackle this beast?

Stage 3: dive in 

Stage 4: progress check

Stage 5: mission complete 

M went along the breakfast roll route and chose a version complete with sausage and bantam egg.

Mamas the Word also sell their own homemade chorizo jam amongst other things.

We decided to buy some local mead after trying it at Carmela's dinner party and then stopped off at Little Bird for a 'perfect g&t'.

The rest of the afternoon was spent meandering along the narrow street taking in everything else on offer.

Maltby Street Market is open Saturdays (9am-4pm) and Sundays (11am-4pm). Bermondsey and London Bridge are the nearest tubes.