Maltby Street Market

2010 was a special year.

It was the year that Downton Abbey first hit our screens. The iPad came out. Lady Gaga wore her meat dress. And everyone totally understood the ending of Lost…

Better than all that, however – the beautiful feather in 2010’s cap – was the launch of Maltby Street Market in Bermondsey, which has gone on to become of the best food markets in London. Yes, unlike Lady Gaga’s dress – which we can only assume hasn’t aged nearly so well – this culinary hotspot is flourishing…. So if you’ve had your fill of the increasingly tourist-heavy  (though obviously still lovely) Borough Market, which is less than 10 minutes’ walk away, Maltby Street is a very worthy alternative…

La Pepia

Where’s Maltby Street Market, And When Is It Open?

Two excellent questions, and the answer to the first is  “it’s located about a ten minute walk down the road from Tower Bridge – not far from London Bridge station“. The market itself, which is surrounded by a couple of interesting little antique shops, centres on the Ropewalk, a narrow thoroughfare with 19th-century railway arches on one side, brick buildings on the other and a collection of world flags blowing in the wind above a charming combination of gazebo-covered food vendors and foodie outlets within the arches.

As for Maltby Street Market’s opening hours, the grocers and restaurants are open from 10am – 10pm Wednesday to Sunday; the market traders are there from 6pm-late on Fridays, 10am – 5pm on Saturdays, and 11am – 4pm on Sundays… and Castro’s barber shop is open every day.

Give Me A History Lesson. But Keep It Brief.

The Ropewalk itself is named after a nearby ropewalk – alleys down which ropemakers would twist material into… something that escapes us just now – founded by Robert Rich. That’s the 18th-century Bermondsey eccentric Robert Rich, not the inventor of non-dairy whipped topping. But you already knew that.

Bon Vino Enoteca

The Traders At Maltby Street Market

Maltby Street is a gastronomic extravaganza – a gastravaganza, if you like (but you probably don’t like, because that sounds like some sort of stomach bug) – particularly at the weekend when street-food vendors ply a roaring trade in global cuisines. From Britain you’ll find packed sausage sarnies from THAT’S BANGING and homegrown, grass-fed, dry-aged beef cooked over sustainable English charcoal from THE BEEFSTEAKS.

The Snapery Bakery – photo by Veerle Evens

In addition THE GYOZA GUYS peddle delicious dumplings; DUCK FRITES a quacking combination of raclette cheese and confit duck; AMEN a praise-worthy selection of Ethiopian dishes; DEGCHI authentic dum biryani; BEYROOTS Lebanese street food; and out-of-this-world sarnies from MOON CHEESE TOASTIES.

And Who’s In The Ropewalk Arches?

The arches at Ropewalk are filled with a highly curated (and permanent) selection of shops, grocers and bars that are located on Ropewalk all week long – at times, during the week, when Maltby Street Market itself isn’t open.

In addition to lifestyle store PROVISION, you’ll find TAYLOR’S OF MALTBY STREET, who source their seasonal fruit and vegetables from organic farmers in Kent, Essex and Surrey; BAR TOZINO serving up Spanish wines and cuts of the Jamón hanging from the ceiling; JEMIMA IN THE WOODS, a botanical workshop and, well, shop; BON VINO ENOTECA, the place to go for sustainable Italian wines; MALT CRAFT BEER, serving up excellent UK craft beers in the heart of Maltby Street; WALRUS AND CARPENTER, the fishmongers, seafood restaurant and champagne bar; and finally CASTRO’S BARBERSHOP, where Leo Castro will achieve the impossible…

….and help you leave Maltby Street feeling a little trimmer.

NOTE: Maltby Street Market runs on weekends, but the ropewalk (and the traders within the railway arch) are open Wed-Sun. Specifically the grocers and restaurants are open from 10am – 10pm Wednesday to Sunday; the market traders are there from 5.30-9pm on Fridays, 10am – 5pm on Saturdays, and 11am – 4pm on Sundays; and Castro’s barber shop is open every day. For more information visit their website.

Maltby Street Market | Arch 46, Ropewalk, Maltby St, London SE1 3PA