While priding it in your gravel laden, London back garden with a packet of 99p cumberlands and a £5 disposable BBQ is a perfectly good way to work with any weather over 16 degrees, THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES. A bustling street food scene that promises more cultural cuisine than your local buffet could shake a loaded plate at, London's street markets promise the best of it all. From bustling archways and award winning vendors, to the best Korean burger you ever did boast, they're here to make for some mouth watering moments. And best of all? You'll likely still get that splinter in your thighs from an un-varnished bench. Who said they didn't boast a bit of back garden authenticity? Check out some of our favourite street food markets this summer:
Summer Tales in Shoreditch
Launching May Bank Holiday until the end of August 2015 (buy your tickets here)
The love child of Red Market and Night Tales, the corner of Rivington Street is once again reborn as Summer Tales takes up residency. Boasting the same hot-to-trot atmosphere of its predecessor Night Tales with a Vitamin D dosing, Summer Tales will see traders the likes of seafood's Bonnie Gull, Italian fried chicken from Forza Win and a selection of bars where frozen punch and raw coconut water is all but easy to come by. There's fairy lights, there's botanics and there's likely some babes. I don't mean renaissance children.
Night Tales returns with a slinky, sunshine laden summer offering.
Street Feast at Dalston Yard
01/02 May to 24/25 September
Those looking for a little East London tinkering and tasting won't be hard pushed to head here. With its mammoth industrial plot brimming with over 20 traders including Bleecker Burger, Breddos Taco Shack and 8 bars the likes of Tequila Treehouse squirting out neat, fiery treats for your eager throat, Street Feast at Dalston Yard is something of an edible treasure. Everyone is really, what's that word? 'Trendy' too.
Street Feast in Dalston Yard is one of the best street food showcases in East London yet.
Whitecross Street Food Market
Monday to Friday: 10-5pm
The, only kind of slightly 'hidden', street food gem of Shoreditch, Whitecross Street Food Market is a local bustle. A roaring street littered with indie traders and a few nit-bit sellers alike, guests to this gorge worthy road can tuck into anything fro Wild Game Co's heralded burgers, to Vietnamese, Japanese, some of the best Greek salads in the business and more. I've seen many a colleague leave for Whitecross and never come back.
Try and off meets on road lunch option this summer in Shoreditch.
Model Market in Lewisham
17/18 April to 24/25 September: 5pm to 1am
With the same industrial tamperings of its Dalston sister, Street Feast's Model Market in Lewisham is another great bash from SF to knock all other street food events outta the park. Transforming a disused 1950s market into a wonderland of street grub, Model Market boast dinner dashing the likes of Mother Flipper, Smokestak, Yum Bun, Hanoi Kitchen and boozing from Rotary Cocktail, Winyl and much more.
Street Feast once again dominate the London street food scene with Model Market.
Maltby Street Market in Tower Bridge
Saturday 9am - 4pm, Sunday 11am - 4pm
While many may be bewildered by some of London's other street food events, there's one market in London that not only caters for just about anybody, it's just so darn cutesy when doing it. Wedged under archways behind Tower Bridge, Maltby Street Market is the creme de la creme of quaint London markets. Nab yourself a pot of British jam under the rustle of bunting, get sugar loaded at Waffle On, go bold with a Brazilian....wrap from The Toucan.
Strewn flags and charming archways make Maltby one of London's must-trys.
Urban Food Fest in Shoreditch
Every Saturday: 5pm to Midnight
Coming a cropper in Manchester and London, Urban Food Fest is seemingly the most laid back of the bunch. They're in a car park after all. Shot-putting street food into the mouths of East London folk all around, Urban Food Fest is a Saturday smasher for those after Korean beef, truffle macaroni and cheese, craft beer, pad thai and more from a whole happy go lucky bunch of traders.
Cracking ribs in a car park has never looked so tempting. And legal.
