Borough Market

At the first signs of spring, Londoners shed their pea coats and ditch their desk-lunching habits for sunnier horizons in the open-air markets that consume each corner of the city. After a solid two months in this city, I’ve sampled a lovely few of them and have still constantly returned to my favorite—Borough Market.

Strolling through this huge market, you’ll see everything from kangaroo burgers to fresh squid and clams. But see below for a taste of what you absolutely cannot miss and some tips to read before you go.

Borough tips:

-Arrive early on a Friday, say 10 or 11 a.m., to avoid long lines and teams of Canon-wielding cameras and find yourself in an oasis of fruit, veg, take-away delights and fresh fish—not to mention various ciders and wines to wash it all down.

-Go with at least three other people to get the best sampling of takeaway items and still have cash for things to bring home. (For those of you who are American and don’t hear ‘takeaway’ all the time, it just means an already prepared meal that you buy and eat on the go.)

-Don’t eat anything before you go. You need room to sample it all and you’ll have too many goodies to take home.

-Bring enough cash and a camera. The colorful displays and artisanal delicacies are endless, and you won’t want to miss out on any of it. The market isn’t expensive by any means (5 pounds for a takeaway meal), but you should definitely splurge while you’re there if you’re a foodie like me.

-Take a stroll all the way through each section of the market before you buy anything. Then, make a prioritized plan on what you want to eat and then purchase to take home. This way, you’ll maximize the market’s potential.