The Veggie Table

In a huge market where each stand is set to be unique and vie to be the choice selection for a city worker's lunch, naturally there would be a vendor to appeal to the vegetarian. The offering at this stand looks super fresh with colors that pop from the simple salad combinations showing that food that is really healthy for you also tastes good. The entire setup screams "FRESH." You know it is good when the queue is already growing well before the lunch hour is in full swing.


The experience at the Veggie Table begins in line as you peek around the queue to see what you are in for. Maybe just the burger? The salad? The burger with a bun? A combination? Soup/curry? At the front, the first thing you do is pay for the order with most people selecting "The Combo" which is the burger (no bun) on top of a box of salad, some opting for the free salsa or paying £0.50 extra for a scoop of hummus. Usually, there are about 5 different varieties of salad to choose from depending what is in season or freshly made including English rye bean salad, potato salad with herbs, and beet salad with feta and almonds. The person serving the salad asks which salads you want and then sections them methodiacally in the paper box. If you order a burger, the person on the grill gives you one off the spatula once it is ready.


Burgers are grilled fresh right in front of you as soon as the order is placed, contrasting nicely with the cool salad. The burger selection is between the vegan and gluten-free Super Veg "bursting with protein calcium and iron...made with organic vegetables, quinoa, nuts, sultanas and cumin" and Heavenly Halloumi made of "halloumi cheese with organic carrots, courgettes, fresh mint, and coriander." If you get salsa, it may add interest to the Super Veg burger with the grainy quinoa making up the bulk of the burger, but the Heavenly Halloumi is slighly more flavorful - most likely from the salty character of cooked halloumi - and has a subtle crunch from the carrots.

The bits and bobs of colorful veggie goodness from the varying flavors and textures makes an extremely satisfying, healthy meal ensuring that you can power through the afternoon. The Veggie Table can be found in the main hall of the Borough Market against the wall near the Boston sausage vendor as well as at Whitecross Street Market and Broadway Market.

The Veggie Table. www.theveggietable.co.uk

Double Chorizo

Among the numerous and crowded stalls in the Borough Market is the outdoor grill connected to Brindisa, the local purveyor of Spanish foods. During lunch hours, especially on Thursday and Friday with City workers migrating south of the river for a tasty and hassle-free lunch and even moreso on a sunny day, the Borough Market is a madhouse. People are milling about eager for samples or debating which stall will best satisfy their hunger. The decision already seems outright near impossible with each stall offering something almost entirely unique to the rest of the market at extremely high quality. But if your mood is for a simple taste of Spain and easy to get to, then perhaps the grill at Brindisa standing slightly on the outer rim of the market with a queue significantly shorter (or moving quicker) than those more inside the building will be the best choice. It is the minimalist and meaty chorizo roll attracting a crowd.


The queue at the stall moves quickly with the assembly line of grill, pay, and serve operating at full steam. The roll is toasted drizzled with olive oil before piled on with a single or double serving of chorizo, argula / rocket, and roasted red peppers and handed to you in a napkin. The combination is beautiful with the spicy richness of hot chorizo, peppery hints in arugula, and the sweetness of the red pepper. In addition to serving as a vessel, the roll is a great sponge to soak up any of the extra oils from the chorizo and peppers. As a mobile choice, you can easily enjoy the chorizo roll while browsing the other stalls at the market.

Brindisa at Borough Market. The Floral Hall, Stoney Street, Borough Market, London SE1