Brunch Here: Market Halls VictoriaBy Alicia Grimshaw
Market Halls has transformed the abandoned arcaded bays of Victoria’s Terminus Place into a sustainable new destination, showcasing a diverse and eclectic offering of food and drink across three floors with eleven kitchens, a coffee shop, and three bars championing independent British-made beers, spirits and soft drinks. Board the Vicki Line and make a beeline for Market Halls where you can get your chops around buns, bagels, bacon and other food items that don’t begin with B. Here’s our top brunch picks:
1. For Salt Beef Magic: Monty’s Deli
Order: Salt Beef Bagel (£6.50)
The Lowdown: Monty’s Deli are all about perfecting the classic sandwich; they bake their own bagels, cure their meat, make their own special mustard, and they’ve even developed a rye bread to complement the fillings. Come for the cult favourite: the towering salt beef bagel – exceptionally moist beef stuffed into a chewy yet soft bagel. If you don’t know, get 2 know.
2. For Nose-to-Tail Cooking: Flank
Order: Breakfast Hash – braised flank and shin potato with beans and crispy egg (£9)
The Lowdown: Tom Griffiths’ nose-to-tail menu features comforting classics, using some of the best produce available from Swaledale in North Yorkshire and producers from Sussex, cooked low and slow or seared over a fire. The Piggy Bun is far superior to any bacon butty in the capital, we’ll tell you that for free: nose-to-tail piggy nugget topped with a glossy fried egg and finished with homemade red or brown sauce.
3. For Carb-Based Bites: bunshop
Order: Bacon Bun – braised ham hock, bacon and toasted oats in a bun served with a house ketchup (£5)
The Lowdown: bunshop is the latest venture from Jon Rotheram and Tom Harris, the chef duo behind Hackney’s hugely popular Marksman pub. Filled, baked and then steamed, the savoury buns are deliciously soft and still warm from the oven. Fillings include Welsh rarebit and mushroom, and that bacon number filled with pleasantly tender ham hock, bacon and oats, taking this bun to new savoury dimensions.
4. For Virtuous Fare: Squirrel
Order: Acai Bowl (£6)
The Lowdown: Squirrel are healthy heroes, creating wholesome grab and go munch all-day long. All dishes on their menu are made-to-order, meaning ingredients can be substituted to cater for the coeliac hunnies and dairy-free queens. Take your vegan pals here and order the agonisingly gorgeous acai bowl with acai, banana, pineapple, mixed berries, granola, toasted coconut chips and chia seeds. And toast. Loads of toast topped with either avocado, salmon, or both.
5. For Coffee and Cake: Press
Order: Latte and a croissant (£5)
The Lowdown: Press know their beans (which are imported from 15 different countries, no less). All of their beans are of the highest quality, sourced responsibility, and roasted on-site. Come for silky smooth cappuccinos, perfectly made lattes and buttery pastries.
191 Victoria St, Victoria, London SW1E 5NE
