BROADWAY MARKET
Broadway Market, Hackney, London E8 4QJ
Broadway
Market is a bustling Saturday street market with about 80 stalls selling food
from all over the world and various vintage and antique objects. It is a true
representation of the gentrification of East London; once I heard a local man yelling at the crowd for taking over his neighbourhood. It is clear that the visitors have thought through their outfits carefully before going for lunch,
and if you’re not prepared you can stop at the racks of vintage clothes at the
beginning of the market for the necessary hipster attire. I used to go every
weekend when I lived in the area, and I still try to make the trip now. I
developed a sort of set repertoire of dishes to eat, and made sure I always had
someone to share with in order to be able to try as many things as possible. I’m
not going to go over all my favourites now, just what I ate the last time I
went. I started with the Scallop + Bacon Bap because the Fin & Flounder
shop was out of supply for my regular Tuna Roll. The Cornish scallops are deep
fried and served with crispy bacon and chilli mayo. It is a really good
sandwich, but they serve it with the roe, which I’m not completely comfortable
with. I then tried the Vietnamese Baguette with pork from a stall that always
has a long line. They were stingy on the fillings so the fresh Bánh mì bread
had to do most of the work, and the overall taste was not spectacular in any
way.
There
are some amazing dessert vendors along the market, such as the organic Cinnamon
Tree Bakery and the delicious Coco&Me. I haven’t been able to pick my
favourite out of their brownies. Beware of the dairy-free, gluten-free,
sugar-free bakeries though. Some of these might look enticing, but I’ve learnt
to stay away. I once had a carrot cake cupcake with coconut icing, which
sounded like it had potential to be amazing. Alas, it was a huge and solid lump,
with zero taste. I’ve been conditioned
to feel strongly against throwing away food, but I had to give up on this, as I
didn’t want to waste precious space in my stomach for the many other delicious
cakes around the market. I had a slice of flourless chocolate cake at
Coco&Me, and by this point I was already getting quite full. Walking
further North up the market, I shared the Stilton and Pork Burger with my
friend. This is a really juicy burger where the cheese is already mixed in with
the meat before grilling. For dessert number two I got ice cream from the
friendly vendor at Chateaux Gelato. The pistachio ice cream and blood orange
sorbet was a refreshing end to another successful day at Broadway Market.
Broadway Market, Hackney, London E8 4QJ
