Favourite food foray in London: Borough Market I like to think I "stumbled" onto a culinary gem while I was in London for the 2012 Olympics, that I'd discovered a jewel of an eatery I could treat as my go-to spot whenever I get peckish in London. But such is not the case. It seems Borough Market in Southwark, London, has been popular with locals going back to the thirteenth century. While it's not new (far from it!) Borough Market reflects every major contemporary food trend: organic, locally produced, artisanal - even healthy, if you relish your uber chocolate brownies in moderation. And if you think the market looks familiar, you're not hallucinating: Borough Market has made appearances in a score of London-based movies including Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). Borough Market is London's oldest market, dating back (according to some) to the 1200s. The setting has a Dickensian feel: weathered factories, rustic stands tucked under railway passes, produce stalls hugging narrow lanes that twist and turn through a maze of historic churches and well-worn pathways. Yet it's hip at the same time. Just join the trendy and well-coiffed in the serious line-ups at Monmouth Coffee shop adjacent to the market. We're talking serious brew here. If your digs include cooking facilities, consider you've struck gold. You can fill your shopping sack with such goodies as artisan cheeses, organic ham (from acorn-fed pigs), medicinal-friendly honey, cakes, bread, olive oils, fish, meat, and game - and that's not to mention the goat's ice-cream, nougats, fresh salads and Asian delicacies to be consumed on the spot. Borough Market is a good place to sit and have a local brew with your lunch, or head to the historic Globe Pub which is part of the market. The surrounding neighbourhood is a historical walking tour in itself. Depending where you're coming from, it's quite likely you'll walk over London Bridgeor the Millennium Bridge for that matter, saunter along the embankment, pass by the renown Globe Theatre (think Shakespeare) which is in thespian spitting distance of the Thames. Point, shoot, click - and nosh [caption id="attachment_12991" align="aligncenter" width="330" caption="Excellent food purveyors tucked into every nook and cranny in Borough Market (Photo: Visit London)"] [/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_12985" align="aligncenter" width="330" caption="Grilled duck sandwich is a must (Photo: Doug O'Neill)"] [/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_12988" align="aligncenter" width="212" caption="Organic chocolate, the best afters for any Boroughs bite (Photo: Doug O'Neill)"] [/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_12989" align="aligncenter" width="330" caption="London has a long tradition of incredibly edible food stands and food trucks (Photo: Doug O'Neill)"] [/caption]

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Luckily, Boroughs isn't the only market option you have in this great city. Check out Visit London's round-up of markets in England's food-loving capital.