Foodie Enthusiast
From sampling the infinite foodie delights at London’s most renowned fruit and vegetable market to discovering the hedonist treasures and low-key Michelin dining in and around Bermondsey – Southwark is the city’s new hub for foodie enthusiasts and gastronomes alike.
After decades as a disadvantaged part of town, Bermondsey in particular has seen a complete revival with its warehouses being converted into bustling restaurants and its railway archways into eclectic bars. The area also includes a growing number of breweries and food start-ups, such as cheese makers, coffee roasters and butchers, and is quickly gaining a ‘must visit’ status.
8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL
3 minute walk from the hotel
Borough Market is London’s oldest food market and a source of exceptional British and international produce. It is a haven for anybody who has an interest in the quality and provenance of the food they eat. The market is frequented by chefs, restaurateurs, passionate amateur cooks and those who just love eating and drinking.
Many of the stallholders are the producers themselves, who grow, rear or bake the food on sale.
Package: A shared passion for local produce and seasonal fare inspired the hotel’s kitchen team to create the ultimate foodie ‘At The Market with Chef’ experience. Guests have the opportunity to visit Borough Market, accompanied by a senior member of Shangri-La’s kitchen team, who will demonstrate how to select the best, local ingredients. Guests will choose from a variety of produce, which the kitchen team will then use to prepare a bespoke dinner.
2 Park St, The Borough, London SE1 9AB
3 minute walk from the hotel
Start the day with one of the most delicious coffees in London Bridge and feel good knowing the roasters fully support ethical trade. Located at Borough Market, Monmouth Coffee’s second outpost, after its original in Covent Garden, is affectionately known by locals to be ‘as good as it gets’ in terms of coffee.
Tip: If the chance to stop by their Borough Market coffee shop did not present itself, not to fret. In 2007, Monmouth moved a large part of their roasting site to three converted railway arches at the nearby Maltby Street Market.
194 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3TQ
12 minute walk from the hotel
Nestled near the end of bustling Bermondsey Street, Pizarro is Spanish chef, José Pizarro’s critically acclaimed second restaurant on that street. It opened shortly after the raging success of his tapas institution, José just a few blocks down. The restaurant serves fresh and delicious Spanish cuisine with a contemporary twist and is a highlight within the south London dining scene.
Special treat: For those serious about their sherry and jamón, Pizarro can offer Shangri-La guests a special, one-hour masterclass* to learn more about both. Led by the kitchen’s senior chef, attendees have the chance to sample a variety of superior jamóns as well as a sherry flight and leave feeling like a true connoisseur.
Ropewalk, London SE1 3PA
15 minute walk from the hotel
During the summer of 2010, a quiet bubble of gastronomic intent was swelling under the railway arches in Bermondsey. This unlikely south-east London backwater quickly became a popular destination for a Saturday morning wander with a bit of grocery shopping. A few years on, the space has become a full-on street market with passionate stallholders showcasing the best of British produce, pop-up restaurants and archway bars.
Tip: To find out about the gastronomic delights that await beneath these converted arches, visit from 9am to 4pm on Saturdays and from 11am to 4pm on Sundays. Some of the original stallholders have relocated down the road to Spa Terminus, which is open Saturdays only, around 9am to 2pm.
55 Stanworth St, London SE1 3NY
18 minute walk from the hotel
Bermondsey Distillery, producers of local favourite Jensen’s Gin, is situated within one of these converted archways at Maltby Street Market and close to the River Thames; an area where - historically - botanicals arrived from Holland hence making Bermondsey the location for the beginnings of several classic gins. Owner, Christian Jensen focused on creating finely balanced gins that honour the forgotten Old London recipes, specifically those dating back to the 18th century when gins were not sweetened, but rather relied on natural sugars from their respective botanicals.
Tip: Want to know more? Hotel guests are welcome to book a special Jensen’s Gin distillery tour* to learn about the history and process of Old London gins, a special tasting of their Bermondsey Dry and Old Tom varieties, as well as some of their exclusive infusions within specially crafted, historic cocktails. Tours are available between 9am and 6pm, Monday through Friday, and can be one or half of an hour.
Led by London Brewery Tours, the afternoon starts with an hour’s guided walk around the historic buildings in and around Southwark, which were once a part of the area’s great beer trade, and ends at Southwark Brewery.
These independent producers create perfectly crafted, small-batch British beer, each with a distinct flavour and ingredients. The event also includes a tour of the brewery and tasting with the brewer himself.
Special treat: If craft beer is of high interest, why not invest a whole afternoon discovering the plethora of independent breweries in SE1 on the Bermondsey Beer Mile Walking Tour? Meet the brewers who will talk about the process - from brewing to bottling - and then taste these authentic craft beers straight from the tap. Shangri-La guests are welcome to discounted tickets, private tours are also available upon request.