RestaurantsLondonSE1

survey result

Summary

£46
   ££
2
Average
2
Average
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

Hosting a range of pop-up kitchens and bars, these “lively and fun” sustainable markets have sprung up across the capital since opening in an ex-paper factory near Elephant & Castle in 2016, a year after the concept was launched at Milan’s World Expo. They make a flexible and affordable option that particularly comes into its own in summer – the Canary Wharf branch on Wood Wharf is “brilliant for sitting outside overlooking the dock”; and SE1 boasts London’s biggest beer garden.

Summary

£43
    £
3
Good
2
Average
5
Exceptional
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Very reasonably priced, good food and great fun” is all yours for the taking at this former paper factory near Elephant & Castle, converted to host more than 40 different food and drink pop-ups. “You just wander from one to another, then find a place to sit and eat in the common area”, which includes London’s biggest beer garden – “a great outdoor space”. There are now three other MMs in London, following a concept launched in Italy (hence the name).

Summary

£27
    £
3
Good
3
Good
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Fabulous atmosphere” and “so many choices”: this 45,000 sqare foot former paper factory near Elephant & Castle hosts 40-odd operators at any time, offering anything from Argentinian grilled meat to Uzbeck rice dishes along with London’s biggest beer garden. “We love it: everyone can please themselves and meet again in the middle”, while “it’s great for kids because they can make as much noise as they like”. “You just have to avoid the really crowded times as it’s pretty popular now”. Founder Andrea Rasca also runs markets in Milan and Turin – and across London in deconsecrated Grade-1-listed St Mark’s church, Mayfair.

Summary

£25
    £
4
Very Good
2
Average
3
Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Chocca with pop-ups” near Elephant & Castle, this “amazing” 45,000 square foot foodie market is “a great place to hang out and eat” – and is “far less crowded than Borough Market, its neighbour up the road”. “The range and quality means you have to return several times to sample everything you want” from 50 different operators including an on-site Bavarian brewer. This ‘sustainable community food market’ is the brainchild of Andrea Rasca, who runs similar schemes in Milan and Turin. Upcoming developments include markets in Grade I listed St Mark’s Church, Mayfair and Ilford’s new cultural quarter and an MM Food Factory at the nearby £2.3billion Elephant Park development scheme. The only complaint is that this former paper factory “feels like a barn and can get chilly in winter”.

For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).

Have you eaten at Mercato Metropolitano?

Restaurant details

No dress code

Prices

Traditional European menu

Starter Main Veggies Pudding
£6.00 £9.00 £5.00 £6.00
Drinks  
Wine per bottle £20.00
Filter Coffee £3.00
Extras  
Bread £0.00
Service 10.00%
Opening hours
Monday12 pm‑11 pm
Tuesday12 pm‑11 pm
Wednesday12 pm‑11 pm
Thursday12 pm‑12 am
Friday12 pm‑1 am
Saturday11 am‑1 am
Sunday11 am‑10 pm

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