My Southbank Centre Market food tour began with a simple idea: could I put together a whole meal from the stalls, complete with drinks, a starter, a main course and dessert? This archive vlog, first published on 17 April 2016, follows an evening of eating beside the Thames, from Somerset cider to a final Negroni.
Crossing the Thames for dinner
I started on the north bank at high tide and headed towards the pedestrian bridges beside the railway tracks from Charing Cross. It was an overcast, slightly misty day, with plenty of wind on the crossing. Even so, the views of the London Eye, Westminster and the river made it a good way to arrive.
Walking through the theatre district had given me the idea for the evening. Restaurants around there offered pre-theatre menus, so I thought I would make my own version at the market. I was not actually going to a show. The theatre meal was simply the inspiration for a rather enjoyable challenge: choosing a different stall for each part of dinner.
Cider and Donostia Social Club tapas
Once I reached the market behind the Royal Festival Hall, I began with a drink. Champagne would have suited my imaginary dinner menu, but I could not find any. I spotted a cocktail bar and considered a Negroni before choosing Somerset cider instead.
Next came something to eat from the Donostia Social Club food truck: goats’ cheese with rocket and strawberry. I had been thinking of it as a little appetiser, although the portion was more generous than that description suggested. It was delicious, and a promising start to the meal.
This was already proving to be a relaxed way to have dinner. I could look around, buy one thing at a time and decide what I fancied next. There was no fixed menu to commit to, just the stalls in front of me and the practical question of how much room I would have left.
Bruschetta from Bread Tree
For my starter, I chose bruschetta from Bread Tree. The stall had a variety of toppings, including onions, meats and cheeses. I went for tomatoes on bread with green pesto, rather than the plain tomato version.
The bruschetta was good, but choosing it did not make choosing a main course any easier. There was so much food around me that the hardest part of the evening was narrowing things down. I took another look through the market before deciding where to stop next.
Sambal Shiok beef rendang
The main event was Malaysian beef rendang from Sambal Shiok. After all that looking around, this was the dish I wanted to try. I found somewhere to eat and tucked into the beef with rice, coriander and onions.
It was really good: slightly sweet, slightly spicy, with beef that melted in the mouth. After the bread and cheese earlier, this felt like a proper main course. The tasting-menu idea was working, although it was becoming a fairly substantial dinner.
Galeta chocolate tiffin and coffee
For dessert, I chose chocolate tiffin from Galeta. Chocolate and biscuit made a satisfying finish, and by this point I was starting to feel quite full. I had also been tempted by baklava, but I was happy with the choice I had made.
After all that food, an after-dinner coffee seemed essential. I went to the Bean About Town coffee truck for a black Americano. It was good coffee and gave me a moment to pause as the daylight faded and the market lights began to stand out.
A Negroni above the river
You might think the coffee would have been the end of it. Instead, I returned to the cocktail idea and finished with a barrel-aged Negroni from World of Zing. Then I took a look at the seating overlooking the Thames, a short walk from the food stalls.
There were tables and stools up there, with people walking along the South Bank below and boats moving on the river. It was a lovely place to linger with a drink. The market had its own places to stand or sit, but being so close to the water added another part to the evening.
Southbank Centre Market after dark
By the time I headed back, the riverfront was lit up. I crossed on the other side of the railway bridge for a different view on the return journey. The misty afternoon had turned into an evening of reflections, illuminated buildings and lights along the Thames.
My improvised dinner had worked well. The opening snack was perhaps a little large for an appetiser, but that was hardly a complaint. More than anything, this Southbank Centre Market visit showed how much variety I could fit into one evening without settling into a restaurant for the whole meal.
This article records my 2016 visit. The traders, dishes and market arrangements described reflect that evening.
