Borough Market in 2014 was a familiar stop for my food shopping, and this visit a few days before Christmas combined groceries with lunch. I began with takeaway coffee from Monmouth, browsed the produce stalls and joined the queue for a toasted cheese sandwich from Kappacasein.
Originally published on 20 December 2014, the film captures a busy market morning beneath the railway arches. Christmas decorations hang above the stalls, while the Shard supplies a very different backdrop beyond the market buildings.
From London Bridge to Monmouth Coffee
The visit begins at London Bridge station, a short walk across the road from the market. I came here frequently throughout the year, but this time there were Christmas groceries to pick up and something new to try for lunch.
Monmouth Coffee was my first stop. I chose a coffee to go so I could keep exploring. In the film, I also point out the option to sit inside and the dedicated counter selling beans, whole or ground, to take home.
The weekend queue was already part of the experience. My advice in the 2014 commentary was not to be put off by the line outside: I found that the staff worked through it quickly. It was an enthusiastic recommendation from that visit, rather than a promise about waiting times today.
Christmas groceries and street food
One of the things I liked about Borough Market was the mix of food to cook at home and food ready to eat. A grocery trip could easily become lunch, and that was usually how I approached it. The stalls offered plenty to browse before making either decision.
The film moves between fruit and vegetable displays, food counters and hot pans, with shoppers passing through the covered spaces. It is a reminder that the market was as much a place to eat and drink as somewhere to fill a shopping bag.
A Kappacasein toasted cheese sandwich
I liked trying something different each time I visited. Having heard good things about Kappacasein’s toasted cheese sandwiches, I decided to get in line and try one for myself.
In the original commentary, I described the filling as three cheeses mixed with five types of onion, toasted between sourdough bread. That is the recipe description recorded in the 2014 film; it is not a claim about the sandwich’s ingredients today.
The finished sandwich had a golden toasted exterior and a generous melted filling. After trying it, my verdict was thoroughly positive. It was a satisfying choice for lunch in the middle of a Christmas shopping trip, and one I was happy to recommend in the film.
A Saturday market walk in December 2014
I normally visited on a Saturday, when the market was in full swing. The closing commentary also points to the food shops and restaurants on the roads around and through it, which made the surrounding streets part of the visit too.
The original description included opening times and market-day arrangements. Those belong to 2014 and should not be treated as current visitor information. This archive story keeps the focus on that morning: coffee, Christmas groceries and a very good cheese toastie.
