Traders of the month

Applebee’s Fish offers wild and line caught seafood – from lobster and large Madagascan prawns to halibut, snapper, sea bass, salmon and crab – both fresh, found on ice out the front of the restaurant, or cooked to order in the Stoney Street cafe. The daily changing menu sees the catch of the day served alongside seasonal dishes.

From a team of chefs striving to make the best sandwich in London, the Black Pig’s signature honey truffle and parmesan pork ciabatta has made its mark. It is one of The Black Pig’s small range of generous sandwiches with an Italian influence, made using Blythburgh free range pork, cheeses from the Parma Ham and Mozzarella Stand and fresh ciabatta from Bread Ahead Bakery, and finished over coals in a Big Green Egg ceramic grill.

Inspired by his roots, Giuseppe Mele offers a wonderful selection of food sourced direct from Calabria, the ‘toe’ of Italy. Cured meats include soppressata, the region’s most popular salami, and nduja, a spreadable salami made using pig’s cheeks, lard, belly and some lively spicing. De Calabria also stocks cheese, pure unfiltered olive oil, sundried tomatoes, honey and plenty more besides.

Sybil La Grenade began making traditional Grenadian products in her basement while working as a home economics teacher in the 1960s. De La Grenade is now run by her daughter Cecile, who supplies Borough Market stallholder Doreen Gittens with a taste of the Caribbean via jams and jellies made from nutmeg, guava and grapefruit, as well as pepper sauces and other products imported direct from the family estate on the island of Grenada.

Furness Fish Markets is a family-run business started by Les Salisbury, who began fishing for shrimps as a boy. Potted shrimps remain a star product on the Borough Market stall, caught in Morecambe Bay before being boiled with a combination of spices, sealed with butter and packed into pots. The stall also sells fresh day boat fish caught across the British Isles: from the Cornish coast to the Shetland Islands. The fish arrives at Borough every morning, ensuring it’s always beautifully fresh.

3BIS brings high-quality gelato to Borough Market, made with carefully sourced British cow’s milk with just the right fat content to create this classic Italian-style ice cream. Other ingredients are equally high-quality, with an emphasis on the wealth of flavours available within the Market. Fresh batches of gelato are made daily in full public view, using traditional equipment including an authentic machine from the 1950s.

A small yet vibrant barbershop run by friendly barbers Helen and Mark, offering both traditional and fashion cuts, as well as beard trims. No appointment necessary: simply stroll in, sit in the traditional train station-style waiting room and watch passersby in the heart of the Market.

Headed up by Elizabeth Haigh, ex head chef at east London’s Pidgin, Mei Mei specialises in dishes from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Inspired by Singaporean ‘kopi tiams’ (coffee shops), the menu sees the likes of Hainanese chicken rice and ox cheek rendang curry meet Malaysian breakfast staple ‘nasi lemak’ (a fragrant coconut rice dish); and ‘captain’s curry’ made using 100-day-old chicken from Ginger Pig.

Oak & Smoke produces and procures smoked fish products with sustainability and conservation at heart. The star of the stall is the famed Arbroath smokie, the production of which has scarcely changed for centuries and was enshrined in EU regulation since 2004, when it achieved protected status. Other specialities include hot smoked salmon, trout and mackerel, alongside a variety of pâtés.

Artist Richard Bramble has been trading at Borough for more than 20 years, selling his food-themed printed textiles and hand-painted ceramics alongside prints of the colourful scenes of the Market. Having illustrated recipes and provided plate designs for many eminent British chefs, producers and growers, Richard is skilled at capturing the essence of an ingredient and translating it onto beautiful yet functional kitchenware.

Built in 1872 and designed by renowned Victorian architect Henry Jarvis, The Globe Tavern is set in a distinctive Gothic-style building. Following extensive refurbishment in 2015, the interior is modern with an extensive array of lagers, real and craft ales.