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London food walk: Maltby Street & Spa Terminus SE1 & SE16
Words and photography by Fiona Symington.
JUNE 2013
JUNE 2013
Maltby Street and its neighbour Spa Terminus are perhaps the place for food in London. Among the railway arches and housing estates of Bermondsey, you will find a burgeoning food scene of well-known names and innovative newcomers - all staunchly committed to good quality food.
Start your walk at London Bridge taking the Tooley Street exit, following the railway tracks to your left, whilst navigating the construction sites around the railway arches once home to London's more notorious nightclub scene. At times, you'll think you're lost as you pass through this wasteland of abandoned buildings but you're on track. It's these side streets, railway tunnels and abandoned warehouses that will lead you to your first destination – Druid Street, home to some of the most famous names of London’s food scene.
Arrive early to secure yourself a St John Bakery donut – people travel miles for these sugar-coated, lemon curb, apricot jam, and custard filled delights. Here among the crash repairers and furniture wholesalers, you’ll also find Bea’s of Bloomsbury serving an all-day American breakfast (until it runs out) and O’Shea’s butcher delivering some impressive aged beef. Avoid the temptation to over-indulge as there is more to come as you continue to the end of Druid Street, down Abbey Road, past the storage buildings of Enid Street, through to Spa Street and then Dockley Street. (You will need a map - which we have provided below.)
You'll experience a surprising sense of community in this light industry space among London Honey Company, La Grotta Ices, Little Bread Pedlar and Coleman Coffee Roasters, among others. Grab a filter coffee from Coleman’s and a parma rose from Pedlar and perch on the storage crates opposite to enjoy.
Next door to Pedlar is London Honey Company – just look for the bee boxes stacked outside. While there sign-up for a course in urban beekeeping and get something for your London larder. Further along is La Grotta – with its changing menu such as bergamot sorbet and liquorice raspberry ripple. The biodynamic produce of Fern Verrow is simply inspiring as is the French, Italian and Spanish produce that you will find at Natoora, just around the corner. To find it simply look for the over-sized 1970s ice cream cone belonging to The Ice Cream Union – another local favourite.
Whereas Spa Terminus is urban industrial, a collective of food wholesalers and providers; Maltby Street is more street party, a festival with bunting flags and pop-ups that line its railway arches. Some store holders have taken up permanent residence; others are more temporary. One weekend you might find a pop-up bar serving a very respectable prosecco (chilled in plastic buckets with ice) for elevenses. Another time, you will find newcomers like Co&Co selling bespoke salted caramels and chocolates inside Lassco, the architectural salvagers whose stock fills most of the railway arches.
Look out for Tom’s Feast (@tomsfeast) and his scallop ceviche – the hand-dived scallops come from Lyme Bay Dorset and are served with lemon, coriander, and a punch of chilli. A Little French Tart is a little coquette with her raspberry tarts (@poppyskitchen).
Always changing, improvised and innovative, this area of London never falls to deliver. Only open on Saturday.
EAT
La Grotta Ices, Unit 1 Dockley Road SE16 3SF
The Ice Cream Union, Arch 1 Discovery Spa Road SE16 4RA Tel 020 7237 9042
Little Bread Pedlar, Unit 5 Dockley Road SE16 3SF Tel 078888878995
Tom's Feast, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA T @tom'sfeast
Market Gourmet, Collector’s Yard, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA
A Little French Tart, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA T @poppysktichen
Tozino, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA
DRINK
The Kernel Brewery, Arch 11 Dockley Road SE16 4EJ Tel 02072314516
Jensen Gin, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA Tel: +44 (0)20 8838 9367
Little Bird, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA
St John Bakery, 72 Druid Street SE1 2HQ Tel 020 7237 5999
LARDER
The London Honey Company, Unit 6 Dockley Road SE16 3SF Tel. 020 7394 7072
Fern Verrow, Unit 10 Dockley Road SE16 3SFE E fernverrow@btopenworld.com
Natoora, Arch 8 Discovery SE16 4RA Tel. 020 7627 1600
Coleman Coffee Roasters, Unit 5 Dockley Road SE16 3SF Tel 07809 496695
England Preserves, 148 Spa Road SE16 4RP Tel 020 7064 1761
Monmouth Coffee, Arch 3 Spa North SE16 4EJ Tel 020 7232 3010
O’Shea’s Butchery, 120 Druid Street SE1 2HH Tel 020 7064 1712
The Butchery, Arch 13 Dockley Road SE16 3FJ
El Madero, Arch 840 Druid Street SE1 2EH Tel 020 7357 6991
Flavours of Spain, Arch 104 Druid Street Tel 01634 407458
Maltby & Greek, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA Tel 020 7426 1288
WARE
Lassco, 41 Maltby Street SE1 3PA Tel 020 7394 8061
Start your walk at London Bridge taking the Tooley Street exit, following the railway tracks to your left, whilst navigating the construction sites around the railway arches once home to London's more notorious nightclub scene. At times, you'll think you're lost as you pass through this wasteland of abandoned buildings but you're on track. It's these side streets, railway tunnels and abandoned warehouses that will lead you to your first destination – Druid Street, home to some of the most famous names of London’s food scene.
Arrive early to secure yourself a St John Bakery donut – people travel miles for these sugar-coated, lemon curb, apricot jam, and custard filled delights. Here among the crash repairers and furniture wholesalers, you’ll also find Bea’s of Bloomsbury serving an all-day American breakfast (until it runs out) and O’Shea’s butcher delivering some impressive aged beef. Avoid the temptation to over-indulge as there is more to come as you continue to the end of Druid Street, down Abbey Road, past the storage buildings of Enid Street, through to Spa Street and then Dockley Street. (You will need a map - which we have provided below.)
You'll experience a surprising sense of community in this light industry space among London Honey Company, La Grotta Ices, Little Bread Pedlar and Coleman Coffee Roasters, among others. Grab a filter coffee from Coleman’s and a parma rose from Pedlar and perch on the storage crates opposite to enjoy.
Next door to Pedlar is London Honey Company – just look for the bee boxes stacked outside. While there sign-up for a course in urban beekeeping and get something for your London larder. Further along is La Grotta – with its changing menu such as bergamot sorbet and liquorice raspberry ripple. The biodynamic produce of Fern Verrow is simply inspiring as is the French, Italian and Spanish produce that you will find at Natoora, just around the corner. To find it simply look for the over-sized 1970s ice cream cone belonging to The Ice Cream Union – another local favourite.
Whereas Spa Terminus is urban industrial, a collective of food wholesalers and providers; Maltby Street is more street party, a festival with bunting flags and pop-ups that line its railway arches. Some store holders have taken up permanent residence; others are more temporary. One weekend you might find a pop-up bar serving a very respectable prosecco (chilled in plastic buckets with ice) for elevenses. Another time, you will find newcomers like Co&Co selling bespoke salted caramels and chocolates inside Lassco, the architectural salvagers whose stock fills most of the railway arches.
Look out for Tom’s Feast (@tomsfeast) and his scallop ceviche – the hand-dived scallops come from Lyme Bay Dorset and are served with lemon, coriander, and a punch of chilli. A Little French Tart is a little coquette with her raspberry tarts (@poppyskitchen).
Always changing, improvised and innovative, this area of London never falls to deliver. Only open on Saturday.
EAT
La Grotta Ices, Unit 1 Dockley Road SE16 3SF
The Ice Cream Union, Arch 1 Discovery Spa Road SE16 4RA Tel 020 7237 9042
Little Bread Pedlar, Unit 5 Dockley Road SE16 3SF Tel 078888878995
Tom's Feast, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA T @tom'sfeast
Market Gourmet, Collector’s Yard, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA
A Little French Tart, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA T @poppysktichen
Tozino, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA
DRINK
The Kernel Brewery, Arch 11 Dockley Road SE16 4EJ Tel 02072314516
Jensen Gin, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA Tel: +44 (0)20 8838 9367
Little Bird, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA
St John Bakery, 72 Druid Street SE1 2HQ Tel 020 7237 5999
LARDER
The London Honey Company, Unit 6 Dockley Road SE16 3SF Tel. 020 7394 7072
Fern Verrow, Unit 10 Dockley Road SE16 3SFE E fernverrow@btopenworld.com
Natoora, Arch 8 Discovery SE16 4RA Tel. 020 7627 1600
Coleman Coffee Roasters, Unit 5 Dockley Road SE16 3SF Tel 07809 496695
England Preserves, 148 Spa Road SE16 4RP Tel 020 7064 1761
Monmouth Coffee, Arch 3 Spa North SE16 4EJ Tel 020 7232 3010
O’Shea’s Butchery, 120 Druid Street SE1 2HH Tel 020 7064 1712
The Butchery, Arch 13 Dockley Road SE16 3FJ
El Madero, Arch 840 Druid Street SE1 2EH Tel 020 7357 6991
Flavours of Spain, Arch 104 Druid Street Tel 01634 407458
Maltby & Greek, RopeWalk, Maltby Street SE1 3PA Tel 020 7426 1288
WARE
Lassco, 41 Maltby Street SE1 3PA Tel 020 7394 8061
