Borough Market wholesale-turned-retail since the 1750s, plus the railway-arch food district at Maltby Street, Druid Street and Spa Terminus.
Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda's hand-rolled pasta counter at Borough Market in London, opened 2016, runs a daily-changing list of fresh-pasta plates and a walk-in queue.
Signature: Pici cacio e pepe, Pappardelle with eight-hour beef shin ragu
Order: Pici cacio e pepe and the pappardelle with eight-hour beef shin ragu.
Tip: Join the virtual queue at 12:00 sharp via their app for the first lunch slots; otherwise expect a 60-minute wait on Saturday.
Brett Redman's small-plates dining room on Stoney Street next to Borough Market in London, opened 2010, runs wood-fire cooking and a market-driven daily-changing chalkboard.
Signature: Wood-fired flatbread, Burrata with seasonal greens
Order: Whatever the wood-fired flatbread topping is, and a burrata with whatever's in season.
Tip: Walk-up only at the bar. Tables book a fortnight ahead. Closed Monday; the Borough Market kitchen runs Wed-Sat.
Robin Hancock and Ben Wright's seafood counter on Stoney Street next to Borough Market in London, opened 2002, runs a daily-fresh oyster menu and a serious fish pie.
Signature: Native oysters, Fish pie
Order: Half a dozen West Mersea or Lindisfarne native oysters, then the fish pie with mashed potato top.
Tip: Counter seats face the bar. Lunch runs walk-in; Saturday at noon is the un-touristed slot before market crowds peak.
Monmouth's Borough Market cafe in London, opened in this site in 2002 and trading as a coffee roaster since 1978, runs single-origin espresso at a standing counter near the market.
Signature drink: Single-origin espresso
Tip: Counter-and-bench seating only. Closed Sundays. The Covent Garden original on Monmouth Street is more laptop-tolerant.
Matthew Jones's bakery counter inside Borough Market in London, opened 2013, runs hand-rolled doughnuts and a bakery school in the railway arches behind the market.
Tip: The vanilla cream doughnut is the marquee bake. Their bakery school runs day classes for £150; book through their website three weeks ahead.
Worth the queue: Vanilla cream doughnut
Anita Le Roy's pioneer London coffee roaster, founded 1978 on Monmouth Street in Covent Garden, runs two retail-and-cafe sites and is the city's longest-running specialty roaster.
Tip: The Covent Garden original on 27 Monmouth Street has the standing counter; Borough has more outdoor seats.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Padella's hand-rolled pasta counter at Borough Market in London, opened 2016 by Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda, the budget-priced (£8-15) fresh pasta destination for the city.
Try: Hand-rolled fresh pasta
Tip: Use the Padella app for the virtual queue at 12:00 sharp; otherwise 60 minutes on Saturday. The Shoreditch sibling has same kitchen.
Kappacasein's grilled cheese counter inside Borough Market in London, trading since 2002, runs the city's most-photographed cheese toastie made from Montgomery cheddar and Ogleshield.
Try: Aged cheddar grilled cheese
Tip: Counter only. The 09:00 Saturday queue runs 45 minutes. Order the raclette plate if the cheese toastie line is too long.
Borough Market on Southwark Street in London, trading since the 1750s, runs over 100 produce, fish, cheese, charcuterie and prepared-food stalls under the railway arches.
Tip: Saturday is the most crowded; Friday is the best produce trading day. Bread Ahead, Padella and Monmouth all sit at or near the market.
Bread Ahead Bakery School at Borough Market in London, founded 2013 by Matthew Jones, runs day classes on sourdough, doughnuts and pastry at the bakery's working ovens.
Tip: Sourdough day class is the most-booked. Doughnut class focuses on the bakery's signature vanilla cream filling and runs Saturday mornings.
Borough Kitchen Cook School, run by the kitchenware shop chain since 2014, hosts knife-skills, Italian-pasta and Asian cookery classes at Hampstead and Chiswick locations.
Tip: Knife-skills three-hour class is the popular starter. Saturday brunch classes (pancakes, eggs) suit beginners.
Padella's hand-rolled pasta counter at Borough Market in London, opened 2016, runs the city's best-value fresh pasta at £8 a bowl, the cheap-counter destination on the South Bank.
Try: Fresh pasta
Tip: Use the Padella app at 12:00 sharp for first lunch slots. Mid-week dinner queues clear by 19:30 most weeks.