VIBE

While a well-heeled few Londoners still do their weekly shop here, the food hall mainly caters to tourist tastes these days. Practically every food you can imagine is displayed temptingly in the charmingly old-fashioned, glass-fronted counters, from souvenir teas and chocolates to choice cuts of meat and fresh pastas. Sit-down restaurants around the sides of the food hall offer crowd-pleasers like pizza and sushi, though their cuisine doesn’t quite stack up to the divine treats on the main floor.

CROWD

A bubbling mix of tourists, swanning fashionistas, and office types grabbing a quick bite.

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

It’s "casual," though this ranges from tourists with cameras around their necks to ladies in designer flats and Hermès scarves. We’d recommend dressing as you would for a sophisticated shopping trip.

GO HERE WITH

Friends; family; kids

WHY WE LIKE IT

Browsing the eye-catching displays is a must-do London experience, and the one-of-a-kind treats usually taste as good as they look.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

The aimed-at-tourists items, like tinned biscuits, are often pretty chintzy.

GOOD TO KNOW

Check out the more exotic treats, like tropical fruits, GBP 10,000+ bottles of wine, and ultra-rare white truffles. The candy counter is a perennial fave, especially with kids, as the selection of sweets and chocolates is both visually stunning and deliciously drool-worthy.

CLOSEST COMPS

Borough Market (London); Grand Central Market (New York)

Click here for our full-form mobile travel guide, The Purple Passport to London