You may have heard of London's big commercial markets like Smitbfield and (new) Billingsgate, but these can be quite intimidating for a visitor and tend to close very early in the morning (e.g. before your hangover wears off!). Borough Market is just south of London Bridge and within a short walk of the Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre. Here you will find both British and continental produce from herbs and fish to wild French mushrooms and fresh and cured meat. A butcher on the site offers free samples of superb organic sausages and sandwiches to take away. It offers plenty of small pubs, bars, cafes, and other diversions and has superb transport links. If you want to buy food to take to your self-catering apartment, do arrive well before lunch so there's something left!

This has to be my favourite place in London and luckily, although it can get busy, it isn't one of the top tourist hot spots, which means it keeps its appeal as a typically English market atmosphere.

The best bit for me is the amount of free tasters on offer, so if you are short on cash and are feeling a little peckish, then you can easily feed your appetite on free tasters here. Another favourite that I would recommend people trying is the Somerset Cider Stall that is located near the restaurant. It's gorgeous stuff!

You can lose yourself here easily for a couple of hours looking at the wide array of fruit, vegetables, breads, cheeses, meats, fish and other speciality foods that you will find it hard to find anywhere else in London. Stalls and market operators include the Monmouth Coffee Company, de Gustibus, and the Fresh Olive Company.

This fruit and vegetable market is located almost opposite the London Bridge tube station, although I would recommend walking to it along the River Thames, as it's about a 30 minute walk from Leicester Square and Covent Garden, as this way you get to see so much more of the city.

The market itself spreads out in an L-shape and is the successor to a medieval market, held on London Bridge way back in 1276, so not only do you get free food, but also you get to take in a lot of nostalgia and history as well! The buildings of its present location date from 1851.

Surrounding the market there are even more shops offering fresh produce, cheeses and meats including 'Neal's Yard Dairy', selling British and Irish farmhouse cheeses, the acclaimed 'Fish', beside the restaurant of the same name, and Konditor & Cook, the bakers.

Opening hours for Borough Market are:
Fri: noon-6pm, Sat: 9am-4pm

If you require any further information then you can check out there website at: http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk

I can't recommend this market highly enough and it's an excellent attraction as part of a full day of entertainment along the River Thames, which can include The London Eye, Tate Modern and even better, the Vinnepolis Wine Tasting Museum!

On Friday afternoon and Saturday, the Borough Market is open the the public. It is located under the railway, and is one of London's oldest and largest. The design is Victorian.

We were staying in an apartment with a fully-equipped kitchen, so we made good use of the market, buying organic lamb chops, the thinnest asparagus I'd ever seen (smaller than a pencil), and tiny yellow potatoes to make for dinner. But even if you don't have the use of a kitchen, you can still enjoy the fresh baked goods, fruits and vegetables, and prepared meats, such as pate and dry sausages. Besides, it is always fun to look at unfamiliar produce, fish and meat.

Just outside the market's roof is Neal's Yard Dairy. You will probably smell it before you see it. It's the place to get a sample of some wonderful English cheeses, hard and soft. (And they'll gfive you a little bit to taste, if you ask.) We bought a piece of something called Stinky Bishop, and it really lived up to its name. They also have delicious bread from Poilane, one of Paris' best bakeries.

The stalls vary and move around within the market from day to day. We went on a Saturday the first time, and were disappointed that some of the sellers were not there the following Friday (an exotic sausage maker, in particular). So if you see something you want, buy it, because it mught not be there the next time.

Tube stop: London Bridge, on the Northern line (toward Kennington). Hours: Friday noon to 6 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We stumbled upon this market by accident and we were pleasantly surprised. This is basically a small wholesale fruit and vegetable market spread out in an L shape underneath the railway tracks. We were there on a Saturday morning and there was a lot of action going on.