Mercato Metropolitano: London's new Italian food market

by Tom Shingler 16 September 2016

With a focus on the very best street food and a shop specialising in the artisanal, regional ingredients, Mercato Metropolitano is set to become the place to be for foodies across the capital. Tom Shingler went along to the opening night to see what’s in store for visitors.

Tom Shingler

Tom Shingler is the editor of Great British Chefs.

Tom Shingler

Tom Shingler is the editor at Great British Chefs. After studying journalism and working on national food magazines, he joined Great British Chefs in 2015 and has travelled the length and breadth of the UK to interview chefs and photograph their beautiful plates of food ever since. Tom is responsible for all the editorial output of the website and, of course, is obsessed with everything to do with food and drink.

One thing’s for certain: Andrea Rasca, the man behind Italian market Mercato Metropolitano, doesn’t do things by halves. His recently opened 45,000 square foot site is home to a bakery, fishmongers, butchery, coffee roasters, artisan supermarket, pizza oven, pasta makers, cheesemongers and kitchen garden. And that’s even before getting to the street food side of things.

The market – located in an abandoned paper factory in the upcoming SoBo (South of Borough) area – is a result of Andrea’s success launching the same concept in Milan. ‘During the Milan Expo in 2015 I noticed that, despite being focused on food and saving the planet, there was no connection to farmers and big brands like Coca-Cola and McDonalds were sponsors,’ he says. ‘I just couldn’t agree with that, so started looking to set up my own food market that focused on proper, local food made with the very best ingredients. We hosted the first Mercato Metropolitano in a disused railway station in the centre of Milan for four months. During that time, 2.5 million people came to eat there, and when chef Massimo Bottura was asked by the New York Times where people should go to eat in Italy, he mentioned us.’

Only the best ingredients are used in everything sold at the market

A lot of the produce – such as mozzarella, pasta and burrata – is made on-site in front of customers

The market focuses on communal eating, with lots of seating to allow people to relax and socialise

The market shop sells the finest Italian ingrediens as well as exotic fresh produce

The London Mercato aims to bring the same quality food and drink over from Italy – many of the chefs and servers have come over from Italy to share their passion for the country’s produce. Proper Neapolitan pizza, fresh, handmade pasta and mozzarella made in front of your eyes certainly offers something many other markets can’t. But Andrea wants the market to be about much more than getting something good to eat – he’s trying to create a social hub for the local community.

‘I believe you should be sitting at a table with your friends when you eat,’ he says. ‘It’s an Italian tradition. You can’t really talk when you’re standing up with food in your hands, but when you sit down you start to see things in a clearer way.’ The market certainly has plenty of seating, which sets it apart from many other street food set-ups, and people can choose whatever they want from the many stalls before sitting down to eat together. There’s also an on-site gym, a barber shop and a co-working space, as well as an immersive film experience from Backyard Cinema. This, combined with the regular workshops, classes, performances and planned cookery school, means there’s much more to do than just eat at the market.

Many of the artisans working at Mercato Metropolitano have come over from Italy to share their passion for good food

If you have any questions about what's on offer, the staff are more than happy to help

Fresh pasta is made daily before being served with a variety of regional sauces

The pizza from the wood-fired oven is among the most authentic in London

Whether you're after just a slice or the whole leg, the deli counter is home to all sorts of regional Italian charcuterie

Next to the street food stalls, bars and artisans is Mercato Metropolitano’s own supermarket, Prezzemolo e Vitale, which specialises in Southern Italian produce. The cheese counter alone is worth visiting, showcasing a variety of Italian cheeses all but unheard of in the UK, but there’s also plenty of charcuterie, fresh produce (including incredible huge Cipolle di Giarrantana onions, perfect for roasting whole in the oven), breads, wines and beers. Andrea has plans to host classes at the cookery school which will show people how to make the most of all these niche and seasonal Italian ingredients.

As well as the enoteca serving Italian wines, there are several bars serving cocktails, beers and ciders

The specialist Italian craft beer bar serves ales hard to find anywhere else in the UK

Saisons, wild beers and double IPAs are on offer for those looking for something unique

Italians take their coffee seriously, and you can find a great cup of espresso near the entrance to the market

The pizza oven was flown over from Naples for a truly authentic experience

While the market has a strong emphasis on Italian food, Andrea is keen to include local businesses in any way he can. ‘I believe local produce is so important, so I want British and international food to be on offer as well,’ he says. If it is good quality and fits in with what we want the market to be about, then it’s a perfect match.’ Indeed, the likes of Canteen already have a stall there, and other vendors are serving up fantastic dishes from Spain, Argentina and Vietnam. It’s this inclusive, local, welcoming attitude that makes Mercato Metropolitano well worth a visit. But if you’re only going to try one of the many dishes on offer, the wood-fired pizza is a must.