The Market Porter — Restaurant in London

The Market Porter restaurant in Borough Market, part of the Market Taverns, is one hidden gem. The dining room is a lovely quiet hideaway, nestled above the busy pub downstairs, with views over bustling Borough Market. It’s quaint, radiating an old-fashioned pub vibe inside, yet it’s pretty cosy. We visited one Saturday at prime time, and it was still very quiet. The staff were friendly from the off, offering help and ensuring we hadn’t forgotten to check out the specials.

Being a pub too, The Market Porter offers twelve traditional, award-winning ales as well as a selection of wines, soft drinks and a handful of cocktails. The classic Aperol Spritz was perfectly prepared, as we clutched onto the end of the warm autumn weather. The Twinkle however stole the show – a mix of Champagne, vodka and elderflower, it was lightly sparkling and beautifully refreshing. If you’re not an ale lover, and are a little impartial to a fizz, I’d definitely recommend a Twinkle.

The seasonal menu features roughly six starters, plus there were a couple on the specials board when we visited – don’t forget to check that board! They weren’t the usual’s you would find on a gastro pub menu and included a thai beef salad and arancini.

We tried the Hot Smoked Salmon Scotch Egg (£9), which was fantastic. The smoked salmon full of flavour, tender and flaky, had a beautiful light bread coating, and soft boiled egg inside. The horseradish and curried fennel mayo which accompanied the scotch egg, was creamy and rich in flavour, complimenting it well. This one was quite a big starter. The Toasted Sourdough topped with Creamed Mushrooms and Onion Crust (£8) did not disappoint either. The mushrooms were rich in that signature umami flavour, weren’t overly creamy, and there were plenty of them.

The eight mains on the menu when we visited, gave off more of that gastro pub feel, with Beer Battered Haddock, a Rib Eye Steak, Market Porter Pie and a Chicken Kiev making an appearance. The special board on our visit featured another beef number and The Market Fish Special – Seabass with Sweet Carrot Puree, which we could not resist.

The Seabass (£15) was delicate, with a fab crispy skin. It had a superb flavour. The Sweet Carrot Puree was a great way to serve carrots. It was indeed sweet, very smooth and complimented the Seabass very well. It’s quite a light meal, so sides are a must if you are hungry. The Chips (£3.75) were neither thin and crispy nor thick and chunky. They were crisp yet fluffy, and perfect for picking/sharing. The Daily Veg (£3.75) was a portion of Tenderstem broccoli when we visited, and it was served delightfully a la dente.

We also tried the Kale & Pumpkin Risotto with Chestnut Sage and Parmesan (£12.50). It was a delicious creamy, soft, autumnal dish. The chestnut pieces were plentiful, and the long strips of parmesan delicately placed on top added a rich, melty, cheesiness. I loved it! This might be the only veggie option, but it’s a fantastic one!

The Sticky Toffee Pudding (£6) with Butterscotch Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream, obviously caught our attention being lovers of a good one. Unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to others as it was a little dry and not overly sticky. However, the butterscotch sauce was fantastic and the vanilla ice cream beautifully potent in flavour and super creamy. It was still a nice end to the meal.

The Market Porter restaurant in Borough Market is a fab hidden quiet spot overlooking the market. It is a great restaurant to escape the hustle and bustle to, with some great food, reasonably priced drinks and a relaxed, cosy and...

I’m deeply disturbed by an incident that occurred during my recent visit to The Market Porter. As a person with a disability, I made sure to inform a staff member that I would be using the accessible toilet, assuming this would prevent any misunderstandings. However, what followed was a shocking violation of my privacy and a display of appalling behavior by another staff member.

While I was using the toilet, the door was suddenly flung open, and I was aggressively shouted at with the words, “This is not a public toilet!” I cannot begin to describe how humiliated and vulnerable I felt at that moment. It’s difficult enough to navigate spaces as a disabled person without having my basic right to privacy so blatantly disregarded.

The situation worsened when I confronted the staff member about his behavior. Rather than offering an apology, he became hostile. He raised his voice, shouted at me, and even went so far as to raise his hands in a manner that made me feel threatened. This was not just rude; it was intimidating and completely unacceptable. No customer should ever be treated with such aggression, especially when they have done nothing wrong.

This experience left me shaken and profoundly disappointed. The way I was treated shows a complete lack of understanding and respect for disabled patrons. Accessible facilities are not just a courtesy—they are essential. To have my privacy invaded and then be met with hostility when I sought to address it was beyond unacceptable.

I sincerely hope that management will take this issue seriously and implement comprehensive training for their staff on how to interact respectfully and appropriately with all customers, particularly those with disabilities. The level of disregard and aggression I experienced should never happen to...

I booked a table via the website for a dinner reservation for Saturday Evening at 7pm. It was a request which had to be accepted by the venue, which it was and confirmed. A few days before my reservation, I received a phone call informing me I couldn’t have my reservation, as the restaurant was closed from 5pm. After the rather patronising and condescending phone call had ended, I accepted it and had to make other arrangements.

On Saturday evening, when walking past the venue (for dinner elsewhere) I noticed the restaurant to be full of diners. Which seemed odd, considering it should have been shut from 5pm…? I went in to the pub out of curiosity to ask if they were still serving food. I was told (in once again, a patronising manner) that I could have food “If I could find a seat.” because “the restaurant upstairs is fully booked.” This must have been the same person who spoke to me on the phone, with the same standard of customer service = none.

You may be wondering why I have put 5 stars for “Atmosphere”, that’s because when I walked in to the venue it was, in fact, buzzing. It’s a shame I can’t score the food, because I wasn’t able to have any, because my booking was cancelled and quite obviously given to somebody else.

Maybe The Market Porter should spend less time on cancelling bookings they’ve already confirmed and start training their staff in talking to customers politely and properly.

P.S We went to fish! and had fantastic Fish & Chips and exceptional service. In case you...