42 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR

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The market is housed in a former paper mill.

The market is housed in a former paper mill.

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An outdoor patio features food carts and events.

An outdoor patio features food carts and events.

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Among the artisanal vendors are wood-fired pizzerias.

Among the artisanal vendors are wood-fired pizzerias.

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The huge space features stalls representing a variety of regions and specialties.

The huge space features stalls representing a variety of regions and specialties.

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An Italian grocery store features imported food and wine.

An Italian grocery store features imported food and wine.

Photography courtesy of Mercato Metropolitano

Mercato Metropolitano, London


Location:

42 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR

mercatometropolitano.co.uk

Design Credit:

Mercato Metropolitano
mercatometropolitano.co.uk

The more food, the merrier. Emerging from a former paper factory in Southwark, Mercato Metropolitano is a rambling collective of community-oriented culinary wonder.

The market spans an enormous 45,000 square feet and consists of market stalls, an Italian supermarket and even hidden extras such as a barber shop, a cinema, a boxing gym, a co-working space and the occasional pop-up hotel.

These make for a seemingly odd menu, but make sense in the context of the market’s extensive community-first programming calendar, which includes cooking and gardening classes as well as social activities.

Turin-based Mercato Metropolitano has brought a community-oriented food market to Elephant & Castle.

The vibe is reclaimed industrial, with painted brick, paned ceilings and exposed concrete featuring throughout. Similarly, signage and messaging is uniform, creating a cohesive market brand rather than a series of smaller ones.

Communal tables gather amidst a perimeter of stalls including cheesemongers, coffee roasters, pizza makers and gelaterias. Outside, a courtyard area features a herb garden, food trucks and colourful seating – plus that all-important wifi capability.

Cuisine from around the world is represented, with an emphasis on the small and the local – and an aim to bring together and support the local community through food and related cultural experiences. This support is further bolstered through the low-cost workspace, social spaces and community events.

Food might be at the heart of it all, but Mercato Metropolitano aims to become an affordable one-stop-shop for local residents’ culinary, social and community needs.


Words by Stephanie Campisi


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