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If you’re a food lover like me, and have travelled to London before, then chances are you’ve been to Camden. It’s one of the most unique places to visit in the city, and some of the best places to eat in London can be found here too. Camden is well known for its artistic culture, and is the perfect place to catch a live gig. Artists such as Amy Winehouse (who lived in Camden), Dua Lipa, and The Killers are just a few of the many celebrities who have been spotted on the streets or in the pubs. Camden Town even features as the home of the gang leader Alfie Solomans in season two of Peaky Blinders. All of these fun facts aside, we came here to find the top places to eat in Camden Town, and our bellies didn’t leave disappointed.
Camden Town’s street food is world famous, so it comes as no surprise that Camden ranks among the top places to visit in London. Camden Lock Market is perhaps the most well known of the markets in Camden, and it’s where we spent most of our time. If you have more than a day to spend in Camden, I would recommend visiting the other markets in Camden too. While there are plenty of things to do in Camden Town, like treasure hunting among the market stalls, nothing quite beats sampling the different cuisines on show here. We spent only one night in Camden and we definitely made the most of it. Here are my picks for the top places to eat in Camden.
Oli Baba's
You can find a lot of delicious halal food in Camden Market. One of the first food stalls in Camden Lock that we came across was Oli Baba’s. They claim to be the original creators of halloumi fries, and there’s always a crowd at their stall. You really can’t say no to halloumi fries when you see them being freshly prepared. The tasty pomegranate seeds on top don’t hurt either. Their Middle Eastern inspired menu draws on the flavours of the Levantine cuisine, and you can expect nothing but the freshest ingredients every day. If you love fried cheese, then it’s a great place to eat in Camden for you.
The Mac Factory
There’s mac n’ cheese, and then there’s mac n’ cheese with a gourmet twist. The Mac Factory is one of the best places to eat in Camden Market if you love the ooey, gooey goodness that comes with mac n’ cheese. Comfort food in London doesn’t come much better than this. There are six options on the menu, and we went for the Super Mario bowl which was a blend of sauteed mushrooms, garlic, and white truffle oil. We had around a 10 minute wait for the mac n’ cheese since it’s all made to order with fresh ingredients. I have to admit, it was very difficult to share this! You should definitely give this a try if you’re visiting Camden Market.
Harvest Garden
As you’re walking around Camden Lock, you’ll come across quite a few Asian food stalls that are more or less selling the same food. We chose Harvest Garden because they had a rice bowl offer which saved us a bit of money (and they gave us free samples). What’s great about this food stall in Camden Market is that you can mix and match the sides and mains. You’re given the option of choosing your own portion size as well. We went with their crispy salt and pepper chicken on a bed of fried rice. Spring rolls aren’t usually included in the price but they were nice enough to give one to us, free of charge.
Highlander Game
Sitting next to Harvest Garden is Highlander Game. This Polish food stall serves 1 metre long sausages in a baguette. Yes, 1 metre long. Of course, you can get a normal sized Polish sausage if you want as well. If we hadn’t already eaten at a few other stalls we might have given the sausage a try. We opted for their vegetarian perogies instead, which were made of potatoes and cheese. I’d highly recommend getting the perogies if you don’t want a big meal. Highlander Game was one of my favourite places to eat in Camden.
Magic Juice
If all of that food is making you crave something a bit healthier, I’d recommend grabbing a freshly prepared fruit smoothie from Magic Juice. This stall sits next to, and is owned by, Magic Falafel, and is relatively new to the scene. They have quite a big selection of juices and smoothies to choose from, and if you’re in the mood for a healthy soup they have that as well. Magic Juice and Magic Falafel are both great options if you’re on the hunt for vegan food in Camden Town.
Purezza
Speaking of vegan food, if you haven’t visited Purezza then you’re really missing out. It’s one of the best restaurants near Camden Market to dine at, even if you aren’t vegan. Purezza is the UK’s first vegan pizzeria, with a purely plant-based menu. You wouldn’t be able to tell by just looking at their Neapolitan pizzas though. They want everyone to be able to eat here, regardless of dietary restrictions, which is why their menu is also 95% gluten free. Grab yourself some dough balls before digging into your pizza, and don’t forget about dessert either! It’s a very popular vegan restaurant in London and is well worth adding to your itinerary.
Where To Stay in Camden
I know. Camden looks pretty amazing to visit, so you’re probably wondering where to stay in Camden that’s both convenient and won’t cost the earth. We spent one night at the Holiday Inn Camden Lock, which couldn’t have been better located for access to Camden Lock Market. It took us less than 5 minutes and we were in the heart of the market.
If you’re thinking of staying in Camden, you might as well treat yourself to the Penthouse Suite at the Holiday Inn Camden Lock. The views of the market below are unmatched. The suite comes fully equipped with Camden beers, water bottles, snacks, and toiletries. And there’s plenty of space to move around the room. In the bathroom you have a choice between using the bathtub or the walk-in shower. The large panoramic window opens up onto the private balcony where you can enjoy the views of Camden, even in the rainy weather. It was the perfect room to spend our first night in.
There’s a great selection of continental and hot food to choose from in the buffet, so you can definitely get your fill before you head out to explore Camden Town. The hotel also offers all day dining, which is a good option if you’re too tired to leave the hotel after a busy day of walking. The menu isn’t huge but it has a nice selection of different dishes that will appeal to all guests. What we really enjoyed was sitting in the cozy lobby which still had some of its unique Christmas decorations up. It seemed to be a popular spot in the hotel for guests after they’d grabbed a drink from the bar. Holiday Inn Camden Lock has to be the best place to stay in Camden Town, if not for the location then certainly for the comfort and style of their rooms.
>> Click here for the most up to date prices at Holiday Inn Camden Lock <<
During our recent trip to London, we only had a day to explore Camden before moving on to Whitechapel, Bermondsey, and Euston Square. Camden is always evolving, so even if you’ve been here on a previous trip to London, I guarantee that there will be plenty of new shops and stalls to visit. We can’t wait to come back and add even more places to eat in Camden to this list. Maybe next time the weather will be a bit kinder to us!
Have you been to Camden before? If you have any recommendations on where to eat in Camden, either in the market or elsewhere, let me know in the comment section below! And don’t forget to follow my travels on Instagram too!
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