Old Spitalfields Market is a vibrant market in a trendy part of London (Brick Lane) where there are numerous interesting and delicious food options. In this guide, we’ll cover the best halal options.
Masala chai from Chai Guys
There’s no better way to start the day off than with a nice heartwarming cup of masala chai. A hot cup of tea that is spiced nicely to get your insides tingling and feel all warm and fuzzy. Yes please! Why not go for the iced version for something different? A nice little twist on the original classic and perfect for the summer. I think I still prefer it hot though.
Wheelcake from Wheelcake Island
Our original plan for breakfast was Jianbing from Pleasant Lady, but they cook the veggie one and the meat one on the same pan (so there’s cross contamination, making it not suitable for the halal diet). So, we grabbed a wheelcake, which was conveniently located right next to Chai Guys anyway. So, a Taiwanese stuffed pancake plus Indian chai for breakfast? I call that globalisation! We got the limited edition lychee ice cream wheelcake and it was incredible! I wish this somehow becomes a permanent fixture. The lychee flavour is prominent and I love that because it’s one of my favourite fruits. The ice cream has a gelato like texture almost and it was perfect for the heat.
Shrimptastic box from Shrimpy
This was one of those high on our list to try at this market as it wasn’t one that was plastered on social media, in fact I don’t think I’ve seen anyone post about it yet. And also it looked and sounded incredible. I’m a big seafood fan with shrimps being high on the list of favourites. When done right, I love it. So, I was delighted to hear there is a spot that is bringing shrimps to the forefront of their menu. I mean forget forefront, it is their menu! We got the shrimptastic box, which had deep-fried shrimps with hand-cut, twice-cooked chips and samphire (our first time trying this). How was it? I’m so glad the shrimp wasn’t fishy. It was in fact delicious. Cooked to perfection and the batter was nice and crispy. The chips were delicious as you’d expect and the samphire made for an interesting accompaniment to it all. I liked it. Overall, maybe a little too expensive for what you actually get, but I guess you’re paying for quality ingredients here.
Arepa from Guasa
Disclaimer: there is a small chance of cross contamination. We only saw this notice at the bottom of their menu afterwards. So, even though their chicken is halal, eat at your own discretion, it may be better to avoid.
An arepa is an authentic Venezuelan staple. It is grilled and stuffed corn breads that are naturally gluten, nut and dairy free. They may be small in size but they are stuffed well and extremely generously. We got the chicken one as that was the only halal meat one on the menu. It consisted of shredded chicken in a tomato pureé marinade, Guasa sauce, spring onions and fresh tomatoes. My wife liked this one more than me. Not to say that I didn’t like it, but I think I’m not too fond of the tomato flavour. The arepa buns were definitely interesting though. I’d love to try other versions and other places before I pass a judgement on the famous Venezuelan arepa!
Neapolitan pizza from Sud Italia
Neapolitan pizza is the famous pizza from the Italian city of Naples, regarded as the home of pizza. Sud Italia is a charming concept that you cannot not be taken aback by. A small blue van at the back end of Old Spitalfields Market is quite possibly one of the most popular spots there and rightfully so. They have brought authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizza straight from the heart of Naples to one of the most popular English markets in London. Sud Italia were also recognised as being one of the best 3 food trucks in London! Have I not tempted you enough to try it out? I love that you can watch them make your pizza in front of you. Simple high quality ingredients resulting in… a super delicious pizza. The base was nice and smoky and the topping was more cheesy than tomato (the way I like it). All in all, everything complimented each other perfectly and considering we had this pizza after all of the above (i.e. were quite full) it shows how good this is when we finished it within minutes. So good! Quite possibly the best eat here at Old Spitalfields Market… or is it..?
Crumble from Humble Crumble
You can’t be on social media and not have heard about them or seen some of their beautiful creations. A classic British dessert served in an aesthetic manner suitable for Instagram and TikTok. Very aesthetic and picturesque. Usually, with such spots, the taste is lacking, but thankfully here it was not. The crumble was absolutely delicious. The right amount of crumble, the right amount of fruit, the right amount of cream and toppings on top. Some may find some of the toppings a little sweet, but you’re able to adjust the different elements to suit your taste buds. We absolutely loved this and this probably was the number 1 thing we had here as it slightly just pipped the pizza to number 1 spot. It was just so delicious and homely. Next time I’d like to try cold cream to be sprayed on top as opposed to warm as I feel the contrast with the warm crumble would’ve been better. And it would’ve been even better, if that’s even possible.
Bubble waffle from Bubblewrap
We actually didn’t try this here, we tried it in their original branch in Chinatown. And we loved it! So, if crumble is not your thing or you have room for more dessert, you should definitely stop by here and get yourself an authentic Hong Kong bubble waffle.
Getting there
Nearest station: Liverpool Street
Nearest mosque: East London Mosque
Parking: Most if not all the roads behind the East London Mosque are free evenings and weekends, but there is literally a competition for parking spaces. So, be prepared to drive around in circles and wait till you find something to pounce on.
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