There’s no doubt that the UK is a nation of food lovers. With half of Brits buying from a street food van at least once a week and 17.2 million posts under ‘#streetfood’ on Instagram, this appetite has fuelled a boom in food halls. But where can the UK’s best food halls and markets be found?
To find out, the team at Betway has measured the social media popularity of 40 UK food halls, as well as their Google rating and search volume, to determine which food hall is the nation’s favourite.
Borough Market in London is the UK’s most popular food hall
Borough Market in London is the most popular food hall in the UK, with the highest annual search volume (9,876,000) of the ranking. It also has the largest presence on social media, with 588,000 Instagram hashtags and over 28,000 mentions on TikTok.
From fresh finger food to gourmet goodies, there are countless options to eat and drink, and with a 4.6 Google-star rating, Borough Market is not only London’s oldest food market but also its most iconic.
The top 10 most popular food halls in the UK:
| Rank | Food Hall | City | Instagram # volume | TikTok video volume | Google review rating / 5 | Annual UK Google Search Volume |
| 1 | Borough Market | London | 588,000 | 28,400 | 4.6 | 9,876,000 |
| 2 | Seven Dials Market | London | 12,300 | 2,093 | 4.5 | 1,980,000 |
| 3 | GRUB MCR | Manchester | 12,700 | 18 | 4.7 | 22,800 |
| 4 | Maltby Street Market | London | 27,800 | 260 | 4.6 | 594,000 |
| 5 | Temple Quay Market | Bristol | 1,029 | 7 | 4.7 | 10,560 |
| 6 | SPARK | York | 7,662 | 160 | 4.6 | 145,200 |
| 7 | Herbert’s Yard | Birmingham | 1,876 | 93 | 4.6 | 177,600 |
| 8 | The Dockyard Social | Glasgow | 205 | 18 | 4.6 | 118,800 |
| 9 | Mackie Mayor | Manchester | 13,700 | 229 | 4.5 | 726,000 |
| 10 | Shelter Hall | Brighton | 1,962 | 73 | 4.5 | 217,200 |
Seven Dials Market ranks in second, with over 20 independent vendors right in the centre of Covent Garden. Rated 4.5 stars on Google and with nearly two million searches each year, Seven Dials’ curated selection appeals to all, whether you’re seeking a sweet treat or a hearty sit-down meal.
Outside of the capital, GRUB comes in third place. One of Manchester’s largest street food venues, this converted textile warehouse boasts an impressive 4.7-star rating on Google and 12,700 Instagram posts, and hosts some of the city’s best street food vendors.
Manchester is the UK’s second-best city overall for food markets, featuring two top 10 entries
While three of the top five food halls are in London, Manchester stands out as the leading food hall hotspot outside the capital. GRUB claims third place overall and is the most popular outside London. The city also has two other entries in the top 10: Mackie Mayor (ninth overall) and New Century, ranked sixth and seventh respectively.
The 10 most popular food halls outside of London:
| Rank | Food Hall | City | Instagram # volume | TikTok video volume | Google review rating / 5 | Annual UK Google Search Volume |
| 1 | GRUB MCR | Manchester | 12,700 | 18 | 4.7 | 22,800 |
| 2 | Temple Quay Market | Bristol | 1,029 | 7 | 4.7 | 10,560 |
| 3 | SPARK | York | 7,662 | 160 | 4.6 | 145,200 |
| 4 | Herbert’s Yard | Birmingham | 1,876 | 93 | 4.6 | 177,600 |
| 5 | The Dockyard Social | Glasgow | 205 | 18 | 4.6 | 118,800 |
| 6 | Mackie Mayor | Manchester | 13,700 | 229 | 4.5 | 726,000 |
| 7 | Shelter Hall | Brighton | 1,962 | 73 | 4.5 | 217,200 |
| 8 | New Century | Manchester | 278 | 11 | 4.5 | 217,200 |
| 9 | Duke Street Market | Liverpool | 3,002 | 206 | 4.5 | 97,200 |
| 10 | Peddler Market | Sheffield | 5,053 | 93 | 4.5 | 52,800 |
In Bristol, Temple Quay Market ranks second. Held twice a week in the heart of Temple Quarter, locals and visitors can enjoy a range of international and British favourites. Despite a quieter social media presence, with just over 1,000 Instagram posts, it has an impressive Google rating of 4.7, making this a true hidden gem.
SPARK in York takes third place, offering a diverse selection of independent food and drink traders housed in repurposed shipping containers. The market’s popularity is clear with an impressive 145,200 searches, and a strong rating of 4.6 stars.
Have you ever visited any of these food markets or halls, and has our list inspired you to try out somewhere new this summer?
