Where the streets have (delicious) names

Portobello Road

Although this blog entry isn’t recipe focused as my usual ones, I felt that my recent journey to London, England’s Portobello Road was well worth sharing with my fellow foodies.

If you find yourself in London’s Notting Hill neighbourhood, do take some time to visit the outdoor markets of Portobello. The fresh produce and food stales offer a wide variety for the curious cook and shopper. The neighbourhood also has an array of interesting restaurants, cafés and speciality grocers.

When I first arrived at Portobello Road, its tall, white row houses immediately reminded me of a scene from the 1968 production of Oliver Twist. This association made it that much more appropriate to hum the melody of ‘Food, glorious food’ as I walked through the busy market stalls.

The food market is open primarily midweek from Monday to Wednesday. The antique market (which is an awesome resource for finding cooking props, vintage china and utensils) is held on Saturdays.

My advice is to arrive early to avoid the crowd, unless that’s your thing. As for the crowd, there is a real mix of street and high fashion. A feast for the eyes and camera lens!

Portobello’s History

According to Portobello road’s official website, “Portobello Road really started to take form and be recognizable as we know it today around 1850 during the Victorian Era; snuggled between the large new residential developments of Paddington and Notting Hill, its shops and market stalls were in the perfect place to benefit from the new well-to-do residents of the majestic terrace houses that were built up around the area. By 1945 many “Rag and Bone” men began setting up stalls and selling second hand household items and antiques, kick starting the now world famous antiques section of the market. Originally the market trade was predominantly food stalls (known locally as “costermongers”). (http://www.portobelloroad.co.uk/the-market/)