The Bermondsey Trail

1 Ropewalk, Bermondsey
Railway Arches SE1

For some time trains to and from London Bridge station have rolled above the cheese maturing caverns of Neal's Yard Dairy and the roasting hub of Monmouth Coffee, but over the past few months more has been stirring under the railway arches than irresistable aromas.  Monmouth Coffee was the first to draw discerning coffee drinkers to Maltby Street on Saturday mornings.  Soon a tall guy named Harry added a select collection from Neal's Yard dairy and St John's breads to the draw.  Next came biodynamic fruit, veg and meats courtesy of Fern Verrow, a Kase Swiss cheese stall and Topolski with sausages and pickles.  Then another arch opened 100m further up at 1 Rope Walk offering retail sales of delicious proscuitto and mozzarella, parmesan, salamis and chorizo from Elliott at The Ham and Cheese Company.  This space is shared with The Kernel Brewery, where Evin brews beers in his micro-brewery, and with Bill at Kappacasein making experimental cheeses such as Bermondsey Frier from his little cheesemaking room.  Saturday mornings at 'Maltby Street' became irresistible to those in the know. 

Fragolina Grape Cupcake
from Violet Cakes

The past month has seen Fern Verrow move to Stanworth Street to share an arch with The Borough Cheese Company, selling French Comte. Now we have the shock move of Tony Booth, cutting his long ties with Borough Market to trade his wholesale and retail fruit and veg business from Druid Street.  Most recently Kase Swiss, Topolski, and Hophurst Farm (naked oats and delicious meats) are trading from Druid Street too, sometimes welcoming in guest producers such as East London-based Claire Ptak's 'Violet Cakes'.  Pictured above is a Fragolina grape cupcake - vanilla sponge was a little dry but delicately flavoured with good vanilla extract and, thankfully, not too sweet.  The butter icing was deeply and satisfyingly fragranced by this unusual variety of grape.  So why do other bakers think cupcakes have to be toothachingly sugary? (see my post of 3/9/2010).

Currently this is a Saturday only shop - get there early, the core hours are 9-2.  Last Saturday for the first time I managed to do a full shop on this Bermondsey trail.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 2011 - Happily now that the management of Borough market has changed, Kappacasein, The Borough Cheese Company and Topolski have returned to stalls at Borough Market (still open at their Bermondsey arches on Saturdays).   

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2012 - MOST OF THESE TRADERS HAVE NOW MOVED 5 MINUTES UP THE LINE TO SPA TERMINUS - MAP HERE http://www.maltbystreet.com/