During lunchtime, Southwark is full of white-collars workers holding a Pret wrap or queuing for a £8 focaccia sandwich. However, just 15 minutes away from the Tube station, you will find yourself in the Mercato Metropolitano food hall, where a wide range of hot, filling lunches cost just a fiver - and if you're a regular reader, you'll know all about MyLondon's mission of finding meals for under £10.
Mercato Metropolitano, which has three sites in London, opened this Elephant and Castle site in 2016 as London’s first sustainable community market. Located in an abandoned paper factory, the food traders serve lunchtime specials for just £5 from 12 to 5pm on weekdays.
There are over 30 options – vegan tofu pad thai, biriyani, smashed cheesesteak, marinara pizza and more. Pizza and burgers seemed too basic, so I ordered from Mazavaroo Club, the only Mauritian stall there.
I never had Mauritian cuisine before. I did not know what to expect, except the 'spice market soup and two potato baja' as written in the menu. The stall owner, Andy, gave me a buzzer and asked me to wait around seven minutes.
Mauritius is an island country in the Indian Ocean. Mauritian cuisine is a combination of African, Chinese, European and Indian flavours because of the French colonisers, African enslaved people, Indian and Chinese migrants who arrived there in the 19th century. Despite the rich history, there are fewer than 10 Mauritian restaurants in London, let alone central London.
The food was ready in just five minutes. There were five thick potato bajas and a pot of lentil soup topped with fried shallots, coriander and green onions. I spent five minutes chatting with Andy and taking pictures, but they were still piping hot.
I first tried the lentil soup. The soup itself was thick and smooth like stew, but the fried shallots added an extra crispiness. The coriander made it herby and fresh in the first sip, but it gradually turned spicy and warm thanks to the black pepper. The pot did not look big, but the flavours and textures it presented were so rich.
Unlike chips, the potato bajas were fried potatoes coated in a batter of gram flour and spices. When I dipped them into the lentil soup as Andy suggested, the batter absorbed the soup and softened. The spiciness and natural sweetness of the potato paired perfectly.
The two sauces that came with the potato bajas were the highlight. Both the coconut and mint sauce and chilli sauce were homemade. The former tasted lighter than the Indian green mint sauce, and the latter surprisingly featured the slight citrusy sweetness of chilli. I never had chilli sauce like this before.
Despite the £5 lunch deal, the market was not busy - it was quiet during my 1pm Thursday visit. Considering the range of options and food quality, it is perfect for a warm lunch. However, the site may be knocked down next year and redeveloped into two 44-storey and 38-storey skyscrapers. Although a temporary food market will remain on the site, some food traders will be relocated.
Andy has been running the stall with his wife in the market since 2016. He said the redevelopment and settlement plan is still uncertain, but he hopes to stay on the site. He looked around the market and said: “Some stalls also serve food in other markets, but we only cook here. We are not a chain like Leon. We are a small vendor. We just want to serve people good food.”
You can find Mazavaroo Club at Mercato Metropolitano Elephant and Castle, 42 Newington Causeway, SE1 6DR.
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