Help! Querky Lunch in London for a chef

[findmeonthebeach]

I am planning a day trip for my husband next week to celebrate an anniversary. I am trying to find a place for lunch that is an independent, querky street food type venue.

My husband is a chef and used to own a street food truck. He knows good food and likes to try new things. Hates the high street chains.
Initially I thought Camden Market as there is so much choice for food and it's a bit different with unique places. But want table service and indoors incase wet/cold. So something like this but a restaurant, nothing fine dining but equally a bit special or different. Nothing touristy like the Shard or a chain like the Ivy.

I am now overwhelmed and found myself down a rabbit hole of trip advisor reviews and reading menus! Help! Any locals - please share hidden gems that meet my criteria! Thank you and I owe you if you can meet my brief

Meant to add any genre of food really; mostly chooses Asian style but happy with Greek/Italian dining too

Korean BBQ is a fun way to eat

Sorry nevermind, it's more for dinner and not streetfood!

https://www.arcadefoodhall.com/arcade-tottenham-court-rd

Maltby Street Market in Bermondsey is fab. It's all street food vendors, but there are bars and few other shops under the railway arches where you can sit with your food and have a glass of something. It's really great. And if it doesn't float your boat, there are great restaurants and pubs in the vicinity.

Not Camden! Brixton Village? Street food vibes but you can sit in in most places

What about Mercato in Mayfair? Various street food vendors in a church setting.

Arcade market hall, you can choose to order from different stalls which get delivered to your table. There is also an authentic Thai restaurant upstairs. Or how about hotpot, where you cook your ingredients in a choice of broths. There's one called Haidilao which is a chain but only one in the UK, the chef dances while he pulls the fresh noodles.

Probably a bit out of the way for you but there is the most fantastic Mexican taco restaurant in Leytonstone called Homies on Donkeys. Grace Dent gave them a glowing review and it fits the bill in terms of being quirky and street food style!

Kolae in Borough is a really great little southern Thai restaurant. We loved it - interesting menu small plate oriented so lots of opportunity to try loads of stuff. Great cocktails too.

Second the recommendation of Maltby Street. There is a lovely small restaurant called 40 Maltby St which is one of my favourite places to eat. You can’t book but if you get there as soon as it opens you can bag a couple of seats. If it’s full there are other options there or on Bermondsey st. Or in st Katherine’s Dock a fabulous fish restaurant, Melusine.

Is he a typical chef - prefers food really well made and authentic but not too fussy? Or is he more into fine dining?

Would an impressive dining space be his thing?

What about Maresco? Small plates, mostly seafood, cooked really well.

Abeno near the British Museum - amazing Japanese okonomiyaki cooked in front of you.

Wow thank you all-some great sounding places I can look into with recommendations so I know I'm not wasting my time.

He is a chef who likes really well made food, not especially fine dining but ironically that's where spent much of his training. He likes the original and well put together, quality. Doesn't have to look like an oil painting, just taste good and have some of the chefs passion or heritage behind it.

The Cinnamon Club is in the lovely old Westminster Library https://cinnamonclub.com

If you want to surprise him with something different, take him for dinner in a prison - you do need to book well in advance
https://theclinkcharity.org/book?venue_id=brixton

Or dine in the dark, served by blind waiters (I have never tried this one but it’s on my list…) https://london.danslenoir.com/booking-london.html

Quirky

Camden Market has been serving the same rip-off stuff to tourists for aeons. I agree with Maltby Street — it’s where some previous Borough Market stallholders moved on to. I don’t live in London any more, but when I’m back I often eat at Moro in Exmouth Market (Moroccan/Spanish) or Bocca di Lupo in Soho (modern Italian). Both unfussy good food, excellent wine list, good service, nice vibe.