Here’s where to find the tastiest food and the best value for money.
Food markets and dining halls have been a staple of European culture for centuries. While vendors have been selling delicacies on the streets since the days of Ancient Greece, the ornate covered markets and grand food halls we know today are a 19th-century phenomenon.
These culinary institutions, from London’s Borough Market to Amsterdam’s Cuyp Market, have become sources of municipal pride, as well as a cultural melting pot where international cuisines from the cities’ immigrant communities take center stage. They are also a vital part of Europe’s food and drinks industry, which turned over €1.1 trillion ($1.2 trillion) in 2023.
Luggage storage site Radical Storage has analyzed more than 300,000 Google reviews and almost 1,100 establishments to determine which cities markets lovers should visit. Here’s where to find the tastiest food and the best value for money.
London takes the crown as Europe’s best food market city with 33 markets and an average rating of 4.5 stars. The British capital is a world-renowned food destination, with the city’s distinct international culture playing host to cuisines from across the UK and all over the world.
This is Borough Market, a traditional food market which is a popular tourist attraction in London.
London’s food and market halls are also essential visits in their own right, from trendy upscale Camden to the city’s oldest space—Borough Market. In the latter, you’ll find vendors that have been selling on the site for generations, like Nana Fanny’s Salt Beef and Richard Haward’s Oysters.
Stop by Islington’s Junction Market and Southwark’s Tabard Street Market—both rated at 4.7 stars—which represent London’s independent street food scene.
Four Spanish cities—Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza and Valencia—all feature in the top 10, making Spain a must-visit destination if you’re looking for great street food.
Valencia’s Mercat Central is one of the five best markets in Europe. (Photo by: Rosie Irene … [+]
The country’s capital Madrid has a thriving culinary scene. The lesser-known Understreet Market (4.8 star Google rating) comes out as the pick of the bunch with its mix of home-grown stalwarts and globally-inspired food vendors.
Valencia’s Mercat Central is one of the five best markets in Europe. Its iconic early 20th-century Art Nouveau canopy covers one of Europe’s largest food markets. It is also home to some of the city’s best tapas bars.
Germany is an icon when it comes to street food: currywurst, Döner Kebabs, Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes). While its Christmas markets are world-famous, it is also home to six of Europe’s 20 highest-rated food markets.
Cologne’s Markthalle Körnerstraße, an independent street food market located in the lively Ehrenfeld suburb of the city, is the highest-rated of them all. Körnerstraße is famed for its kebab Wednesdays, which regularly see locals queuing around the block for its rotisserie meat.
Analyzing the average price of a main meal, a beer, and a soft drink, Copenhagen’s Tivoli Food Hall came out as the most expensive market in Europe. The average visit will cost nearly €50 ($54). Denmark’s high-tax, high-income economy makes the capital a notoriously expensive city for foreign tourists.
Hamburg’s Street Food Session market is the second-most expensive. Located in the famous St Pauli neighbourhood of the city, the weekly “Straßenmampf” market on Thursdays is a hit with commuters stopping by the food trucks after work.
Valencia’s picturesque Mercat Central is also the cheapest major food market on the continent, according to Radical Storage. The average dining experience will cost just €8.42 ($9.10).
Five UK markets also feature among the 10 cheapest in Europe. Glasgow’s Dockyard Social offers high value for money, with its 4.6-star rating making it one of the UK’s best. A meal there will cost an average of just €14 ($15).
