U.K. and Ireland - Borough Market vs. Covent Garden

I will be in London on a 7 hour layover and would like to make a quick trip into the city. I am in the food business and very much love fresh, unique, and exceptionally tasty foods. I have good advice from a couple friends to visit either Covent Gardens or Borough Market.

One of my "must-visits" is Neals Yard Dairy, which operates at both locations.

I only have time to visit one. Which should it be? Any other food vendors who are particularly noteworthy? N.B. I do not eat pork, so I will have to pass on the famous pork pies, et al...

definately borough market, covent garden is not really that foody.

I agree, Borough Market is the better one. Check times though if you only have a seven hour layover. It only opens Thur Fri and Sat. Sat is the only early opening day at 8am. Thur is 11am to 5pm and Fri is noon til 6pm.

Easiest way to reach it from Heathrow is to take the Piccadilly Line to Green Park, then change to Jubilee Line to London Bridge.

If arriving at Gatwick then take the train direct to London Bridge.

BUT 7 hours isn't a long time - you'll need 4 hours for the processes of entering the UK, travelling to & from the airport and being ritually humiliated when you return to the airport.

Just note there have been problems with UK immigration recently and the typical 1 hour has been 3 hours or more at times - so plan accordingly.

Perhaps if someone could suggest somewhere (perhaps Southall) they could go if their time is more limited

You may also want to check that Borough Market is open when you're in town: http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/

The market has gone very commercial over the last decade and there's not much else around for touring in the area. There are a number of local cafe's and a couple of 'nice' restaraunts about but the market is mainly about ingredients (and expensive to boot). It has a feel that flips between local and touristy.

A quicker (but more expensive routing from LHR) is to take HEX to Paddington and then the Bakerloo to Baker St - walk across the platform to the Jubilee Line (S). Get off at London Bridge. To get back to LHR, do the same in reverse. I reckon it's less than an hour door to door.

Covent Garden is more touristy with restaraunts rather than fresh ingredients as well as shopping and entertainment (okay buskers but some good ones).

Either way - watch your wallet/purse. They're both pick pocket hot spots.

A quicker (but more expensive routing from LHR) is to take HEX to Paddington and then the Bakerloo to Baker St - walk across the platform to the Jubilee Line (S). Get off at London Bridge. To get back to LHR, do the same in reverse. I reckon it's less than an hour door to door.
More expensive being the difference between £8.50 for an off peak Zone 1-6 Travelcard (or £10.60 for two single fares if travelling before 9:30am on a weekday) and £34 return for the HEX plus £7 for an off peak zone 1-2 Travelcard or £8.60 for two single fares.

And I doubt if the saving in travel time will be more than 10 minutes - so you'd spend over £30 more to save - at most - 20 minutes.

It is not that tricky to get from Covent Garden to London Bridge, and as you are roughly passing the former on your way from London Bridge to Paddington (assuming you use the HEx to save time) you may as well stop at both. And if you take the tube, Covent Garden is on the Piccadilly Line which runs to Heathrow anyway.

Covent Garden has a good food market on Thursdays, and is more of a general destination/attraction with nice architecture, shopping, theatre, the opera, all in close proximity.

Borough Market is a cold, damp basement under a railway line. But as a pure foodie destination, its the one to go for.

Just beware that it gets extremely crowded on Saturdays, so Thursday and Friday are the best times to visit.

With the complete FUBAR recently at LHR immigration, I would skip the plan to leave the terminal if you are arriving or leaving LHR. OTOH, it will probably get worse at the other terminals as well.:(

If you do decide to go anyway, Borough is the choice as others have said.

Cheers

Appreciate the suggestions all. I have the good fortune of flying BA First, so I may be able to circumvent at least some of the recent immigration problems by using the fast track lane. I should also have a much easier time at check-in and security when I return from the city. I am going to chance it...