Beyond Borough Market: 5 things to do on a night out in London’s Southwark Quarter

With 21.5 million visitors a year, Borough Market is one of the most popular places to visit in London. While it’s famed for its food produce, the throngs of people can sometimes make for an overwhelming experience. If you are in the area and seeking an alternative, then minutes away is the Southwark Quarter.

Billed as a “sprawling cultural campus nestled in London’s bankside” the spot, even in the depths of winter, is well worth a visit. Combining a number of late night eats, with live music and big-screen sports, the area is a hive of activity. Although much of it is al fresco, there’s plenty of covered corners to hide from the Great British weather.

The Southwark Quarter is part of a bigger shift that’s happening in London’s Bankside. Take Flat Iron Square, which makes up a good chunk of The Southwark Quarter. It moved some 200 yards to where it resides now a few years ago, thanks to the work on the Low Line which is bringing alive the old arches of London, brick by brick. It is a big part of the food and drink based dots that have been connected by The Venue Group, which has done a grand job of making the area feel, well, joined up.

This makes for a rather special corner of London which Shortlist recently visited. Here are 5 things to try in the Southwark Quarter…

1. Stock up on the Picantes in Carrubo

Carrubo is the perfect place to start in the Southwark Quarter. This enclosed heated garden, mapped out with string lights and canopies, is an outdoor space that exudes warmth, even during the winter chill. The cocktail menu is extensive and served at the long outdoor bar, with plenty of 0% options available (The Sour cocktail pairs Lyre’s amaretti with lemon, sugar and orange). Our Dry January has been significantly wet this year, so we opted for a Picante. The tequila, lime, agave, chili and coriander concoction gave off as much warmth as the heated lights above our head. There are also a number of hot toddies to choose from, as well as wines (we spotted two orange options on the menu), beers and soft drinks.

2. Admire the family style dining space that is In Horto…

Right next to Carrubo is one of the best dining spaces we have been to in a long time. In Horto is inspired by the communal dining experiences that are commonplace in the Med. We sat on a long table (smaller, more intimate tables line the sides of the place) and couldn’t quite believe that minutes away was the Borough Market brouhaha. With winter in full swing, the natural wood of the decor did feel a little more like we were in a cosy ski lodge than a warm med hideaway with waves lapping nearby, but that’s no bad thing — the ambience of In Horto, with its low lights and homeliness was simply stunning.

3. …And try the plentiful padron peppers, chorizo and market fish

The menu is seasonal and delicious. For £55 per person you can, and should, opt for The Signature Selection which is a multi-course meal of sharing dishes and desserts. Served tapas-style, the food just kept on coming, with juicy padron peppers, spicy chorizo slathered in honey and a fantastic fish of the day in a delicate brown butter sauce a definite highlight. Throughout the meal the occasional waft from the wood fire reminded you just how rustic and fresh the cooking is. And while the restaurant was quiet when we arrived, it’s clear that there is a lively place waiting to be unleashed in the summer months. We polished off things with an incredible cookie-style dessert.

4. Head to Flat Iron Square for the footie

From food to footie, the shift of tone from In Horto to Flat Iron Square better suits having one more cocktail in Carrubo before heading over, rather than straight on from that sophisticated meal. But at the heart of Flat Iron Square, a minute walk over winding cobbles from where we were, is a fantastic cavernous bar that has a huge screen projecting the sport of the day. The bar is well stocked — while Camden Pale Ale was the biggest thing advertised, we opted for some Two Tribes Campfire, a fantastic hazy pale.

Outside the main room of Flat Iron Square are numerous bookable seating areas, many adorned with a big-screen TV to watch the game (there are 15 in total). Alongside this there were a number of food pop-ups, from fried chicken to souvlaki. We were too stuffed to think about having another round of eats but it was great to see the variety.

5. End up in Omeara for the beats

After a rare Man Utd win, we headed to Omeara — a lively bar/club/gig venue known for its live music. It’s a superb, inclusive space that allows for 320 people to dance till late midweek. On a Thursday it stays open till 2am and we could have easily broken our schoolnight bedtime schedule, but the lure of the last London Bridge train — the station is no more than 10 minutes’ walk away — was just too much for us.

We’ll be back, though, raring to do the whole thing again when the sun finally makes an appearance.

Head to the Southwark Quarter's official website for more information and bookings.