the Market Porter pub in Southwark

A very busy pub next to Borough Market near London Bridge. Excellent choice of ales etc. Outdoor seating with heaters opposite Borough Market. Did not try food.

(June 2010) Worthy of the hype. Great vibe thanks to the market and seemingly busy at all hours. From memory about 12 taps inc Meantime, Harvey’s and Dark Star. The walls are covered in tap clips from another era - a fantastic touch. Easily one of the city’s best pubs.

I hosted our 2024 Christmas Work Party here and it was a great success! The food was on time, well portioned and delicious! The team setting up and serving was extremely helpful and friendly. The entire room was beautifully decorated and the view of Borough Market was amazing. 10/10 would recommend.

I booked a table via the website for a dinner reservation for Saturday Evening at 7pm. It was a request which had to be accepted by the venue, which it was and confirmed. A few days before my reservation, I received a phone call informing me I couldn’t have my reservation, as the restaurant was closed from 5pm. After the rather patronising and condescending phone call had ended, I accepted it and had to make other arrangements. On Saturday evening, when walking past the venue (for dinner elsewhere) I noticed the restaurant to be full of diners. Which seemed odd, considering it should have been shut from 5pm…? I went in to the pub out of curiosity to ask if they were still serving food. I was told (in once again, a patronising manner) that I could have food “If I could find a seat.” because “the restaurant upstairs is fully booked.” This must have been the same person who spoke to me on the phone, with the same standard of customer service = none. You may be wondering why I have put 5 stars for “Atmosphere”, that’s because when I walked in to the venue it was, in fact, buzzing. It’s a shame I can’t score the food, because I wasn’t able to have any, because my booking was cancelled and quite obviously given to somebody else. Maybe The Market Porter should spend less time on cancelling bookings they’ve already confirmed and start training their staff in talking to customers politely and properly. P.S We went to fish! and had fantastic Fish & Chips and exceptional service. In case you were wondering.

Pie of the day (chicken & mushroom with cabbage, mash & gravy) and sea bass were both delicious. The service was excellent.

We hired the private dining room upstairs which has its own private bar. The room is cosy and was well presented, with a nice view over Borough Market. The food was excellent. Would highly recommend

Great place for a pint before hopping on a train home from London Bridge!

We had our annual Christmas lunch at MP for the 2nd year running and was not disappointed. Everything was just perfect, the service, the food, the staff and dining room. Highly recommend and a huge thank you to the team who looked after us so well

We held our company Christmas party at The Market Porter December, this is the third time we have booked here and again Meghann and her fantastic time did us proud! The food was amazing, everyone commented how good the food was. The staff were funny and engaging and extremely obliging providing excellent customer service. We look forward to booking our next party with the team. Well done! Nikki Wildy & Sons Ltd

Absolutely packed with middle-aged men, if that’s your thing this place is for you. Very crowded inside and out.

As always, I go for fish and chips when I try a new place to eat. I was not disappointed. Everything was beautifully fresh and perfectly cooked. I liked the touch of a little pickled red onion on top of the fish.

Very busy when I visited for lunch. However, the service was very good. Fish and chips were amazing, beautifully presented and high quality.

Friendly busy pub... only had a drink with mates but was a good place with great atmosphere

Always have a good pint in here

We enjoyed a delicious Sunday roast at The Market Porter. The food was delicious and well prepared. I had the beet and squash Wellington and the crust was crisp and buttery. My family members had the beef and lamb roast and found both cuts of meat tender and well-seasoned. Our only complaint was that the Yorkshire puddings could have been bigger!

It was a great experience to be there.Hope come back soon.

Nice pub with a good beer selection

Una palabra. Golpeando. Pero si insisten en un centenar de personajes tendré que usar un dron durante unos minutos. O eso. El Harvey's era bueno. Garnacha también. ¡Volveremos!

Good Fish&chips in a so good atmosphere

Lovely views over the market from the first floor dining room, excellent friendly service, good short menu that’s also good value, wouldn’t hesitate to return and recommend to others.

A cozy English pub near Borough Market. The upstairs area has a nice, atmospheric vibe – great for a relaxed meal. I went for the classic fish & chips, which met my expectations, or maybe even a bit better; solid for pub food. There was a bit of a mix-up with the beer selection, as the upstairs bar doesn’t carry all the options available downstairs, and they can’t bring them up. Overall, though, a positive experience!

Long time since my last visit, great selection of real ales. Despite being very busy, service was very quick and done with a smile!

Been coming here for years but it had been a while. I was worried that meeting on a Saturday afternoon was going to be a nightmare (the whole area is a lot more busy these days) but I found a table inside and the six of us had somewhere comfortable to catch up. The bar staff are efficient with little hanging around and no queue jumping. Great choice of beers, both alcoholic and non.

Had the bangers and mash . Was absolutely gorgeous. I've never been in before and I asked for a menu . I went to place and order and I was told I have to have a table . I went on my own and found a table at the bar around the side and then they took my order. While at the bar I ordered I asked for 3 packets of scratchings to bring home . The girl just mumbled under her breathe got them for me and left on the counter. Then she told me to walk around to the front of the bar to pay ... bear in mind I'm still eating my meal and it was just as handy to tap my card where I was. You would swear I asked her to run a mile. She reached over with the machine. Didn't even acknowledge i was there . Maybe I just got the guys on an off day but I know this industry inside out and when 4 staff are yapping behind the bar about hr issued and just been rude to customers I know it tends to snowball. Cheers to the chef 🙌

Lovely place, typically British. Pub for drinks downstairs, restaurant upstairs. Super clean and disinfected bathroom. Friendly and helpful staff. Great food, British and at a reasonable price. Highly recommended!!!

Cosy wee pub, yummy food and lovely staff

The Market Porter gave us the perfect opportunity to experience a traditional British pub, right in the heart of Borough Market. We tried a couple of their beers, which were just what we needed to recharge and continue our sightseeing around the city's iconic nearby landmarks. A great spot to soak in the local atmosphere and enjoy a pint (or two)!

A fine pint of Harvey's and the pork scratchings were the correct temperature.

Great experience in this traditional pub located in the heart of Borough Market. Simple, quick and efficient reception. Room (upstairs) "in its own right" in the good sense of the term, as we would like all the local pubs to be! Wide choice of draft beers. Well-mastered traditional dishes; the fish & fish is good and plentiful, the chicken and mushroom pie well made. The children's burgers were also nice and plentiful. In short, another good pick in the neighborhood!

Quite tasteless fish and chips but the waiter were very kind

Service good. Food left a lot to be desired 2 Pies ok but probably worse 2 fish and chips ever. Drinks and price were as expected for location.

We were served a very mediocre lunch. The table was very sticky and dirty. The state of the dirt all over the disabled toilet was appalling, from the filthy floor to rising damp, the worst toilet I have ever been in.

Our second visit in 6 months. We had a table for four facing the vibrant and energetic Borough Market. Spent a leisurely and enjoyable 2 hours watching the world go round. Food was typical pub grub, reasonably priced and delicious. Service was excellent.

Great food and service; staff were particularly helpful despite it being a busy day and they coped really well with the other diners as well

We had a 60th upstairs for 40ppl and the setting and the food was great and the whole team were brilliant! Thank you for helping us to set up, take everything down and going the extra mile with helping us to make it a very special birthday celebration.

Lovely little boozer. This and the King's are my favourites in the area

Located next to the Borough Market, less than 5 minute walk to London Bridge Underground station. Very tasty pub food. My go-to is mashed potato and sausages.

We recently hosted our engagement party at The Market Porter, and it exceeded all of our expectations! The night was nothing short of magical, with our guests continually praising the stunning views from the event room. The service was impeccable, and the food received rave reviews from everyone in attendance. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect evening. A heartfelt thank you to The Market Porter team for making our celebration so special. We highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for a fantastic experience!

Great spot that opens early for the market traders opposite borough market, cheap Guinness for London, old school pub, lovely place to visit, highly recommend.

Lovely pub next to The Borough Marketplace. Had a window seat overlooking the market for fantastic people watching. The roast chicken and vegetables were delicious!

All have a warm welcome when I visit, sometimes they even reserve a table for me, but don't tell or they will all want it done. Anyway, great staff always get a smile. Good range of ales, but I'm biased towards the Harveys Sussex Ale. I may try a different ale if it is not too strong. I haven't left stars on the food bit, as I don't eat when I'm there, but other customers seem to enjoy it.

Our pints looked decidedly dodgy but tasted OK. Either the beer was "on the way out" or their lines just needed cleaning. Haddock, chips and mushy peas were edible but looked like they'd all been microwaved (soggy batter, flabby chips & the smallest portion of mushy peas I've ever been served! Literally a teaspoon served in a 1 inch sauce dish, not even a ramekin!). On the plus side, the pub was empty (this was at 13:00) although Borough Market was heaving outside but the iffy ale and flabby food are probably the best explanation for this. The service was fine. Wouldn't beat my way across London to go there again though.

Came for a couple of cask ales and they were spot on. Little outdoor area with cask tabletops to watch the crowds, inside not busy at all. Food options traditional pub fare.

I’m deeply disturbed by an incident that occurred during my recent visit to The Market Porter. As a person with a disability, I made sure to inform a staff member that I would be using the accessible toilet, assuming this would prevent any misunderstandings. However, what followed was a shocking violation of my privacy and a display of appalling behavior by another staff member. While I was using the toilet, the door was suddenly flung open, and I was aggressively shouted at with the words, “This is not a public toilet!” I cannot begin to describe how humiliated and vulnerable I felt at that moment. It’s difficult enough to navigate spaces as a disabled person without having my basic right to privacy so blatantly disregarded. The situation worsened when I confronted the staff member about his behavior. Rather than offering an apology, he became hostile. He raised his voice, shouted at me, and even went so far as to raise his hands in a manner that made me feel threatened. This was not just rude; it was intimidating and completely unacceptable. No customer should ever be treated with such aggression, especially when they have done nothing wrong. This experience left me shaken and profoundly disappointed. The way I was treated shows a complete lack of understanding and respect for disabled patrons. Accessible facilities are not just a courtesy—they are essential. To have my privacy invaded and then be met with hostility when I sought to address it was beyond unacceptable. I sincerely hope that management will take this issue seriously and implement comprehensive training for their staff on how to interact respectfully and appropriately with all customers, particularly those with disabilities. The level of disregard and aggression I experienced should never happen to anyone else.

I’m deeply disturbed by an incident that occurred during my recent visit to The Market Porter. As a person with a disability, I made sure to inform a staff member that I would be using the accessible toilet, assuming this would prevent any misunderstandings. However, what followed was a shocking violation of my privacy and a display of appalling behavior by another staff member. While I was using the toilet, the door was suddenly flung open, and I was aggressively shouted at with the words, “This is not a public toilet!” I cannot begin to describe how humiliated and vulnerable I felt at that moment. It’s difficult enough to navigate spaces as a disabled person without having my basic right to privacy so blatantly disregarded. The situation worsened when I confronted the staff member about his behaviour. Rather than offering an apology, he became hostile. He raised his voice, shouted at me, and even went so far as to raise his hands in a manner that made me feel threatened. This was not just rude; it was intimidating and completely unacceptable. No customer should ever be treated with such aggression, especially when they have done nothing wrong. This experience left me shaken and profoundly disappointed. The way I was treated shows a complete lack of understanding and respect for disabled patrons. Accessible facilities are not just a courtesy—they are essential. To have my privacy invaded and then be met with hostility when I sought to address it was beyond unacceptable. I sincerely hope that management will take this issue seriously and implement comprehensive training for their staff on how to interact respectfully and appropriately with all customers, particularly those with disabilities. The level of disregard and aggression I experienced should never happen to anyone else.

Rammed outside but plenty of room inside. Average price of a pint about £5, not to bad for the area.

Good pub enjoyed a few drinks here while staying nearby.

This is a very pretty pub with a very nice and chilled vibe. Wonderful Saturday afternoon with live music. Good variety of beers. Highly recommended.

Classic london pub in plein borough market place. Eated fish and chips very good and hamburger with tomatos sauce in english style (not so good for italian people). Location tipical. Wide and good beer choise.

Nice pub close to Borough Market. Good fish and chips and variety of beers. You are able to look at the Shard.

Drink a beer here! This is how a pub should be! Great

Great pub, the best way to start our annual pub crawl. Nicely poured Guinness from Jenna, who smiled & was very friendly to all her customers. Top rank.

Super pub with a decent beer selection

THE MARKET PORTER London, UK The Market Porter is a real ale pub in London, England that serves up to nine traditional ales that are constantly changing. Some say it's like a "beer festival" every day of the week. The pub also offers wine and has outdoor standing space for drinking.

Popped in for a pint as it looked a nice, traditional pub. I had the misfortune of using the toilet before ordering. The state of it was absolutely disgusting. There were traces of excrement over the lid and where the seat attaches to the toilet. The rest of it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in some time either. Needless to say, I decided that I didn't want to drink there and went to The Southwark Tavern instead.

We came in for a quick fish and chips and beer and were really pleased with relaxed service and atmosphere. Nice premises, clean lavatories, reasonable prices.

Nice pub with normal prices for London. Friendly stuff and nice food

We called in for drinks whilst visiting borough market and were really impressed. The place has such a good atmosphere, even early on a Friday afternoon it was buzzing. We were served quickly by the friendly bar staff and able to find a seat inside. The traditional decor is amazing, you really do feel like you are stepping back in time, we loved it! Highly recommend calling in for a drink, hopefully we can visit again to sample the food too.

Amazing experience dealing with The Market Porter start to finish of organising my event in their function room - highly recommend renting it out if you have a special celebration coming up. Great atmosphere and location. Good food and lovely friendly staff.

It's absolutely ridiculous 😎😁😂😂😂

A great place to enjoy a beer Card only

We had a great lunch at the Market Porter celebrating our son’s graduation with family. Beautiful view over Borough Market, delicious menu and great service.

Did not accept cash, we went somewhere that did. Avoid!

Stole from me, and VERY rude girl there on Thursday 4th July 2024!!

They don’t accept cash!! Any business that does not accept cash does not deserve business!!! Boycott!!!!

A good old British pub with nice Cider

Perfect location for a private celebration in the upstairs room. Thank you to all the staff for taking such good care of us and especially the tasty buffet food which absolutely exceeded expectations. Couldn't have been happier.

Located in this vibrant part of London the Market Porter (suitably named adjacent to Borough Market) retains the buzz of a long established genuine pub. Good selection on the reasonable menu, tasty and well presented. A special mention for Andy our Greek front of house service provider. She is a real asset and great at her job.

Typical British architecture and customs are experienced in this place, although the menu is not extensive, the meals are very tasty and the price in relation to the quality is good. This place is highly recommended for tourists who want to get to know UK customs up close.

right at the Boroughmarket. Great selection of beer. we come back

The setting is very beautiful, the service perfect and the food was good! Reservations are required !

Great old worldly pub with great beers on tap. We didn't eat, just had drinks, but will be back again in the future.

Returned to the Market Porter after a London Trip last year and again found it a delight. We were able to shelter out of the rain was watching the world go by in Borough Market. Had my favourite Camden Hells lager too. Will definitely go back on next trip to London

Magnificent place in a typical pub. The fish and chips were really delicious!

Lovely Traditional Pub near Borough Market, The food and service was great, definitely worth a visit

Muy buena comida y cerveza. Buen trato y espacio muy confortable en la 2a planta con vistas a Borough Market. Muy recomendable. Fish and chips muy bueno y no es perdais el brownie

Traditional English pub, feels like it’s lived a long time. Good and lively afternoon atmosphere. And considering how close it is to Borough Market, surprisingly few foreign languages. Good cask and draft selection.

Very classic British pub with an impressive history. You come here for beer and friends, and that's about it.

The pie of the day was very delicious

Doesn't take cash- like the No Blacks policy of the 1850's

We had a lovely evening & the staff were attentive friendly & competent. Will be going back. Have to shout out Ming, Kat & Tony they made our night

Dining room is upstairs and we had a splendid table with a view of Borough Market. Sunday Roast Beef & Lamb - wonderful with extra gravy on the side. Beetroot & Butternut Squash Wellington, although pretty layered, could have been better/tastier by mixing the fillings together with flavourings. Puddings great and the best Sticky Toffee ever; light, tasty and lots of sauce. Efficient, friendly service…

Great traditional London pub. Excellent location and a great selection of beers.

The Pub located in London Bridge, near Borough Market, offers a wide selection of exceptional beers on tap. Welcoming but really VERY chaotic environment... it was difficult to converse; too small compared to how many people were inside! We went upstairs for a very tasty burger and fish and chips. We waited a long time, but it was definitely worth it. Prices above average.

We ate a delicious meat pie, the food is upstairs and the atmosphere is very calm and inviting

The atmospheric exterior here offering one of the defining instagrammable locations in the market. This pub owned by the Borough Market Estate remaining a popular destination for centuries. Traditional interior features dark panelling, low beam ceiling: a streamlined environment purposed for sustained serious imbibing with a large variety of ales on tap. Lively, noisy and well patronised with a more sedate upstairs dining room with bar offering a more personalised service. All here under the no-nonsense intimidating scrutiny of an unfinished “Market Porter” painting, all bulging Herculean forearms fit to crush a Bulldozer.

My favourite little pub on the South side. Always guaranteed a decent pint, these guys know how to look after their beer and lines. Always love the atmosphere in here, can get very busy at times but the staff always great. (Never had food here).

Typical London pun in front of Borough Market. Although they have a specific dining room if you want to eat, they were kind enough to serve us food at the tables in the bar area, although it took a while. Good food and reasonable price

Excellent pub, best fish and chips I've ever tried A brilliant pub. The best fish and chips I have tasted. I highly recommend !

What a great experience! Amazing proper english food and friendly staff! Highly recommended and a special thanks to Andi and Tony

We tried the Sunday Roast at the Market Porter and we enjoyed every minute of it ! Very atmospheric place, excellent food , very nice and professional service!!! We will be back!

Good lively pub. Although lack of seating and bit underwhelming beer selection.

Nestled in London Bridge, right by Borough Market, The Market Porter is a haven for beer enthusiasts. The rotating taps offer a diverse selection of exceptional brews, from classic ales to innovative IPAs. What sets this pub apart is the warm hospitality of the landlord, who greets patrons with a smile and a wealth of beer knowledge. With cozy ambiance and engaging conversation, The Market Porter is the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy top-notch brews.

It's our 'go to' place whenever meeting friends and family. This time we were around 6 people and we asked for separate bills. Service was quick and efficient. Food was delicious, two of us had the seabass, one had the caesar salad with chicken, two had the steak and ale pie and another had the fish and chips. We sat upstairs in the dining area overlooking Borough Market. All in all a very pleasant experience. It's very popular and booking is essential if you want to eat a meal along with your drinks.

Excellent pub and excellent fish & chips, one for two is more than fine, prices in line with the London average! We arrived without a reservation around 1.30pm/2pm and were seated quietly. I spent €57 on two fish & chips and a large beer.

Great busy place, friendly staff.

A great traditional pub and ideal for meeting friends. However, it is very popular and does get busy.

On the left hand side of Borough Market stands The Market Porter, an old style London Pub, selling good ale. On the first floor you will find the Dining Room. Whilst in itself the DR is, nothing special, the Food and Service we received was excellent and for, Central London, reasonably priced.

Classic London pub . Nice and busy. Service still good. Decent range of beers

We made a reservation for a table of 8 taken with cheer. We arrived and the table was ready in the traditional upper room. The food was tasty and came out as ordered. Beer is good and it was an enjoyable experience. We were there a few other times for drinks as well and it was all good.