James and Thom Elliot of Pizza Pilgrims could serve as the poster boys for London street food – a converted Piaggio van became a restaurant, which became two, and now three. Their newest opening is the first outside Soho, where they made their name, and being on a famous London market street, it'll suit them down to the ground.
OK, maybe "shack" is a bit disingenuous – but seeing as Alex Hunter and Danny Clancy started off selling their brand of Scottish-inspired seafood in an old pie 'n' mash shop, we’ll let it slide. Their first restaurant in Fitzrovia quick'y became a neighbourhood favourite, and the second in Exmouth Market is on the way to doing the same.
The steamed bao buns served at this eponymous food stall at Hackney's Netil Market were so good it was pretty much impossible for its restaurant to do anything but succeed. You can find it on Soho’s Lexington Street, where it serves up the classic Taiwanese snack in loads of tasty variations. Ours is a braised pork and peanut.
You can't talk about street food dynasties without mentioning MEATliquor. Part of the first wave of traders hawking snacks on rooftops, Yianni Papoutsis and Scott Collins – the brains behind the food and the drinks respectively – now own a burgeoning BBQ empire, with sites in Brighton and even Singapore. The newest London site – their first London opening since MEATmission in 2012, in a former Citroën garage in Islington – will feature old favourites and more.
Many claim to serve the best burgers in London, but only a few merit the term. Burger Bear Tom is one, and his Stoke Newington restaurant's chilli dogs, craft beers and burgers are in demand. Try the Angry Bear, made with the Rib Man's #HolyFuck sauce.
