Smithfield Market is the UK’s largest meat market – in the literal rather than figurative sense. Every weekday morning from 2am, its floors are lined with experienced traders selling red meat, white meat, rare meat, sausage meat and any other kind of meat you can imagine. Housed in a surprisingly grand building between Farringdon and Barbican, the market is open to all, although you’ll need to arrive before 7am to check out the full range of stands. It’s now surrounded by trendy eateries and the world-famous Fabric nightclub, but Smithfield Market remains staunchly traditional. In fact, it’s probably the only place in London that remains impervious to the unstoppable vegan trend. Nick Levine
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