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London has everything a worldly foodie could ever want and more, and Mercato Metropolitano’s newest site is a testament to that. With food stalls from 18 countries around the world, from Japan to Ethiopia and Mexico, you don’t need to jet off from Heathrow for a culinary escape – you just need to hop on the Lizzie line.
A few minutes walk from Ilford Elizabeth line station, the new Mercato Metropolitano is the latest addition to Ilford’s ‘Cultural Quarter’. The site boasts the biggest blend of cuisines of all the MMs located across London, with traders including Yassir Chair, who came up with the Latin-inspired street food stall Afuego, Uzbek dumplings at OshPaz, Indian street food at Tandoori Tadkaa and, for those with a sweet tooth, Turkish desserts at Bebek Baklava.
Located in a previously disused car park, Mercato Metropolitano can be found just down the road from fellow Ilford cultural institutions like art gallery SPACE, the Kenneth More Theatre and Redbridge Central Library and Museum.
The arrival of Mercato Metropolitano marks the latest of several urban regeneration projects in the borough of Redbridge. It’s also part of Redbridge Council’s ‘Spark Ilford’ project, which aims to generate the local area through culture and food.
This is the fourth site MM has opened since launching in 2016 (the others are in Elephant and Castle, Mayfair and Wood Wharf), and the Ilford venture will deliver 100 new jobs. You can find out more on the official website here.
3 Chadwick Rd, Ilford, IG1 1EQ
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