London UK Series: Mercato Mayfair Food Hall Review – Dining Inside One of London’s Most Unique Food Halls

Mercato Mayfair Overview

St. Mark’s Church, 13A N Audley St, London W1K 6ZA, United Kingdom

Mercato Mayfair is one of the most unique food halls in London, largely because of its incredible location. The food hall is situated inside St. Mark’s Church, a historic building that has been transformed into a vibrant marketplace filled with food vendors, seating areas, and communal dining spaces.

Walking into Mercato Mayfair immediately feels different from entering a typical food hall. Instead of modern industrial décor or a traditional mall-style setup, you are greeted by the architecture of an old church. The high vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, and historic structure remain intact, creating an atmosphere that feels both dramatic and welcoming.

Dining inside a converted church gives Mercato Mayfair a sense of character that very few food halls can replicate. The combination of historic architecture and modern food vendors creates an experience that feels memorable even before you start eating.

The layout of the space works well for a food hall environment. Vendors line the sides of the building while large communal seating areas fill the center of the hall. There are also additional seating areas on different levels, allowing visitors to explore different parts of the building while enjoying their food.

One of the best aspects of Mercato Mayfair is the variety of food available. The food hall hosts numerous independent vendors serving cuisines from around the world. Whether you’re looking for pasta, ramen, bao buns, desserts, or something else entirely, it’s easy to find multiple options.

This variety is one of the biggest advantages of food halls in general. Instead of committing to a single restaurant, everyone in your group can order from different vendors and then meet back at the same table.

The ordering process at Mercato Mayfair is straightforward. After placing an order with a vendor, you’re usually given a small electronic device that beeps when your food is ready for pickup. This allows visitors to find a seat and relax while waiting for their food rather than standing around the counter.

Overall, Mercato Mayfair is simply a fun place to visit. The combination of a historic church setting, diverse food vendors, and a lively communal dining atmosphere makes it stand out among London’s many food halls.

During this visit, two vendors were tried: Dez Amore and Steamy & Co.

Would return? Yes.

Dez Amore – Tagliatella Bolognese

7/10

The Tagliatella Bolognese from Dez Amore at Mercato Mayfair was a satisfying and comforting pasta dish.

One of the standout aspects of Dez Amore is that the pasta noodles are freshly made, and that quality is noticeable when eating the dish. Fresh pasta has a different texture compared to dried pasta, often feeling softer and more delicate while still maintaining a good bite.

The tagliatella noodles from Dez Amore at Mercato Mayfair had a pleasant texture that helped elevate the overall dish.

Another strong point of the dish was the generous portion of meat in the Bolognese sauce. The sauce had a hearty feel to it, which made the meal especially satisfying.

Bolognese dishes are often appreciated for their richness and comfort, and the version from Dez Amore delivered that kind of experience.

On a cold day, this type of pasta dish is particularly enjoyable. The warmth of the sauce combined with the fresh pasta makes for a meal that feels filling and comforting.

While it may not have been the most complex Bolognese ever, the dish from Dez Amore at Mercato Mayfair was still a very solid option within the food hall.

Overall, it was a nice hearty meal that left a satisfying impression.

Order again? Yes.

Steamy & Co – Chilli Beef Ramen

6/10

The Chilli Beef Ramen from Steamy & Co at Mercato Mayfair was decent but not particularly memorable.

The broth is usually the most important component of any ramen bowl, and in this case the broth flavour was fairly straightforward. It didn’t have the kind of depth or complexity that really elevates a bowl of ramen.

That said, the ramen noodles from Steamy & Co at Mercato Mayfair were actually quite good.

In fact, the noodles here were noticeably better than the ones experienced at Bone Daddies earlier in the trip. They had a more pleasant texture and provided a better bite, which helped improve the overall bowl.

One element that didn’t quite work as well was the beef.

The meat in the ramen was served more like pulled beef rather than sliced beef. Personally, sliced meat tends to work better in ramen because it allows you to appreciate the texture and flavour of the beef more clearly.

Pulled meat can sometimes blend too much into the broth and lose some of that individual texture.

Because of that, the Chilli Beef Ramen from Steamy & Co at Mercato Mayfair ended up feeling fairly average overall.

Order again? No.

Steamy & Co – Sriracha Beef Brisket Bao Bun

5.5/10

The Sriracha Beef Brisket Bao Bun from Steamy & Co at Mercato Mayfair had a similar issue to the ramen.

The main problem again came from the beef brisket preparation.

Brisket is a cut of meat that can have excellent texture when served in slices. When sliced properly, you can appreciate the tenderness and richness of the meat.

However, the brisket in this bao bun was served more like pulled beef, which made it harder to appreciate the natural texture of the brisket.

Because the meat was shredded, the experience felt somewhat generic rather than highlighting the qualities of brisket itself.

One strong element of the dish was the bao bun itself.

The bun was very well made—soft, fluffy, and pleasant to eat. Good bao buns should have a pillowy texture that complements the filling, and the bun here definitely delivered that.

Unfortunately, the filling itself didn’t quite live up to the quality of the bun.

As a result, the Sriracha Beef Brisket Bao Bun from Steamy & Co at Mercato Mayfair ended up being fairly average overall.

Order again? No.

Atmosphere and Experience

One of the biggest highlights of visiting Mercato Mayfair is simply the experience of eating inside such a unique building.

The converted church setting gives the food hall a dramatic atmosphere that stands out compared to many other dining spaces in London.

Looking up and seeing the architecture of the old church while eating food from modern vendors creates a very interesting contrast.

Beyond the building itself, the variety of food vendors is another major advantage. Food halls like Mercato Mayfair allow diners to try different cuisines in a single visit, which makes them especially enjoyable when visiting with a group.

The beeping device system used by many vendors also works well in this environment. It allows customers to place orders, find a seat, and relax while waiting for their food.

Overall, the atmosphere inside Mercato Mayfair is lively and enjoyable.

Final Thoughts

Mercato Mayfair stands out as one of the most unique food halls in London thanks to its location inside a historic church.

The experience of dining in such a dramatic setting adds something special that most food halls simply cannot replicate.

The Tagliatella Bolognese from Dez Amore at Mercato Mayfair was a satisfying dish with fresh pasta and a generous portion of meat, making it a comforting meal.

The Chilli Beef Ramen from Steamy & Co at Mercato Mayfair had decent noodles but a fairly simple broth and pulled beef that didn’t quite showcase the meat well.

Similarly, the Sriracha Beef Brisket Bao Bun from Steamy & Co at Mercato Mayfair featured an excellent bao bun but suffered from the brisket being served in a pulled style rather than sliced.

While the food itself was somewhat mixed, the overall experience of visiting Mercato Mayfair remains very enjoyable.

Between the historic church setting, wide selection of food vendors, and lively atmosphere, it’s a place that’s definitely worth visiting when exploring London.