Fodor's Expert Review The Market Porter

If you find yourself craving a drink at 11 am, this traditional London pub, dating back to 1638 (although the name was changed in 1890), is for you. The early opening hour is not because it caters to alcoholics but for the Borough Market stallholders, who have already put in several hours by opening time (in fact, the pub is actually also open weekdays from 6 am to 8:30 am for this very reason). The S-shaped Victorian-era bar, with its walls and ceiling covered in pump badges and beer mats, is packed when the market is busy but calms down during off-peak hours. There are 12 real ales on draught, and decent pub grub using seasonal produce from the market is served in the restaurant upstairs. The pub also provided the location for the Third Hand Book Emporium in the movie version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.