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Camden Market’s West Yard has had a street food makeover courtesy of Kerb. Ashleigh Arnott eats her way through every stall
I've loved Camden ever since a Punkyfish hoodie was the only thing on my teenage wishlist. I’ve lived in or near NW1 my whole London life, and I remember the day I realised, with sadness, that the only food stall in the market I liked had been replaced by another chippy. It had been years since I’d visited, but in the past week I’ve been three times. All because of Kerb.
A street food collective championing independent London traders, Kerb runs lunch markets all over town. High standards and well-tuned tastebuds mean their roster is second-to-none. I have never had a dud lunch from a stand bearing their logo. The fact that they’ve revamped the West Yard (the cobbled bit next to the canal and behind Lock 17) is a big deal for both the traders – with some existing stalls displaced – and the locals, who will be seeing many new faces, dozens of dishes and some party-friendly opening hours.
With 34 stands trading seven days a week, choosing just one dish is a challenge. So we’ve eaten our way through the lot and here are our top ten traders. If you still can’t choose, go on a Friday or Saturday for an all-dayer. They’re open 11am-11pm, which means at least three meals, right?
1. Kimchinary
2. BBQ Dreamz
3. Club Mexicana
4. Nazari
5. Mother Clucker
6. Stakehaus
7. Blu Top
8. The Patate
9. Kothu Kothu
10. Oli Baba's
Kerb Camden, West Yard, Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AF. Camden Town. Mon-Thu 11am-6pm; Fri-Sat 11am-10pm; Sun 11am-7pm. Dishes between £5 and £10.