Pueblito Paisa Cafe at the Indoor Market
Entering the Indoor Market adjacent to Seven Sisters Station, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had slipped through the wardrobe into Narnia. You’d be equally excused if you didn’t even know it was there.
Seeking out shelter from the wind and rain, and looking for some foodie inspiration, I stumbled through the door on the corner of Tottenham High Road and Seven Sisters Road – into the sights and sounds of Latin America.
Teeming with food stalls, hairdressers and shops, this little corner of London has thus far evaded redevelopment, remaining a warm and welcoming multicultural community hub.
It was lunchtime on a Saturday, and there was a flurry of activity at the cafes and food stalls. Bocadillos, arepas and empanadas abounded, as did steaming bowls of soup.
An example of the Latin American food on offer
I settled on a stool at Unit 54 (otherwise known as the Quentinha Portuguesa) and was served up a bowl of hearty simplicity: plantain, cassava, potato and chicken, snug in a flavourful broth.
Soups (or perhaps more accurately, stews) are a central part of Latin American cuisine. This ‘sancocho’ doesn’t follow a single recipe but varies according to country and region.
I slowly devoured the contents of my bowl, shredding the soft chicken with a fork and spoon, slurping down every last drop of the broth. I left Unit 54 feeling full, warm and cosy, with my purse only a few pounds lighter.
In many food cultures, soup is synonymous with comfort, home and family. And there is something particular about a chicken soup that seems to fill in the gaps in our lives and make us feel happy and safe.
Words: Julie Ann Andreshak. Photos: Tom Devine
Very interesting read. Will definitely pay a visit to try the Latin American cuisine.
Sounds like the perfect comfort food for a rainy London day! Yum!
I walk by this place all the time but never realised there was such an interesting market inside! Very well written and informative – I’ll be visiting soon! Thanks for sharing.
I’m sold and hope to go check out this special, secret find myself 🙂 !
Sounds like a great catch. Nothing like finding an eclectic spot for lunch in the increasingly homogeneous London. Thanks for sharing!!
I love soup as much for its ability to imbue contentment and warmth as I do for its taste! Plantain and cassava are absent from most of my Midwestern soup/stew recipes, but this sounds lush 🙂
Such a pity that it is all under threat from developers. This place should be central to Tottenham culture, not sidelined and dismissed as a nuisance.
its a lovely little indoor market playing salsa. I’ve been getting my morning coffee and doughnut with dulce de letche for years from the shop pictured, yum! 🙂
Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to pop down for a soup and an empanada! 🙂
Interesting read. Very well-written. Would definitely pay a visit to this place. Hope there are more food blogs to come.
What an insightful article! Please keep this writer on as she really knows her stuff and I dare say it’s the best food-related article I’ve read in this publication or any other for a long time!
I know this part of London well and always amazed at finding another part of the world thriving in London. This market’s description captures this well.