Celia Brooks Brown's Gastrotours
All of Celia's Gastrotours are a unique opportunity to join her for an insider's view of London's vibrant culinary hotspots. She has specially designed each day to be bursting at the seams with exclusive food and wine tastings and encounters with passionate foodies and producers: a chance to discover new tastes, rediscover old ones, and to acquire knowledge about food and wine through all your senses.
You can book either as an individual on the dates specified below, or as a private/corporate group (usually 6-12 people) for a date of your choice.
Join Celia for an exclusive tour of London's most amazing foodie market. Hear the extraordinary history of this ancient market and share an insider's view. As a passionate expert, Celia will show you the unseen Borough and lavish you with specially arranged tastings of the unique foods and wines on offer here. You will taste an array of treats well beyond the usual free samples on offer, including scallops, rare breed meats, superfood juices, fine cheeses, olive oils, and many more, whilst hearing the stories behind the creation of these fabulous artisan foods. A tutored wine tasting and a tapas spread from Brindisa are also included, not to mention a luxurious sampling session at Roast restaurant perched above the market. Celia is one of the few tour guides approved by the Borough Market Trustees.
For individuals:
Friday mornings, 10:15am-1:15pm on the dates listed below
The day starts before the market opens, with a luxurious elevenses / brunch spread of pastries, coffee, tea and juices at the glorious Roast restaurant. Next it's into the market for the first session of specially arranged tastings. You'll sit down for a wine tasting at Bedales, accompanied by a spread of delectable French goodies, followed by more tastings and stories in the now buzzing market, concluding with tapas at Brindisa Spanish Foods.
Friday May 15 SPACES AVAILABLE due to cancellation!
Friday May 29 - 1 place left
Friday July 17
***NEW DATE Friday July 31
None in August. Next dates available: September - November. Coming soon.
Please contact Celia for a booking form, stating which date and how many people.
£70 per head (includes a donation to the Borough Market charity)
For Private/Corporate groups:
Friday afternoons, 4:00pm-6:30pm
The weekend starts early!
On Friday afternoons, Borough is a relatively calm oasis, and it's an ideal time to get some serious shopping, tasting and socialising done. Meet at Monmouth Coffee House, then dive into the market to start sampling an array of artisan foods and chat to the traders. Wine tasting at Bedales is next, with a spread of delicious morsels from France, followed by a tasting of simple tapas combinations at Brindisa Spanish Foods. You'll then transcend the market to the luxurious lounge at Roast restaurant for wine, oysters and bar snacks. From 6:30 onwards, your group can linger at Roast for as long as you like.
£65 per head (includes a donation to the Borough Market charity)
For group bookings only, 6-12 people. Available most Fridays. Please contact Celia for date availability.
Thursdays or Fridays, 3:00pm-6:00pm
Borough Market meets Vinopolis.
This unique experience combines Borough's remarkable foods with the exceptional wines at Vinopolis, culminating in a food and wine matching session. It is the perfect opportunity to get an insider's view of the market, to taste and learn about sourcing the peerless ingredients on offer, and to unite them with expertly chosen wines in the enchanting vaults of Vinopolis. This tour can accommodate groups up to 20 people.
For group bookings only, 6-15 people (up to 20 negotiable on Thursdays). Bookings handled by Vinopolis.
Thursdays mornings, 10:30am-1:30pm
Relax and enjoy Borough on a Thursday.
Thursdays are quiet at Borough compared to the weekend mania, making it the perfect day to shop without waiting, and to get to know the place and its people. Start the day before the market opens at Roast restaurant, with a luxurious elevenses / brunch spread of pastries and morning treats, coffee and juice. The next stop is Neal's Yard Dairy, where you'll have an exclusive cheese tasting led by one of their resident experts. Next it's a tour of the market stalls with specially arranged tastings throughout. You'll sit down for a tutored wine tasting at Bedales with a spread of Southern French delicacies, ultimately wrapping up at Brindisa Spanish Foods with simple tapas. A farewell drink back at Bedales is optional.
£70 per head (includes a donation to the Borough Market charity)
For group bookings only, 6-12 people. Available most Thursdays. Please contact Celia for date availability.
Thursdays afternoons, 3:00pm-5:30pm
Thursday is the new Friday!
On Thursday afternoons, Borough is gearing up for a frantic weekend, but it's still comparatively tranquil, so it's perfect for shopping, socialising and meeting the producers. Start at Monmouth Coffee House, then head to Neal's Yard Dairy for a cheese tasting led by one of their resident experts. Next, dive into the market for lots of specially arranged tastings. Sit down for a wine tasting at Bedale's accompanied by a spread of delicious French goodies, followed by a tasting of simple tapas combinations at Brindisa Spanish Foods. Finally, retire to the lounge bar at Roast restaurant for wine, oysters and bar snacks. From 5:30 onwards, your group can linger at Roast for as long as you like.
£65 per head (includes a donation to the Borough Market charity)
For group bookings only, 6-12 people. Available most Thursdays. Please contact Celia for date availability.
Portobello Road is known as one of the funkiest street markets in London, but few are aware of the inspiring culinary secrets peppered throughout this famous neighbourhood. As a former Notting Hill resident, Celia is armed with all the local foodie knowledge and lets you in on the scene of fabulous food shops and restaurants, introducing you to some trendy as well as eclectic destinations. You'll taste your way around the area, including fine hams, cheese and olives at Garcia's Spanish deli. You'll have an early 3-course lunch at Books for Cooks with wine from the Books for Cooks vineyard in France. You'll have a chance to have a good old browse, then continue unearthing culinary treasures around the Portobello area, including an exclusive wine tasting in the cellar of the best local vintner. The day concludes with a special tasting and demonstration in the kitchen of Melt, the unique chocolate boutique.
For individuals:
Tuesday mornings, 10:30am-2:30pm on the dates listed below:
Tuesday June 2 SORRY, SOLD OUT
Tuesday, July 21
Please contact Celia for a booking form, stating which date and how many people.
£55 per head
For Private/Corporate groups:
Tuesday mornings, 10:30am-2:30pm
For group bookings only, 6-12 people. Available most Tuesdays. Please contact Celia for date availability.
£55 per head
Marylebone Village is currently experiencing a gastronomic Renaissance and here's your chance to get inside it through a day of specially arranged tastings with expert Celia as your guide. The tour starts with coffee at the wonderful cheese emporium La Fromagerie, followed by an in-depth cheese tasting presented by one of the shop's expert affineurs. This is followed by a tasting at award-winning butcher The Ginger Pig, then a walk down to Crawford Street for Swedish and Arabic delights. A light lunch at Divertimenti will accompany a tutored wine tasting of Italian classics with expert and Urban Junkies WineChap Tom Harrow of Moveable Feast.
For individuals:
Available through Divertimenti
Sunday Marylebone tours are run via Divertimenti Cookery School, who handle the bookings. A slightly different timing and itinerary from the above applies. Please call Divertimenti on +44 (0)20 7486 8020 to ask about dates and availabilty.
£80 per head
For Private/Corporate groups:
Monday or Wednesday mornings, 10:30am-2:00pm
For group bookings only, 6-12 people. Please contact Celia for date availability.
£80 per head
Testimonials
Read testimonials from previous participants.
FAQ
Questions about Gastrotours? Check the FAQ.
Gift Vouchers
You can purchase gift vouchers for any of the three Gastrotours. You can buy a voucher either for a specific tour or for a choice of three. Celia will email you the relevant voucher document and you can print it and tuck it into a card. The recipient can choose a date that suits them and contact Celia directly to arrange. The voucher is good for a year. Please contact Celia specifying which sort of voucher you would like and how many.