Elephant Exchange food hall names 14 independent traders ahead of 12 November opening in Elephant and Castle

A new food hall, The Elephant Exchange, will open in Elephant and Castle, south London, on 12^th November with 14 independent kitchens. Operator Blend Family has announced the full line-up of traders, whose cuisines include Japanese, Thai, Nepalese, New Orleans, Taiwanese, Peruvian, Malaysian, Caribbean and Indian. During opening week, children will eat free with any adult meal purchased, and anyone working from the venue will get bottomless tea and coffee.

Alongside the kitchens, the venue will have a central bar, a coffee bar and a programme of events and cultural collaborations. It will also house Lulu, a self-pour wine bar positioned at the centre of the hall.

Two traders are opening their first permanent sites at the hall. Shokudō is a Japanese eatery founded in 2024 that has previously operated through pop-ups, supper clubs and cookery classes. Its menu includes Chicken Oyako Don, Tamagoyaki Sando, Takoyaki and Japanese Curry, with seasonal specials and vegetarian options. Filili Eats, a Nepalese street food business founded in 2021, focuses on momo dumplings, including variations called Danger Momo and Bang Bang Momo.

Khin Thai serves dishes based on recipes passed down through the founder’s mother and grandmother, among them pad Thai and pad kra pao. Young Nola offers Louisiana Creole cooking such as gumbo, Creole mac ‘n’ cheese, slow-cooked short ribs and fried shrimp. TaiWei, whose founder trained on a cookery programme in Taiwan, makes handmade fresh noodles, spice bags, beef short rib and slow-braised pork.

Taste Peru brings Peruvian cooking, Hakka Village combines Malaysian hawker food with Southern Chinese cooking, Sunrise Caribbean draws on Jamaican family recipes, and Zindiya serves Indian food rooted in its founders’ family traditions.

The line-up also covers cuisines beyond those headlined. Greek Gods’ Cuisine serves gyros, souvlaki and moussaka with vegan options. +84 offers Vietnamese street food, including bánh mì. Fuego 1987 serves Mexican-American fusion dishes such as Birria Ramen, made with beef consommé cooked for more than eight hours. Its menu is fully halal and includes gluten-free corn tacos and plant-based dishes.

Renata has a local connection: its founder, Samson, lived in Elephant and Castle when he first moved to England. The name is Italian for “rebirth” or “renewal”. Its proposed menu includes handmade pasta, pizza, house-made sauces and doughballs. ANG completes the line-up with smash burgers, fried chicken and egg sandwiches.

Blend Family already runs food halls in Sheffield, Salford Quays, Birmingham and at Tower Bridge in London.

Matt Bigland, co-founder of Blend Family, said: “We believe great food halls should be about much more than eating and drinking. They should be places where people connect, discover something new and feel part of their local community. Elephant & Castle is one of the most exciting and diverse areas in London, and we’re incredibly excited to create a destination that reflects that energy and creativity.”

Food Desk

The Elephant Exchange opens on 12^th November. For further information, visit the website here.