Mercato Metropolitano

🌍 In celebration of Earth Hour today, we’ll be switching off our lights for 60 minutes at MMy Wood Wharf from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM. ✨ What is Earth Hour? ✨ Each March, millions of people across the globe unite for one hour to demonstrate their commitment to the planet’s future. From the iconic Big Ben to the Sydney Opera House, cities worldwide turn off their lights in a powerful show of solidarity for the environment🌱

Here at MM, we’re lucky enough to work with incredible people, and this IWD, we celebrate some of the amazing women who inspire, lead, and make an impact across every corner of our business 💕: Hind | Utopia Food 📍MM E&C Hind is the visionary behind Utopia, a Syrian business that began with street food pop-ups and has grown into a thriving brand. Her journey from refugee to entrepreneur is truly inspiring. Dharshini & Vasanthini | Karapincha Kitchen 📍MM E&C Sri Lankan sisters bring their mother’s recipes to life at Karapincha. Their journey started in 2018, now operating from four locations. “Looking back at the last 6 years, we’re so proud of what we’ve achieved.” Meriel | Club Mexicana 📍Mercato Mayfair Meriel set up Club Mexicana to show that plant-based food isn’t just lentils & lettuce. Her delicious tacos broke preconceptions about vegan food and she’s now a proud female business owner, chef, and advocate for women in hospitality. Barbara | Commercial Manager 📍All Sites Barbara started as one of our Traders and is now our Commercial Manager. She ensures Traders & MM work to achieve the best results and knows a good Artichoke when she finds one. Laura | Sticks and Ceviche 📍MM E&C Laura, a mother and entrepreneur, shares that balancing family life and business in hospitality is challenging; but with patience, military-level organisation, and hard work, she proves it can be done. Rupal | Catalina's 📍MMy Wood Wharf Rupal co-founded Catalina’s, a sustainable Mexican restaurant, and launched Talula Eats, a premium dog dining line. Her work celebrates conscious food choices and strengthens the bond between people and their pets. Gemma | General Manager 📍MM E&C Gemma is our brilliant GM with 25 years in hospitality. From major operators to independents, there’s not much Gemma hasn’t seen or done in Operations. Kamala | Himalayan Dumpling 📍MM E&C Kamala Singh Thakuri brought her childhood love of momo dumplings to life with Himalayan Dumpling. Balancing motherhood with business, Kamala’s journey is about sustainability, community, and empowering other women.

Celebrating Women in the Hospitality Industry at Mercato Mayfair We’re excited to partner with Women In The Food Industry for a day of inspiring panel discussions and food showcases at Mercato Mayfair, exploring the role of women in hospitality and beyond. As we approach International Women’s Day 2025, we’ll be diving into key topics such as: 📖 How to Get Published – Exploring food & recipe writing as a revenue stream or branding tool. Hear from authors, literary agents, and publishers on how to get cookery books, food memoirs, and even food fiction published. 🌟 Female Food Heroes – Meet the women transforming the UK food scene, from award-winning entrepreneurs to charity leaders and documentary producers making a real impact. 🚀 Future Growth & Branding – You’ve built a successful food startup, but what’s next? Learn from women who’ve scaled their businesses and brands, overcoming challenges and driving success. Alongside these discussions, we’re showcasing incredible women-led food brands, celebrating their talent, passion, and contribution to the industry. 📅 Date: Mon 3rd March 📍 Location: Mercato Mayfair Join us for thought-provoking conversations, networking, and a taste of some amazing food! Find out more and book your ticket here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eQR_2Ahf #IWD2025 #WomenInFood #HospitalityIndustry #FoodPower #DiversityInHospitality #WomenEntrepreneurs #MercatoMayfair

At Mercato Metropolitano, we’re determined to play whatever small part we can in spreading the joy of Christmas to people who find opportunities for merriment harder to come by. At this time of year, one of the biggest impediments to an uplifting festive season is social isolation. And as was shown with striking clarity in the results of a major survey we commissioned earlier this year, which sought to cast a light on the scale and impact of loneliness in British society, it’s a problem that runs deep. Through initiatives like our 'Winter Warm Up' programme, wider Christmas Campaign, and our £5 Meal Deal, we are dedicated to supporting local people when they need it most – tackling social issues linked to food insecurity, isolation, and health. Find out more in our latest blog. #MercatoMetropolitano #MovimentoMetropolitano #Community

🏆 What a honour to be awarded the Redbridge Best Sustainable Transition Business Award at the Ilford Business Awards 2024 this week!    The award celebrates Mercato Metropolitano's efforts to break down social barriers; championing our support of new enterprises and the changes we have made in pursuit of a more sustainable society.   Thank you to Ilford Business Improvement District for organising a fantastic evening, it was great to meet some of the incredible businesses and entrepreneurs who are making a positive impact on the Ilford community.    Congratulations to all who were nominated, we would love to see you at MM Ilford very soon.   #MercatoMetropolitano #MovimentoMetropolitano #IlfordBID

This Sunday, the Mercato Metropolitano community laced up their boots and donned their best Santa suits for The Felix Project's annual Santa Stair Climb, climbing all 1031 steps and 48 floors of Canary Wharf’s One Canada Square! Last year, The Felix Project delivered 32 million meals to 1,119 community organisations and over 170 schools across every London borough. This year’s Santa Stair Climb helped raise funds to make sure their vital work could continue. Thank you to Badiani 1932 for keeping participants refreshed and to all the wonderful event partners who helped ensure the day was filled with incredible festive energy. This event was much more than climbing stairs; it was about climbing towards a brighter future for all Londoners in need. Well done to everyone who took part! #MercatoMetropolitano #MovimentoMetropolitano #TheFelixProject #SantaStairClimb

📢 Mark your calendars for the London Living Wage Webinar tomorrow! As part of our ongoing partnership with The Living Wage Foundation, our Director of HR Anna Hamlin will be joining Hannah Feldman, Senior Programme Manager at The Living Wage Foundation, for the Social Sustainability for SMEs Webinar Series, sharing insights on ‘The Value of Being a Living Wage Employer’. 🕒 When: 11 December | 2-3pm GMT 📍 Where: Online | Register here https://lnkd.in/e4uKnXBh As a proudly accredited Living Wage Employer, we know firsthand the transformative impact of paying fair wages—not just for our team, but for the communities we serve. Anna will dive into: ✨ Why Mercato Metropolitano is committed to paying a real Living Wage ✨ The tangible social and commercial benefits we’ve seen ✨ How SMEs can achieve accreditation and make a difference This session is an excellent opportunity to learn how sustainable business practices can support employee well-being and drive success. Tune in tomorrow and discover the power of investing in people. #MercatoMetropolitano #MovimentoMetropolitano #LondonLivingWage #SocialSustainability #FairPay #SustainableBusiness

What does the festive period mean to you? Maybe it’s about exchanging presents, enjoying meals with family and friends, and spending time with loved ones. Traditions we often take for granted, but also things that many people across London simply don’t have access to.  Through our partnership with Peckham Soup Kitchen, we’re working to change that – cooking up festive meals and collecting toy donations this Christmas! 🍴Just like last year, on Christmas Day we’ll be welcoming over 100 people from Peckham Soup Kitchen's network to Mercato Metropolitano Elephant & Castle for a festive meal. In 2023, over 150 guests joined us for a delicious chef-made lunch, games, entertainment, and gift food boxes – we can't wait for this year’s festive feast! 🎁 Throughout December, we’ll also host collection points across all MM sites for donations of new items. These may be toys, scarves, hats, gloves, socks, thermals, Christmas crackers and table cloths – we would like to invite you to donate anything from this list that you feel you are able to. We’re very proud to join forces with Peckham Soup Kitchen as our official Christmas charity partner. Since 2023, their team has used the community kitchen in MM Elephant & Castle twice a week to cook and distribute 13,000 meals to their community in Peckham. Thank you for all that you do for London’s communities, Peckham Soup Kitchen! 🙌 We can’t wait to spend Christmas with you again this year. 🎄 #MercatoMetropolitano #MovimentoMetropolitano #PeckhamSoupKitchen #LondonCharity

The festive season is all about togetherness. A time to celebrate with colleagues, catch up with old friends, and reconnect with family. But not for everyone – for many it can be the loneliest few weeks of the year. Oftentimes, elderly people are among those worst affected, especially during the ongoing cost of living crisis. So in an effort to change this reality for some, we partnered with Blackfriars Settlement to welcome elderly people to Mercato as part of our 'Winter Warm Up' programme. This initiative took place on 24th, 25th and 26th November at Mercato Metropolitano Elephant & Castle, offering 45 elderly people a warm place to meet, socialise, enjoy nutritious meals together, and participate in activities - including dance, gentle yoga, boxing and graffiti! Through initiatives like this, our broader Christmas Campaign, and our £5 Meal Deal we are dedicated to supporting local people when they need it most – tackling social issues linked to food insecurity, isolation, and health. Here's a testimonial from one of our wonderful attendees: "Thank you so much for inviting us to this amazing programme. I've lost my husband last year and since then, Blackfriars Settlement have become my second family. Attending this programme, meeting so many nice people, trying activities I never thought I could have done before, it's really been a life-changing experience for me." Mercato Metropolitano will always be an inclusive space where people can connect, learn new skills, and have fun. A family kitchen table where people can enjoy affordable, nutritious meals together. Thank you to all our incredible partners who continue to make this possible! BeBeMe Danceworks London Enoteca Peckham A.B.C Ana Indrecan TERN - The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network #MovimentoMetropolitano #MercatoMetropolitano #Community #FoodSecurity #FoodForAll

Everyone deserves access to nourishing food in a warm and welcoming environment - the Christmas season is no exception. We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Peckham Soup Kitchen this year, joining them on their mission to support members of the Southwark community in need. Peckham Soup Kitchen’s doors are open to all, and they strive to create a space where everyone feels valued and respected - a value we hold close to our heart at Mercato Metropolitano. During the festive season, we have a number of initiatives to champion their initiatives: ➡️ There will be a donation point for toys and clothes to generate a Christmas collection.  ➡️ We will be donating 15% of proceeds from our ice rink ticket sales. ➡️ Peckham Soup Kitchen’s community members will be invited to MM Elephant & Castle on Christmas Day for a festive meal whilst the venue is closed to the general public. We are looking forward to working alongside the incredible Peckham Soup Kitchen team this year as our official Christmas charity partner. Keep your eyes peeled for ways you can get involved too. #MercatoMetropolitano #MovimentoMetropolitano #PeckhamSoupKitchen #LondonCharity