A guide to Queen's Court Street Food Market in centre:mk

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It probably isn’t news to most of you, but I LOVE street food. I spent many a weekend at Digbeth Dining Club whilst I was at university in Birmingham spending my grocery budget on street food, trying new vendors and sampling new-to-me cuisines. I timed my arrival back home to Milton Keynes as the local street food scene was taking off thanks to Eat Street MK and other monthly events which were providing a great platform for independent vendors and propelling the scene to the mainstream.

I love grabbing something quick, hot and delicious to eat when I’m out and about, so I’m really excited to bring you this guide to a fantastic hub of street food which you can find in the centre:mk. Queen’s Court street food market is making great food from all over the world available to you every day, so if you’d like to find out what you can get your hands on, read on!

Queen’s Court Street Food Market

Do you remember the iconic fountain in the middle of the shopping centre? That is Queen’s Court, also known as the food court. Ignore the chain offerings that surround it – this is a great destination for independent food in the centre of Milton Keynes. There is plenty of space outside to enjoy your food so if you work or live near the centre, even better – lunch just got even better!

There are eight vendors in residence at Queen’s Court and I can tell you that there are more coming soon (including some of my local faves!) so check back soon to find out who’s arriving…

The vendors

You can quite literally eat around the world at Queen’s Court. There is a brilliant diverse range of vendors serving, Lebanese, Indian, Chinese and more. It really does breathe a much needed breath of fresh air into the shopping centre, adding variety and excitement to the food scene.

For this guide, I sampled every single vendor at the market so you can see what takes your fancy. So without further ado, let me introduce you to the vendors. Bon appetit!

Bubble ‘n’ Roll

Bubble ‘n’ Roll serves filled bubble waffles and ice cream rolls! It’s the first of its kind in MK and HURRAH, it’s an indie doing it! The owner, Nathan Sasso, used to work with Claire Alderton who owns South African vendor, Bokkie, so has learned from the best and pursued his dream of owning a street food business.

Everything is made fresh in front of you, and yep, that includes the ice cream rolls. You can choose from a range of flavours, or mix and match your own fillings to create your own signature mix. I opted for the mint aero which was a winner. As for the bubble waffles… Well, they are totally delicious too! Very indulgent, so I’d recommend sharing if you’re having it for dessert.

Follow Bubble n’ Roll on Facebook and Instagram.

Eat is Greek

Eat is Greek serves the most amazing Greek food and is one of my number one street food vendor recommendations. The gyros are absolutely incredible and a complete steal at £4.50 each so you do not want to miss out on this! I have over ten years of holidays in the Greek islands under my belt, and I’ve never had gyros in the UK as good as those from Eat is Greek. Soft, floury pitta, packed with chicken or pork (or both!) tzatziki, chips, onions and tomatoes. Heaven!

Follow Eat is Greek on Facebook.

Fry Guys

I’ve made no secret of my love for Fry Guys and they have become an absolute hit in my Facebook Community Group too. Who knew we needed loaded fries so badly in MK!? Home smoked meats, fresh crunchy veg and smokey seasonings bring these fries to life and they really are something special. We sampled the Big Philly Style loaded fries which feature on their brand new menu – smoked flank with peppers, onions, liquid cheese and jalapenos. Naughty but so nice!

Make sure you try the loaded tater tots too! Vegan options are also available from Fry Guys. Follow Fry Guys on Facebook and Instagram.

Kally’s Food

Kally’s serves Romanian street food. Now, this isn’t a cuisine that I am particularly familiar with so it was great to try something new! Pictured below is ‘Mititei’ or ‘Mici’ which consists of grilled ground meat rolls made from a mixture of beef, lamb and pork with spices – sort of like a Romanian kebab. Tender, salty and seasoned with herbs, the mici is paired with mustard, naturally fermented pickles and crinkle fries. This was really tasty and is a great autumnal option for lunch.

Kally’s also serves another must-try Romanian dish – Papanași. This is a traditional dish that is Romania’s answer to a loaded doughnut. The pastry is fried and doughnut shaped with a small sphere on top. It was filled with soft cheese and topped with sour cream and a blueberry jam. I absolutely loved this and would highly recommend – the soft cheese is rich and slightly savoury which pairs beautifully with the jam.

Follow Kally’s Food on Facebook.

Karahi & Spice

Karahi & Spice is an Indian vendor serving a multitude of Indian dishes (which are all halal) The dishes are punchy, bright and not short of flavour. The masala curry was delicious with a creamy base and a gentle warming heat. The Biriyani was also really tasty and would make for an amazing warming lunch. These dishes come in takeaway containers so you could pick some up and take home for later.

MK Lebanese Food

MK Lebanese Food is a real gem. The food was so tasty and fresh! We sampled a few dishes on their menu: chicken shish, lamb kebab, lamb shawarma and falafel (vegetarian option). The lamb shawarma was a highlight; tender, salty and rich. It was served with pitta and a really delicious fresh salad. The falafel was beautiful, with a great nutty undertone that you don’t often get. Everything is freshly cooked and not at all lacking in flavour.

The Noodle Bar

The Noodle Bar is a recent addition to the market. I would say that it feels more fusion than 100% Chinese cuisine, but this doesn’t stop it from being delicious. The Thai style chicken curry was really good, but not one for the faint hearted as it’s a hot one and there’s a lot of chillies in there! You’ll also find noodles, black bean stew and other oriental favourites at The Noodle Bar.

Original Bratwurst Company

I think this is going to be a popular one as the weather starts to turn. A little nod to German markets, the Original Bratwurst Company – aka the Sausage Man – serves loaded hot dogs. Rich, salty and totally a guilty pleasure, these dogs are packed with pickles, crispy onions and mustard. The ultimate German indulgence. Köstlich!

Shakes & Smoothies

Amazing vegan shakes! I repeat AMAZING VEGAN SHAKES! The biggest surprise of Queen’s Court Street Food Market has to be Shakes & Smoothies. Everything on the menu is vegan, so it’s perfect for dairy-free folks and my goodness, the shakes are good. The Chocolicious Shake was amazing. I’m eyeing up the Banoffee pie shake and the cherrylicious smoothies for next time. And nope, you really can’t tell the difference between a dairy shake and this one, so don’t you dare turn your nose up at it! 10/10, would recommend.

Follow Shakes & Smoothies on Facebook.

So there we have it – the ultimate guide to Queen’s Court street food market! I’d love to hear if you pay it a visit. It’s such a great spot to discover new foods and every vendor is so lovely and well up for a chat. The vendors are open from 10am – 5pm daily (from 11am on weekends) but follow them individually as the hours may vary.

Have you visited Queen’s Court Street Food Market? Which vendor would you like to try the most?