For me, it is quality, relationship to producers and care for the sourcing of food, and respect for nature in particular that make a great place to shop in/at.
I am starting a list of favourite places to go in London here.
But first....
Foraging in and around London, household and medicinal uses of plants
Why not try foraging rather than shopping? Big BUT: please don't just eat anything! You really need to know what you are doing or you might poison yourself. You also need to be aware of some legal stuff or you might be accused of tresspassing or theft. Best to forage with an experienced guide if you don't know what's out there, such as one of the people, Chris, responsible for the Ipso Phyto website, a great resource for information on foraging. Chris organises regular wild food and hedgerow medicine foraging walks, which you can sign up to via his meetup group, The Town and Country Forager. There is also a website called Plant Lore - collecting the folklore and uses of plants,which is not all about food, but interestingly also about household and medicinal uses of plants.
Laverstoke Park Farm shop
Twickenham, Greater London (UK)
They are true to their word when they say that they have an impressive meat counter! Their butchers and farm shop is lovely and sells high quality organic produce. Friendly and knowledgeable service as well. I am really impressed with their variety of produce including stuff for your larder (oils, dried herbs, etc.) on offer, but what impresses me most is that the farm has Demeter certification for some of its products, and it is entirely organic. Demeter is a biodynamic certification, originating in Germany. You can read more about it on the Demeter website.
Monmouth Coffee Company
Covent Garden and Borough Market, London (UK)
This company really knows its stuff. I love dropping by here (the Covent Garden shop) for a coffee, to be social with fellow coffee lovers who share the communal tables, meet up with friends or colleagues, or to just take some time out from everything else, gather my thoughts, and be creative. However, Monmouth's main business is to sell coffee beans, and their two shops offer wonderful, expert and personalised service. Although cultivating coffee in itself is not necessarily an environmentally friendly practice, Monmouth do seem to take great care in selecting their coffees, which come from relatively small quality individual producers or coops all over the world. At least one of their coffees is always organic; occasionally they even have biodynamically grown beans. I trust them much more than the big coffee names and indeed have become a bit of a "coffee snob", preferring to drink only their coffee or no coffee at all.
Neal's Yard Dairy
Covent Garden, London (UK)
I once learnt that the UK has more cheeses than France, though how many more I can't remember. When you walk into this shop you delve straight into the world of British cheeses, which are piled high on the counter and shelves across the shop. My favourites are their blue and goat's cheeses. Of course, they are still best enjoyed with French wine (or so I think), which you must find somewhere else! You will not find cheeses this good in any UK supermarket. A sign of their passion is that you get to try everything before you buy, and the cheesemongers are very knowledgeable. It is such a tempting, wonderfully smelly place to (walk by) and shop!
Wild Country Organics
Various London Farmers Markets (LFMs) (also see their entry on the LFM site)
Best sorrel I have ever tasted and delicious salad leaves. Also bought brown cap oyster mushrooms and a bright orange squash, which I intend to roast (skin on) in the oven (this is November 2012). Hoping to see them at the next local farmers' market. Apparently the more delicate stuff is grown in greenhouses without artifical heating.
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