Growing up in London, it was always an exciting moment getting to a market and looking for a bargain, haggling over a 50p difference and finding a hidden gem. There are plenty of markets in London which you should check out if on holiday, or just generally want to find a great deal.
1) Borough Market
Located close to London Bridge station and not too far from the River Thames, Borough Market is a great food market with many people visiting around lunch time. There has been a market in this area since the 12th century so this one has some tradition and history to it.
This one is surprisingly closed on Sunday (in my head I see that as the traditional market day), while it’s also quite limited for options on both Monday and Tuesday. This is a great place to arrive around lunch time, with some unbelievable options.
2) Camden Market
I absolutely love the madness of Camden market. Back in the day there used to be a fair chance of spotting Amy Winehouse perusing through the market looking for decent clothes. I bought myself quite a lot of my clothes here when I was 16-18. These are actually several adjoining markets, combining clothes, arts and craft, grungy items and plenty of great food places.
This is ideal if fashion is your aim for your visit, as clothing is the main items you’ll see available, some being goth, others punk, plus plenty of vintage.
Of course, there are also some amazing places along here to eat, I remember loving a cheesy pasta stand, but I couldn’t say what it was called.
3) Portobello Road
Pretty busy on the weekends, Portobello road market is perfect if you’re after an antique and is actually the world’s largest antique market! Expect over a thousand dealers with plenty of clothing, food and second hand items thrown in for good measure.
Saturdays are the most popular day to visit, while the market is closed on Sundays. This market is interesting if you’re after some bits and bobs for the house and fancy something a bit historic in nature, while the prices will vary quite drastically.
4) Spitalfields
This, like many markets nowadays, has changed from just being open on Sundays to being a full week event. On quiet days there will be around 60 stalls, while at peak times you can expect up to 110. You can expect clothing stands, jewellery, art pieces and inevitably a huge selection of food.
It is also one of London’s oldest markets still running today, having run since the 1600’s, but it’s still beaten by Borough market, which has been going since the 12th century. The market opens around 10am and shuts about 6pm, but some may shut earlier if they’re not too busy.
5) Brick Lane Market
Would you guess, it’s another East London market, with a strong Bangladeshi influence, so expect the mouth watering smells of exotic spices. The food can be a bit hit and miss, but there is so much to choose from you will eventually find a wonder and want to go back every week to eat there.
Sunday is certainly the day you’d want to visit Brick Lane market. Of course, I’ve straight away jumped onto the food, as Indian/Bangladeshi is my favourite, but you will also find clothing, antiques, electronics and art pieces.
6) Columbia Road Flower Market
The name says it all, this is a great option if you are looking for a beautiful bouquet. This is an amazing East London market, close to Shoreditch, meaning expect a careful balance between cockney and hipsters.
This market actually starts earlier than some, meaning you can arrive and start your shop at 8am if you wish to. As you can imagine with a flower based market, these are popular around Christmas as people try to get a wreath for their door.
There are also a number of independent cafes along the street that are worth visiting. This market is only available on Sunday’s, following those traditional dates.
7) Broadway Market
Based in Hackney, this was historically a good one if you wanted the stereotypical East London fish seller calling out and talking in a bit of cockney. Having said that, I don’t fancy the jellied eels, you have to be really brave to go for them. Nowadays you can expect more luxuriously baked pastries, tasty street food from around the globe and plenty of cheese and meat stands.
The old image has very much changed, as with Hackney in general, as this is the true London home to hipsters. If you want to visit, it’s open on Saturdays from 9am till 5pm.
Despite being established around 1890, this one almost died off in the nineties, but it had a revival around the early 2000’s and is now thriving. Fundamentally, this was a specialist food market, meaning if you struggle to find a certain food, this is the place to go.
8) Brixton Market
I grew up with Brixton being considered one of the most dangerous areas of London, but something has changed while I’ve been living in Brighton. It is rapidly changing and becoming a popular spot for young middle class people, meaning expect a very different group at the market compared to 20 years ago. I still get offered drugs about 12 times when leaving the station, but some things never change.
The market isn’t too far from the tube, while it is a very multicultural area so you can expect some amazing exotic food. There is a strong Afro-Caribbean community here, so I find it captivating to eat here, as these dishes are still relatively new to me.
When I say Brixton Market, I mean Brixton Village with all its food stalls, Market Row with the clothing stands and fruit & veg, as well as Electric Avenue (what that tune was named after). You only have a 3 minute walk from Brixton station, so not a far journey once you’ve got off the tube.
9) Greenwich Market
If you’re looking for arts and crafts or jewellery then this is one of the best markets in London, with plenty of unique and wonderful items on display seven days a week, from 10am until 5:30pm.
Plus there are some nice pubs and cafes in the surrounding area, meaning you can stop off for some lunch, if you don’t buy any food within the market. Expect a good 120-150 stalls, so this one will take a good while to get around.
10) Mercado Metropolitano
Not heard of this one before? Don’t worry, it’s because it is relatively new, with the main site being in Elephant & Castle, with a second one in Ilford.
The reason why this one is proving so popular is because it has a great ethos and belief behind it. They were fed up of large corporations and shady industries and wanted to offer a market filled with locally produced goods, small scale farmers and to help build a community of like-minded people. Think sustainability, economic conscience, environmentally friendly and building a social community.
The main people come to this market is the amazing food stands and the intriguing drinks available (from craft beers to locally produced wine).
11) Victoria Park Market
What could make a market better? Have it in a beautiful park, so once you have some food you can find a nice spot to relax in the sun and eat with friends or family. You can expect the usual mix of stands, but Victoria Park Market is mainly known for its food.
This one is on the smaller end, being just 50 stands, so it won’t take too long to get around, especially once you’ve picked somewhere to eat. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian then you’ll be delighted to know this market is well known for having some brilliant options.
12) Whitechapel Road Market
You will find this market on Whitechapel Road (obviously) in East London, while Whitechapel station is just a 3 minute walk away, which you can reach via the Elizabeth line, District, Hammersmith & City or the Overground.
In operation since the 19th century, this traditional market is open every day except Sundays, from around 9am until approximately 5pm.
13) Netil Market
I earlier highlighted the amazing and illustrious Broadway Market, however just round the corner is the far quieter Netil Market. Some of the stalls will be open all week long, but it’s Saturdays you can expect it to be in full swing.
Street food is the main appeal here, but you’ll also find plenty of other options, from jewellery to clothing and small craft stands. Honestly, this one will only take about 10 minutes to finish, so don’t go all the way out just to visit here, but it’s great to combine with Broadway market.
14) Hackney Flea Market
Hackney does love a good market! It has quite a few going on in such a small area, with the flea market being one of the best. Expect to find items you didn’t know were still in existence here, not to mention some great pottery and craft pieces.
The dates are a bit more unique, it doesn’t run daily or weekly, instead they normally set it up once a month, on a weekend, so follow them on social media to keep an eye on the exact dates. We’re only talking around 20 stands again, so this is another small one.
15) Petticoat Lane Market
The actual name of this market is Wentworth Street Market, but it picked up the name due to the number of shady pickpockets and thieves, so keep an eye out. The old saying was that they would steal your petticoat at one end of the market and be selling it back to you at the other end.
Ok, that paragraph might have put you off a little, so now I should mention that legend dates back to the 1600’s, I’m not saying you won’t find a pickpocket, but this is more about the Oliver Twist days (well, about 200 years before then).
This is a great market if you’re after something in leather, with a strong fashion focus. The market is open seven days a week, but Sunday is the main day, with around 500 stands. This one is big in size, but doesn’t attract the tourists and holiday makers like the ones around Shoreditch or in Camden.