During my two years living in London, I came to fall in love with the city’s amazing markets, so much so, that they are one of the things I miss the most about living in London. Going to markets is a great way to spend a weekend morning, and worth skipping brunch to eat in a unique environment. Without further ado, here is a list of eight of my favourite markets in London.
1. Maltby Street Market
Maltby Street Market was a late discovery for me, as I only got to go for the first time a mere six months before I left London; yet, it somehow became my favourite market in town. As it is a bit off the beaten track, Maltby Street is bigger with Londoners than with tourists. The food options are great, with many of the stalls rotating often, which keeps the market interesting to visit again and again, while some restaurants have been established there permanently. The waffles stand is my favourite, so check it out if it’s there during your visit; if not, St. JOHN Bakery sells the most amazing doughnuts. Little Bird Gin also offers delicious cocktails, including the best bloody mary I’ve ever tasted, and has a seating area to eat all your market goodies!
Find Maltby Street Market at 41 Maltby Street, London SE1 3PA
2. Camden Markets
Up in north London, the Camden Markets are the complete opposite: packed with tourists, and you’ll be lucky to find any Londoners on site; however, I loved them from my first visit and returned again and again during my time in London. The Camden Markets are actually a bunch of different markets which merge into each other. Two large markets sell food (one has international cuisine stalls and the other more generic, greasy options), and the rest sell funky boutique clothing and all sorts of knickknacks. The Camden Lock side is the best, with great food stalls (try out shrimp & bacon burgers from Shrimpy), the Lock 17 pub overlooking the canals, and the local gem Cookies & Scream which sells the best vegan, dairy free, chocolate chill shake in the world (according to me).
Find the Camden Markets at Camden Lock Place, London NW1 8AF
3. Brixton Market & Pop Brixton
A visit to the market in Brixton in South London feels like taking a trip to another land, with a large concentration of Caribbean and Latin stalls selling a bunch of produce and packaged food items that I can honestly say I’ve never seen before. Brixton is more of a traditional market rather than a ready-to-eat foods one, selling produce and meats as well as really cheap clothing. The main street market is surrounded by covered arcades which are now full of trendy restaurants and bars. Just around the corner, the newly opened Pop Brixton uses a bunch of repurposed shipping containers to house food stalls, full-on mini restaurants (check out Donostia Social Club for great tapas!), and even pubs, as well as small clothing boutiques.
Find Brixton Market & Pop Brixton at Electric Avenue, London SW9 8JX
4. Southbank Centre Market
Located in Southbank (aka my favourite area in London) just outside Southbank Centre, this new market is open Friday through Sundays only, and concentrates on ready-to-eat food (and ready-to-drink booze) stalls only. The Southbank Centre Market is quite small and is packed with stalls, which means there is not a lot of space to sit down to eat, but with the riverfront walkway just around the corner, that’s a minor inconvenience that’s easy to overcome! A good spot to eat your grub is the staircase towards the east end, which comes with an included view of the market below and iconic London Eye in the distance.
Find Southbank Centre Market at Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
5. Brick Lane Market
Brick Lane Market is another popular tourist spot, and it operates only on Sundays, which makes it incredibly busy… but don’t let this stop you from going, as it actually is great fun! The market is centred along Brick Lane, a street known for its high volume of Bangladeshi curry houses, and has a mix of street-stalls and established businesses selling anything from antiques, to clothing, to books. As a foodie, my favourite spot is the Boiler House, an old brewery’s boiler room that now houses the market’s food stalls, which offer over thirty different options of international delights. Now, I don’t usually advocate the closing down of breweries, but for this purpose, I’ll let it go.
Find Brick Lane Market at 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QR
6. Portobello Road Market
Another one-day-a-week market is the popular Portobello Road Market in upscale Notting Hill, in west London, which only operates on Saturdays. The market’s setting is beautiful, along the winding road, lined with pretty Victorian terrace houses and shops on both sides. The buildings house a bunch of maze-like antique shops, while the Saturday market stalls lined on both sides of the street sell all sorts of funky fashions, art, and interesting food items including squared marshmallows in interesting flavours like strawberry-basil. The market is mostly known for its antiques, and its one of the best places in the city to get some.
Find Portobello Road Market at Portobello Road, London W10 5TA
7. Borough Market
The popular Borough Market near London Bridge might be the city’s most popular market, and although extremely touristy, this market has its merits. The market sells fresh produce, meats, cheeses and fish to the general public, while continuing its tradition of selling fresh food items as wholesale to restaurants around the area. The market also has various ready-to-eat booths, and even has some stands selling wine by the glass. Borough market is one of London’s oldest continuously-running markets (although its location has shifted slightly over the years), and while often bashed as being a tourist trap, it’s a great place for locals to buy hard-to-find and locally grown produce.
Find Borough Market at 8 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TL
8. Columbia Road Flower Market
Located just a quick walk away from Brick Lane Market, Columbia Road Flower Market is a beautiful (although again, crazy busy) market to check out. As the name suggests, the main pull of this market is a great collection of flowers, plants, shrubs and trees being sold in stands along the street. The market is only open on Sundays and closes earlier than most other markets, but it’s good to check out before or after going to Brick Lane for some food. Otherwise, you can check out the shops and cafés established along Columbia Road, behind the flower stands. Wether or not you actually plan on buying any greenery, a walk through the market amongst all the plants and colourful flowers is pretty unique!
Find Columbia Road Flower Market at Columbia Road, London E2 7RG
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