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 London's Top Street Markets
 
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Bustling, busy and full of life, the capital's markets are an integral part of London life. They are great for bargain hunting or just browsing and all sorts of goods are on sale, from CDs to street wear. This is where you can find real individuality - unusual antiques, hand made items and the wildest fashions!
 All markets are open year-round, whatever the weather; however opening hours may vary as they are at the discretion of individual stall holders. For smaller items, most market stall holders will only take cash (usually only £ sterling). When buying larger, more expensive items, e.g. antiques, you can ask for a receipt and a written description of the item from the vendor. Beware of designer goods being sold vastly below the normal price. Although these may be genuinely 'second quality' or ends of ranges, there are some fakes about. And, as you would anywhere, watch your purse/wallet in crowded places. Occasionally, you will be able to reduce the price by bargaining. In many markets, the very best bargains come at the end of the day, when anything perishable is sold off - so watch out for big bags of bagels, and parcels of fruit and flowers going cheap!   Spitalfields Market
109 Commercial Street, between Lamb and Brushfield Streets, E1 6BG Nestled in the heart of the The City, in the shadow of Christ Church, Spitalfields Market offers the perfect antidote to out-of-town shopping malls. The stalls in the old covered market are the place to look for something original, of excellent quality and value for money. Sundays are busiest, with over 200 stalls operating, including a specialist organic market. On weekdays between 11am and 4pm the markets' varied stalls are quieter, except at lunchtime, when the choice of eating places attracts the young City crowd. On Fridays, over 50 young designers show their work at the Fashion Market. Address: 109 Commercial Street, between Lamb and Brushfield Streets, E1 6BG Nearest Station: Liverpool Street Tube / Rail Spitalfields Market - Information  Petticoat Lane Market
Between Middlesex and Goulston Streets, E1 7HT Petticoat Lane is London's world-famous Sunday market and sells mainly clothes for men, women and children, from street-cred clubwear to over-orders of designer goods and last year's must-haves. One of its specialities is leather-wear and there's bric-a-brac and household goods too. The market is held in and around Middlesex Street (there is no Petticoat Lane any more) and is open from 9am-2pm on Sundays, with a smaller market open from Monday to Friday. Address: Between Middlesex and Goulston Streets, E1 7HT Nearest Station: Liverpool Street Tube / Rail Petticoat Lane Market - Information  Portobello Road Market
Portobello Road, W11 1LU The famous Portobello Road antiques and flea market in Notting Hill takes place every Saturday although there are also stalls from Monday to Friday. Running from from Chepstow Villas to just under the Westway, it is a colourful, dynamic stretch of London that oozes trendiness and fun. On Saturday, it's huge, with over 2,000 stalls, selling everything from books to bric-a-brac and lace to Limoges - even fashion and exotic cooking ingredients are on sale. Thousands of people mill around browsing second-hand clothing stalls or choosing outlandish material. For those who have the patience to search, there are some fantastic bargains. This really is the place to shop-and-eat and then shop some more. It is best to go in the morning, by the afternoon you will find yourself getting a little flustered winding your way through the crowds. Address: Portobello Road, W11 1LU Phone: 020 7229 8354 Nearest Station: Notting Hill Gate Tube or Ladbroke Grove Tube Portobello Road Market - Information  Camden Markets
Camden Lock Place, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AF Camden Market is actually several markets wrapped into one fun, funky canalside shopping experience. There's a wide array of goods to view ranging from antiques to clothes (vintage and new) crafts, accessories and furnishings. Indeed just about everything and anything you could conceivably want, but probably not need. The main markets to head for are Camden Lock Market, Camden (Buck Street) Market and Camden Antiques Market where you can find a wide variety of goods including clothes, crafts, antiques and jewellery. The best days to go are Saturday and Sunday from 8am-6pm - as long as you don't mind crowds; some shops and stalls are also open on weekdays. This is a huge weekend tourist attraction and a great shopping experience, as interesting for the diversity of people as for its mixed bag of stalls and multicultural food on offer. Sundays, in particular, tend to be mega-crowded. Address: Camden Lock Place, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AF Phone: 020 7485 7963 Timing: From 10am to 6pm Nearest Station: Camden Town Tube Camden Lock Market - Information  Greenwich Market
Greenwich High Road, SE10 9HZ Greenwich boasts a number of glorious markets offering a variety of traditional, hand-crafted goods, antiques, clothing and food stalls. The craft market is held at College Approach and the antiques market is off Greenwich High Road. Finish your market tour off with a walk along the river, taking in the Cutty Sark. All the markets are open at the weekend from around 9am to 5pm. Address: Greenwich High Road, SE10 9HZ Nearest Station: New Cross Tube Greenwich Market - Information  Leadenhall Market
Whittington Avenue, off Gracechurch Street, EC3V 0DR Leadenhall Market is a restored Victorian covered market that sells traditional game, poultry, fish and meat. It's open Monday to Friday from 7am-4pm and the best time to visit is early lunchtime. It is found in Whittington Avenue, off Gracechurch Street, close to the Lloyds of London building and the Bank of England. A good place for a stroll around, especially at lunchtime when the market is at its most lively, this is the place to come for some of the finest food in London. Address: Whittington Avenue, off Gracechurch Street, EC3V 0DR Nearest Station: Monument Tube Leadenhall Market - Information  Borough Market
Southwark Street, SE1 1TJ Nestled in-between Borough High Street, Bedale Street, Stoney Street and Winchester Walk lives "London's Larder", more formally known as Borough Market. This gourmand's delight boasts a mouth-watering range of fresh food stalls under its Dickensian wrought-iron roof. Italian cheeses, Morecambe Bay shrimps, Spanish foods and much more. Atmospheric, lively and mouth-watering it's a definite must on a Saturday morning. It's a foodie's paradise! Address: Southwark Street, SE1 1TJ Nearest Station: London Bridge Tube / Rail Borough Market - Information  Berwick Street Market
Berwick Street, Rupert Street, W1F 8TW Berwick Street Market sells fruit, vegetables, fabrics and some clothes and household items. It's open Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm and the best time to visit is lunchtime. Berwick Street is in the heart of Soho, the centre of London's media industry and a prime eating and entertainment area Address: Berwick Street, Rupert Street, W1F 8TW Nearest Station: Tottenham Court Road Tube Berwick Street Market - Information  Columbia Road Market
Columbia Road, Hackney, E2 7RG Lined with chic boutiques, every Sunday this historic street fills with a bright patchwork of hundreds of flower stalls. Columbia Road is the capital's most colourful and sweet-smelling market. Flowers, shrubs, bedding plants and other horticultural delights are all sale for sale. As well as cut flowers, there are topiary trees, pot plants, bulbs and bouquets on sale, and everything to cater for that English obsession - gardening. The market is open from 8am-2pm and there are plenty of attractive cafes and authentic sea-food stalls where you can make a pit-stop. Address: Columbia Road, Hackney, E2 7RG Phone: 020 7377 8963 Timing: Sun 8am-2pm Nearest Station: Bethnal Green Tube / Rail Columbia Road Market - Information  Brick Lane
Brick Lane, E1 6PU Brick Lane Market is pure East End London, which means Jewish bagel shops, Bangladeshi curry houses, Indian sari silks - and Cockneys crying out their wares. This chaotic, bustling market is half way between jewel and junk heap. It attracts lots of young Londoners, in search of second-hand furniture, unusual clothes and bits of this-and-that. They'll finish with an inexpensive Sunday lunch (probably curry) in a local restaurant. The market is open Sunday early morning to around 2pm. London's Curry Mile also plays host to a number of outdoor festivals as the weather warms up, and this is the street to visit any time of the year for a first-rate Indian or Bangladeshi meal followed by a night of dancing in some of London's best dance venues. Address: Brick Lane, E1 6PU Nearest Station: Liverpool Street Tube or Rail / Whitechapel Tube / Aldgate East Tube Brick Lane - Information  Camden Passage
Camden Passage, N1 8EE Hidden down a cobble-stoned Angel backstreet a whimsical collection of odds and ends have been gathered together on a selection of market stalls. Intermingled among elegant antique shops and restaurants, it is very easy to spend a day perusing through the muddle of goodies. The antique shops themselves are the real hidden gems of Camden Passage. There is a much admired doll and toy dealer, a specialist long case and mantel clocks vendor and the 'Georgian Village' is full of ornate glass and precious china. Most of the traders are specialists. They know their stuff and can be a lot of fun to chat to. Strive to find the bargains; prices can be high so haggling is essential. Many of the smaller shops and stalls are only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but the larger antique furniture shops may open on other days if visitors ring the bell. Every Sunday Camden Passage hosts a popular farmers' market selling a range of locally grown organic foods. Address: Camden Passage, N1 8EE Phone: 020 7359 0190 Nearest Station: Angel Tube Camden Passage - Information |
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