London is a dream for our guests that love to shop and take in the city with local residents. Whether you’re into fashion, flowers, antiques, or food, you’re bound to find something to spark your interest as you stroll around our city’s street markets. If this is your first visit to London, then you should definitely read through this brief list of some of the best London street markets that you can visit. Below, we’ll go over nine of the best-reviewed London street markets perfect for you.
1. Covent Garden
We’ll begin our list with perhaps the most famous market in London: Covent Garden Marketplace. Many people just visit Covent Garden at 130 King Street to take in the incredible architecture of the Piazzas and Market Building. But Covent Garden isn’t just a museum piece. Indeed, this shopping center has some of the best cafés, restaurants, and high-end fashion stores in it’s Apple, Jubilee, and East Colonnade Markets. There are also always plenty of lively street performers here bound to grab your attention. If you can, try to visit Covent Garden during Christmastime to see the incredible light displays. Covent Garden can get extremely packed on the weekends, so you might want to tour this area on a weekday.
2. Greenwich Market
Established in 1737, Greenwich Market is proud of the fact that it’s the only London street market in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Anyone looking for antiques or unique craft gifts should definitely start their search here. Numerous independent designers set up their shops here with a wonderful selection of jewelry, children’s toys, and clothes. Of course, you’ll also find a ton of tantalizing restaurants from around the world in this market like the Buenos Aires Café and Jamie’s Italian. Greenwich Market is packed from Friday through Sunday, so plan to visit on Monday through Thursday for a less crowded shopping experience. Unsurprisingly, the Greenwich Market is close to the Greenwich Tube Station.
3. Borough Market
Any foodies out there? If so, then you need to plan a trip to historic Borough Market. Located at 8 Southwark Street near London Bridge, Borough Market has been around since at least the late 1200s. Today, Borough Market continues its long tradition of delivering high-quality produce to the public, as well as plenty of delectable local dishes like scotch eggs and cheese toasties. Lines at many food stalls in Borough Market can get extremely long, but it’s so worth the wait! Even if you’re not a foodie, you’re sure to get swept away by the aromas, vibrancy, and history of this market. By the way, Borough Market now has the honor of being number one on TripAdvisor’s list of the best London street markets.
4. Camden Market
Camden Market has become one of the most popular visitor attractions in all of London. Believe it or not, some 200,000 visitors stop by to check out Camden’s wares every week. Camden has quite the reputation for being funky and free-spirited. Anyone interested in independent fashion or vintage shoes will definitely love exploring Camden Market’s hundreds of independent shops. There are also eclectic food stands throughout Camden with tons of vegan-friendly options. You can easily find Camden Market near the Camden Town Tube station.
5. Maltby Street Market
Founded in 2010, the Maltby Street Market is one of the more recent developments in London’s street market scene. Located in the southeast near London Bridge, Maltby is almost exclusively for foodies. A few of the more popular vendors here include St. John Bakery, Little Bread Peddler, Coleman’s Coffee Roasters, and Kappacasein. Note, Maltby Street Market is only open on weekends, so be ready to deal with huge crowds.
6. Columbia Road Flower Market
As the name suggests, the Columbia Road Flower Market is an ideal shopping center for gardeners. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s delightful to stroll through this market to see all the colorful flowers, trees, and shrubs on sale. You can also pick up all the gardening equipment you could possibly need at nearby shops. This market is near Hackney Road in east London and is only opened on Saturdays.
7. Southbank Centre Market
Open Fridays through Sundays near the Royal Festival Hall, the Southbank Centre Market is well known for its hipster vibe. Throughout the year, Southbank Centre hosts numerous events such as live African music, classical Indian singers, and discussions on identity politics. There are also many art exhibitions going on at Southbank every single week. Southbank is committed to promoting sustainability in the food industry, so all the food stands you’ll see in this market have been certified eco-friendly. Take a stroll and check out the books in Hayward Publishing or shop for a few artsy gifts. If you’re looking for something a little edgy and fun, definitely take a trip to Southbank on the weekend.
8. Truman Markets
Founded around 2000, Truman Markets in the East End refers to a bunch of bargain stores on Brick Lane. There are a variety of goods offered at these stores, including teas, spices, saris, shoes, antiques, and much, much more. A few popular shops include The Tea Rooms, Backyard Market, and Boiler House. Although not as famous for its food, you should have no difficulty finding a few food trucks around Brick Lane when you’re visiting. Most markets are open every Saturday and Sunday.
9. Old Spitalfields Market
Located at 16 Horner Square, Old Spitalfields Market is regarded as one of the best-preserved Victorian era markets in London. Today, this fashionable market has dozens of fashion retailers like Lululemon and Jigsaw Menswear. There are also tons of luxurious restaurants specializing in modern British, Caribbean, Greek, Southeast Asian, and Ethiopian food. But don’t worry if you don’t have a refined palate. Burger lovers will find plenty of food stands and restaurants to admire in Old Spitalfields, especially Bleecker Burger. Old Spitalfields is open every day of the week.
No trip to London is complete without visiting a few of the city’s famous street markets. Hopefully this list gives you a good sense of the wide variety of markets in London. As you can see, there’s something to suit everyone’s taste (and budget) in the streets of our city. No matter where your trips throughout London take you, you’re sure to have a spectacular time touring the dozens of local street markets.
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