The ultimate guide to London's markets
I recently just got back from a six-week backpacking trip through Europe and kicked off my trip by spending six days in London. London ended up being my favourite city of the whole trip because it's so lively, with so many things to see and do. That being said, I think the city could feel slightly overwhelming if a person doesn't do some planning ahead. That's why I've created this post. As someone who loves markets, I knew I wanted to check some out in London, but there are so many to choose from! I hope this post will help with making the decision of which markets to visit and allow you to have the best experience once you're there!
As a major market lover, I made it my mission to visit as many in London as I could. In this post, I'm going to touch on everything you need to know about London's biggest markets. I'll talk about each market individually, touching on location, hours, types of items sold, and overall vibe.
Borough Market
I would argue that Borough Market is London's most famous market. This market is a food market, consisting of mostly prepared foods as well as produce and pantry goods. I had an absolute blast here and am actually sad that I wasn't able to go more than once, as this market is absolutely packed with good vendors. I plan to write a full post soon on everything I ate with ratings and comments but for now, I will just share some of the market's highlights.
Some of the market's most popular stalls include The Black Pig ("the best one" sandwich), Humble Crumble, Bread Ahead (the creme brulee donut), and Turnips (chocolate covered strawberries and juices). While these stalls are some of the most popular and all extremely good, don't overlook the less popular stalls, as there are some hidden gems here too.
Borough Market is located at London SE1 9AL, United Kingdom and is open from 10-5pm Monday-Friday, 9-5pm Saturday, and 10-4pm Sunday. Also keep in mind that this is one of the busiest markets in London. We went around 11am on a weekday in October, and by 1pm it was beginning to get too crowded to be enjoyable. My recommendation would be to go during the week if possible, early in the day, and to be prepared to wait in some lines.
Camden Market
Camden was definitely the most unique and largest market that I visited. When you exit the subway station, you can immediately feel the different atmosphere in the Camden neighborhood. The buildings are colourful, all covered in graffiti artwork, with neon signs. Local and chain stores alike line the street. It's bustling with people. This atmosphere carries through as you make your way into the market.
The market is huge (I'm talking like 1000 stalls) and I got lost multiple times. The market is made up of a bunch of different buildings, some larger and some smaller, as well as outdoor stalls. You can get pretty much anything you can think of here. They have new clothing, used clothing, jewelry, artwork, souvenirs, and food. I easily spent a couple of hours here browsing all the different items. I found this market and the Camden neighborhood in general to have the largest selection of secondhand clothes, so if that's something you're looking for, I highly recommend checking it out.
One thing I really enjoyed about this market was, because of its design, it would at times feel crowded, but it was easy to duck into a smaller alleyway and escape the hustle and bustle when needed.
Also, if you're looking for a food recommendation, I had some absolutely delicious loaded fries at a stand called Funky Chips!
The Camden Market is located at 54-56 Camden Lock Pl, London NW1 8AF, United Kingdom. Hours are 10-6pm every day.
Spitalfields Market
Spitalfields is definitely on the smaller side compared to the two markets mentioned above, but still has a really good selection and is worth visiting. I really enjoyed the clothing and jewelry selection here as I found a lot of the booths to be small businesses with decent quality and price points. I would say that this market is predominantly clothing, jewelry, and knick-knack type of stalls, with a smaller selection of food than other markets. That being said, the food options that they do have are really good. I had a pizza from a little truck called SudItalia and it was affordable and delicious.
Spitalfields is located at 65 Brushfield St, London E1 6AA, United Kingdom. Hours are 8am-11pm every day.
Portobello Road/Notting Hill
Notting Hill was one of my favourite neighborhoods in London. It's packed with colourful buildings, little shops, and delicious restaurants.
I grouped the Portobello Road market and Notting Hill in general together because I think the shops in Notting Hill are a really worthwhile visit. The shops stretch down Portobello Road, starting around Chepstow Villas and end at the market at Westway. Make sure to veer down Westbourne Park Road and Denbigh Terrace if you're looking for some photo ops of those classic colourful houses. There's a variety of shops selling different things, but some examples of stuff you can find include classic souvenirs, new and used clothes, jewelry, home decor, and vintage goods. Be aware that there will be large crowds around this whole area. If you're looking to avoid the crowds as best as possible, I'd recommend going on a weekday during the morning.
The Portobello Road market is unique from the others I had the opportunity to visit in the city. Here you'll find much more of a flea market atmosphere. Stands are basic, and most booths take cash only. That being said, there are some gems to be found here. If you're a lover of vintage goods and clothing this is the market for you. There are also lots of stands selling books, jewelry, and other products. There's a big food section to this market, but I would personally recommend skipping this and opting for one of the nearby restaurants, as there are tons of great ones to choose from.
The hours of this market are a bit complex, but luckily the market's website has a great chart that explains it thoroughly, which I've attached below.
The Portobello Road market is located at London W11 1LJ, United Kingdom. If you're looking for any other additional information about this market, I highly recommend checking out the Portobello Road website.
Seven Dials
To be honest the Seven Dials market was probably the most disappointing for me personally, but that's not to say it may not be worth visiting for you. This market is located in the Soho area. I would consider it more of a food court than a market since it is completely indoors, and most of the vendors have a permanent spot. I just went inside to check this market out and didn't end up buying anything, so I can't comment on the quality of the products. If you happen to be in the Soho area and are looking for a quick bite to eat, I'd recommend checking this out, otherwise, I would say it's a skip.
The market is open from 12pm-10pm on Monday and Tuesday, 11am-11pm Wednesday to Saturday, and 11am-9pm on Sundays. It's located at London WC2H 9AU, United Kingdom.
To Conclude:
Overall, I enjoyed pretty much all of the markets that I had the opportunity to visit in London. I would say Borough Market and Camden Market were my favourites, but that's not to say that your favourites may be different. The best thing about the London market scene is that each one has something different to offer, so there's something out there for everyone! I hope this post has helped you if you are trying to decide which markets to visit, and I hope it will allow you to have the best possible experience once you get there.
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