London markets: the 17 best
If you ask any Londoner what their favourite thing to do or place to visit on a weekend is, chances are most would list one (or more!) of their favourite London markets. All corners of the capital and each of its boroughs are home to bustling markets that take over some of London's prettiest streets. These markets combine shopping for antiques, browsing for crafts or hunting for vintage treasures with picking up a coffee, shopping for groceries or grabbing lunch en route. There are some markets dedicated to a certain niche – think Columbia Road Flower Market, where each Sunday hundreds of locals descend in search of fresh blooms and fragrant bouquets, or the thrilling search for the best antiques at Sunbury Antiques Market. Most take place on a weekend, but there are some listed below that run all week, if you find yourself on a sunny Tuesday afternoon with time to kill. If you'd rather be tucking into street food than collecting antiques, then we recommend checking out our list of the best food markets in London.
What are the most famous markets in London?
The options are endless, but we've narrowed it down to three London markets: Portobello Road, Columbia Road Flower Market and Camden Market. Each market is special not only for its offerings, but also for its place in London's history. If you're searching for unique, vintage clothing, then Portobello Road is for you; it's also used as the filming location for none other than Notting Hill. Columbia Road Flower Market is synonymous with East London, with colourful blooms and fragrant lemon trees lining the streets of this quaint road. If you find yourself perusing the flowers, stop for a pint at The Royal Oak, famously used in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. And while Camden Market has transformed over the years, it remains on the map for its contribution to counter-culture, and if you're a music lover, visiting this market and part of London is a must.
The best London markets to visit
Getty Images1. Portobello Road
Best for: vintage clothing
While perhaps best known for its famed antiques market, Portobello Road in Notting Hill is a true haven for fans of fashion from bygone eras. Whether it’s second-hand Chanel, pre-loved Burberry or kitschy cocktail jewels, you’re likely to spot something among the endless stalls of goodies that stretch the entire length of the road and beyond. While you’re in the area, it would be rude not to pop into some of the best vintage shops in London like One of a Kind (259 Portobello Road) – Naomi and Kate are regulars.
Address: Portobello Road, London W11
Website: visitportobello.com
When: Saturdays 9am – 7pm; weekdays vary
Getty Images2. Columbia Road Flower Market
Best for: beautiful blooms
Part of the reason it takes so long to edge down Columbia Road on a Sunday morning is the fact that people regularly stop in their tracks to take photographs, causing rather a pile-up. And you can’t blame them – the flower market is undeniably picturesque, not only for its rainbow of colourful flora but also its charming boutiques behind pretty 19th-century shop fronts. Head here to snag bunches of fresh peonies, Cornish daffodils and tulips, and gawp at people lugging giant pot plants home with them, often in rather ingenious ways.
Address: Columbia Road Flower Market, Columbia Road, London E2 7RG
Website: columbiaroad.info
When: Sundays 8am – 3pm
Getty Images3. Camden Market
Best for: counterculture
Easily one of the best things to do in Camden, the market is actually comprised of six different sites, and has historically been a beacon for London’s nonconformists, from punks in the Seventies when the market first opened, to grunge devotees, rockers and hippies. Despite its present-day popularity, it still maintains a somewhat independent spirit, thanks to its banning of chain stores in Stables Market, which means that its large numbers of traders mainly sell handmade, Fairtrade crafts and vegan food. It also remains a hotspot for kinky club and fetish wear.
Address: Camden Market, Camden Lock Place, London NW1 8AF
Website: camdenmarket.com
When: Daily 10am until late
Getty Images4. Spitalfields Market
Best for: great gifts
Set under a striking steel and glass Victorian roof, there have been traders at Spitalfields Market since 1666. It draws crowds for its vibrant mix of independent traders selling an eclectic selection of wares. From hammam towels to antique maps, you’re sure to uncover an inspiring find. You’d be wise to pay a visit to Walconcept – a stall run by the always impeccably-dressed Waliou, whose selection of vintage scarves and ties can’t be beaten.
Address: Spitalfields Market, 56 Brushfield Street, London E1 6EW
Website: spitalfields.co.uk
When: Weekdays 10am – 6pm; Saturdays 11am – 5pm; Sundays 10am – 6pm
Getty Images5. Broadway Market
Best for: history buffs
Broadway Market, found at one end of East London's favourite park, London Fields, has been a critical East End thoroughfare for thousands of years – in 1,000 BC, it made up part of the route from Cornwall to the Thames. These days, you're more likely to find street traders than wagons trundling down Broadway Market. The 70 brick-and-mortar shops, cafés and restaurants here are open all week (we like Pavilion Bakery for pastries, The Broadway Bookshop for browsing the latest releases, and Climpson & Son's for coffee). On the weekends, market stallholders set up along the street, selling everything from vintage clothes to seafood – get here early to enjoy without the crowds, then take a picnic made up of your wares into London Fields.
Address: Broadway Market, London Fields, London, E8 4PH
Website: broadwaymarket
When: Saturdays 9am-5pm; Sundays 10am-5pm
5. Dover Street Market
Best for: cutting-edge fashion
DSM is not your traditional market. In fact, the word ‘traditional’ has no place here at all. Inspired by the cult Kensington Market – a home for London subcultures that closed in the ’90s – this gender-fluid, multi-brand space by Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo pushes boundaries in all directions. Not least because it looks like one big art installation – featured designers are given the freedom to arrange their areas within the store as they see fit, resulting in endless strange and beautiful displays. With a gleeful mix of high and low price points, you’ll find established brands including Gucci and Balenciaga alongside pieces by rising stars such as Stefan Cooke and Marine Serre. In January and July DSM undergoes its seasonal changeover, where the entire place gets a new look. This is a prime time to visit, with exclusive products and treats from the top-floor Rose Bakery.
Address: Dover Street Market, 18-22 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4DG
Website: london.doverstreetmarket.com
When: Monday to Saturday 11am – 7pm; Sunday 12pm – 6pm
Getty Images7. Brick Lane Market
Best for: bric-a-brac
Brick Lane, the vibrant artery of Shoreditch, really comes into its own on market Sundays. Traders line the street with blankets spread with vintage china, decorative knick-knacks and furniture, and alongside the odd inevitable bit of tat, you’re likely to find a treasure. Head towards the imposing Old Truman Brewery for the Vintage Market, where you can browse homewares and memorabilia, clothing and accessories from the Twenties to the Nineties. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, visit the Sunday Upmarket’s huge food hall.
Address: Brick Lane Market, Brick Lane, London E1 6PU
Website: visitbricklane.org
When: Sundays 10am – 6pm
Lesley Lau8. Brixton Village Market
Best for: all weather
Brixton’s indoor market is an all-weather option, with locals and those who have travelled across London milling around under the railway arches. Arcades are lined with small independent boutiques selling everything from art to household cleaning products, and a wide range of food stalls offer delicacies from around the world. There are also some fabulous restaurants dotted among the stalls: we especially like Caribbean hangout Fish Wings and Tings and Venezuelan spot Arepa.
Address: Brixton Village, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8PS
Website: brixtonmarket.net
When: 8am-midnight daily, Monday until 6pm
9. Petticoat Lane
Best for: bargains
Petticoat Lane – which actually no longer exists, since it was renamed Middlesex Street in 1846 – provides an authentic taste of the old East End. Locals and visitors flock to this historic market, possibly one of Britain’s longest-running, to eye up cheerful garb at rock-bottom prices, accompanied by a cuppa from a nearby greasy spoon. The wonderful thing about this market is that it’s a glorious jumble – high-street excess stock, Chinese silks, sparkly hair clips, Harry and Meghan memorabilia, smart leather men’s shoes and reams of designer knock-offs are just the beginning. Bring cash.
Address: Middlesex Street, London E1 7HT
Website: towerhamlets.gov.uk
When: Sundays 9am – 3pm
Alamy10. Sunbury Antiques Market
Best for: homewares
Get to Kempton Park Racecourse on the second and last Tuesday of every month to jostle with leading interior designers, prop buyers and the likes of David Gandy and Paloma Faith. There's ornate cutlery, mid-century G Plan furniture, old-timey signage, antique mirrors and so much more, sold by more than 700 traders from across the UK and Europe. Arrive as early as you can bear (it opens at 6.30am), bring cash for extra haggling power, and if you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, don’t be afraid to ask for it – many of the traders show only a fraction of their stock at the fair.
Address: Sunbury Antiques Market, Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury On Thames TW16 5AQ
Website: sunburyantiques.com
When: On the second and last Tuesday of the month, 6.30am-2pm
Getty Images11. Maltby Street Market
Best for: artisnal treats
In 2010, this part of Bermondsey was transformed into a buzzy market, transforming its little corner of London into a weekend hotspot. There's a plethora of food stalls to choose from, ranging from Ethiopian cuisine to Vietnamese dishes, Greek recipes to classic toasties. While the market stallholders only trade on weekends, the businesses that sit in the street's arches operate year-round – grab brews from Malt Craft Beer, pizza and wine from Bonvino Enoteca or fresh blooms from Jemima in the Woods.
Address: Maltby Street Market, Arch 46, Ropewalk, Maltby St, London SE1 3PA
Website: maltbystreetmarket.co.uk
When: Saturdays 10am-5pm; Sundays 11am-4pm
Getty Images12. Netil Market
Best for: indie design
Located a stone’s throw from buzzing Broadway Market, this Hackney hub is a draw not only for its excellent selection of street food, but its collection of independent designers and makers selling their high-quality, craft-focused wares. The fact that the yard is fairly small is to its advantage, giving it a friendly, family feel. Pick up breakfast bits from Paulie's Bagels, an expert-made flat white from Paradox Coffee, funky bottles from Wingnut Wines or tubs of unusual gelato from &Chill.
Address: Netil Market, 13-23 Westgate Street, London E8 3RL
Website: eatworkart.com/netil-market
When: Friday 11am – 6pm; Saturday and Sundays 10am – 7pm
13. Hackney Flea Market
Best for: eclectic finds
Seventies fabrics, reclaimed fixtures, anatomical drawings, retro board games – you never know what you might discover at Hackney Flea, which is part of its beauty. Since stallholders first started trading in 2013, the concept has grown and spread across London – there are now similar events in Peckham, Walthamstow, London Docklands and more. Taking place on select weekends throughout the year in a hall in trendy Stoke Newington, the original Hackney Flea venue largely peddles vintage wares – check the Facebook page for the latest dates.
Address: Hackney Flea Market, Abney Hall, 73a Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16 0AS
Website: hackneyfleamarket.com
When: On select weekends, 11am-5pm
Lesley Lau14. Canopy Market
Best for: relaxed browsing
Perched just off Granary Square, Canopy Market opened in 2018. Inside there's a mix of art and design – think prints, stationery, knitwear and more – plus an ever-changing lineup of street food vendors, making it a lovely place to shop for handmade crafts before retiring to one of the benches with a snack and a glass of English sparkling wine. On Fridays, it’s open until 8pm, with live music – we can’t think of a more laid-back way to kick off a weekend.
Address: Canopy Market, West Handyside Canopy, London N1C 4LW
Website: kingscross.co.uk/canopy-market
When: Fridays 12pm-8pm; Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays 11am-6pm
Alamy15. Camden Passage Market
Best for: historic charm
The bulk of this small but perfectly formed market is not actually in Camden, but on a quaint, pedestrianised side street in chichi Angel with its 18th-century buildings. This little corner of London has a history as a centre for the antiques trade, and maintains this tradition today. Traders, perched in nooks and crannies along the length of the Passage and surrounding streets, sell trinkets from times past, including Victorian crucifix necklaces and dainty 1950s tea sets. There are also great permanent boutiques and appealing cafés – try Kipferl for cakes.
Address: Camden Passage Market, Camden Passage, London N1
Website: camdenpassageislington.co.uk
When: Wednesdays and Saturdays 8am-5pm
16. Flea at Vinegar Yard
Best for: collectables
What makes this market, which moved to its Bermondsey location earlier this year, stand out is the fact that many of its stalls are highly specialised. Whether selling vintage pharmaceutical bottles or tweed hunting jackets, it’s clear that stallholders are passionate collectors in their own right. This means there’s a really well-curated range to rummage through, plus plenty of expert knowledge. The shipping-container-filled spot near London Bridge also has a bar and food traders, making it very easy to spend a few lazy hours here.
Address: Flea at Vinegar Yard, St Thomas Street, London SE1 3QU
Website: flealondon.com
When: Saturdays and Sundays 11am-5pm
Getty Images17. Greenwich Market
Best for: antiques
There's been trading at Greenwich Market for centuries – the original market here opened in 1737, and has been operating for almost 300 years. It's changed a lot since the 18th century, of course – after dwindling in the 1980s, these days it's a seven-days-a-week affair in the heart of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Browse art, antiques, crafts and more – then refuel with lunch from one of the many street food stalls.
Address: Greenwich Market, 5B Greenwich Market, London SE10 9HZ
Website: greenwichmarket.london
When: 10am-5.30pm daily