The birds are chirping, the flowers blooming and that just makes browsing the markets one of my favorite London things to do!
It’s been a little over a week since our #WeekendEuropeanJaunt across the pond, and if I’m honest, the only thing that could have made the weekend just a little more perfect is about 10 degrees. While the evenings were a bit on the chilly side, the days were full of sunshine (with the exception of a very brief stint of hail on Saturday morning) and R and I just couldn’t wait to go out and explore.
Since we’d both been to London before, there was no need for us to hit up major tourist attractions, so rather we threw ourselves fully into the task of what we had planned: to eat!
When I was a poor law student walking those same streets, I barely ate out, and if I did, I made the most of farmers markets and street food to eat well on a budget. And while we didn’t need to rely on cheap eats this trip, old habits die hard, and London’s market scene provided delicious nosh for three of the four days we were in town. Here’s a rundown of some of my favorite London markets and one on my list to try out next time!
Yes, this one is touristy for sure, but during my time living in London, this is legit where I did my shopping every week. It has a good mix of street food and antique stalls filled with trinkets and keepsakes that you surely don’t need, but you’ll fill your suitcase with nonetheless. We both ALMOST brought back wooden tennis rackets. Almost.
If you’ve seen the movie Notting Hill (admittedly, one of my faves), a walk down this road will immediately look familiar. If I had to throw my two cents at you about the best thing to eat, I advocate wholeheartedly for the trailer selling chicken leg sandwiches: kraut, onion and mustard top it off, and it really is perfect. I’ve recreated my version here.
You’ll have no problem satisfying a sweet tooth, might I suggest popping into the Hummingbird? You’ll spot the line out the door, but their vanilla-on-vanilla is my go-to, even stateside.
The Borough Market is a foodie’s paradise. Stalls sell any variety of food you can imagine here- from fish to veal to venison, as well as extensive cheese, bread, dairy, dessert and vegetable options, both cooked and ready to eat, or as beautiful raw ingredients requiring a little bit of your own creativity. You must go hungry, and you must do a full lap around the place before deciding on what to get, because let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than getting one thing and then walking around corner to find something that you’re drooling over more. You know what I mean.
If you do find yourself full, be sure to buy something for later, because there is no greater joy at 10PM after you’ve been walking all day to remember that you have a fudgey brownie in your purse to satisfy those late night cravings. Speaking from experience.
Here’s one that has been on my list forever, and I hadn’t been able to manage a trip out east until now. Located in London’s East End, Spitalfields market is, in a way, a mix of the first two I’ve described.. Drawing tourists and locals alike to an area that has historically been…less attractive to visitors (we made a stop there during our Jack the Ripper walking tour, after all!), this market is surely not to be missed. Vendors hawking hats, shoes and a variety of jewelry and clothes (confession: I almost bought a coat. Almost. Still thinking about it) surround two handfuls of stalls offering sweets and savories that will no doubt satisfy any appetite. We stupidly showed up full from brunch. Bad, bad decision. Show up ready to eat.
Sunday Upmarket at the Truman Brewery (off Brick Lane)
The Brewery is a short hop away from Spitalfields and is known as were you MUST go if you want a curry. Walking down Brick Lane any other day and you’ll be at a loss, each claiming to be the best curry in London! However, if you happen to be in the area on a Sunday, your mandatory destination is The Truman Brewery. This warehouse-like setting hosts a variety of markets throughout the week, but the food comes out on Sunday. If I had to guess, I’d say that all but a few Asian countries were represented by those serving their culinary delights. Besides curries, you can find arepas, kebabs, sweets, baked or frozen.
Or momos, which is what we opted for.
We were only there for the food (as you can see), but the Brewery market schedule changes daily, and also includes days where clothes, vegan items and other categories of things are sold.
[Updated July 2022] Located south of the Thames, this market is a bit smaller in size and simply boasts gourmet street food. While not the place to stock up on your weekly veg, they did have my absolute favorite Sri Lankan dish as an option and let’s be honest, I can’t wait to shove in my face the next time I’m in town. It’s about a 15 minute walk from The Borough, so if you’ve got a lazy Sunday, hit up both.
Camden’s a bit north of the city, but worth the ride up there. It’s been years since I last visited, but if memory serves me correctly, this market is more about the shops than the food- and there are some great finds to be had. If you’re more of a fashionista than I am, the one’s for you!
There you have it: my done list for this time, and my to-do list for next. It was a delicious and decadent weekend (though, I’ll have you know that we walked approximately 36 miles over the course of it!) and before we packed up to head home, we made one more stop at the cutest coffee shop, The Black Penny, located just around the corner from our Covent Garden Hotel.
It was just thing thing to set us right for a day on the road and in the air. Cozy, unpretentious with the most charming wait staff, it made us really not want to leave.
But, reality calls. Until next time, London.
Heading to London? Check out my more comprehensive list on my favorite things to do, see and eat!
