There are so many markets in London, some food, some vintage, some craft, and some all of the above. Here are some of my favorites.
Mercato Mayfair
St Mark’s Church, N Audley St, London W1K 6ZA, UK
Set in an old church, this three level food market had to be my favorite. The main level has a good amount of seating with different stands around the edges. There is also a wine bar in the corner and both a beer and a gin stand on the alter. Heading upstairs, you can get great views of the main level and also find many more food stands. One of my favorites was the Pad Thai place on the upper level. However, the best part had to be the basement, where you can find the wine bar and the beer bar. They are the same as the stands on the main floor but the vibes in the basement are entirely different.
It can definitely get busy, especially around the prime meal times, so I would recommend getting there when it opens if you can. I also found that the main level filled up first, so make sure to check the balcony and downstairs when looking for seating.
Borough Market
London SE1 9AL, UK
Perhaps London’s most popular food market but I would say it is deserving. There are so many different stands at Borough Market that one honestly needs to visit numerous times in order to try all of the amazing dishes. The chocolate covered strawberries are a bit expensive, but what in London isn’t, however they are worth the hype. Besides the viral dessert, I also recommend the Black Pig sandwich stand, the veggie sandwich was absolutely delicious, and the truffle pasta from another stand was also to die for. The famous mushroom risotto is made right in front of you in a giant pot and looks just as good as it tastes. The other viral food is the Cheese Toasty, while the shop is only open certain days it is worth it to schedule your visit and wait in line in order to try the sandwich.
I recommend going on the earlier side if you want to have shorter lines and a less busy market. As you can see in the photo below it can get absolutely packed, especially on the weekends. Finding seating here can be very difficult, so come prepared to sit on a curb or just stand around to eat your food. There are some bleacher style seats, but it is one small area to serve the entire market so it gets quite competitive. While this market can definitely feel overcrowded, it doesn’t make it any less worthwhile.
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia Road, London E2 7RG, UK
Open every Sunday Morning, this street becomes a garden. There are so many vendors selling their flowers, even if you are only in London for a short time and cannot buy the fresh flowers it is worth taking a trip over just to experience the beauty of the street. Besides the flower stands there are also some great cafes, shops and restaurants. Jack Garcia Coffee has an excellent selection of pastries and beverages that you can have while you walk and explore. There was also a very cute pet store along the way, I bought a fun London themed toy to bring home for my dog!
Portobello Road Market
Portobello Road, London W11 1LJ, UK
Set in picturesque Notting Hill, this is another very popular market in London. Portobello Road Market has a mix of vintage shopping, new items, produce, and food. The stands range from jewelry to clothes, from cameras to books and all of it is worth a look.
The market is technically open every day, but that doesn’t mean that all the vendors will be there everyday. I would recommend going on Saturday mornings to be able to check out all the different stands. Friday is a good alternative if you wanna miss out on the crowds, just know that the market won’t be in full swing.
Besides the market, Portobello Road has a lot to offer. It is lined with many cute stores and restaurants. Some highlights include the Travel Book Shop of Notting Hill and Alice’s Antique Shop. A personal favorite store for me was Eighty Eight, a cute home goods store right near Alice’s. If you are looking for a tote bag, Notting Hill may be the place to go as they are the home of the classic Notting Hill Shopping Bag that almost everyone has.
Another highlight that you cannot miss is the Notting Hill Book Store, which is located right off of Portobello road on a side street. It is very hard to miss as on most days you will see a crowd taking photos outside of the store. While it is tiny on the inside and can feel a bit cramped, it is worth it to check out as they have a great selection of books and souvenirs.
Seven Dials Market
London WC2H 9AU, UK
This market is in a great location in central London, near many west end theaters so if you are looking for a quick bite before a show this is a great place to check out. They have a wide variety of foods, from veggie burgers to pad Thai. They have communal style seating and it does get busy, especially on evenings during the weekend, but most people have no problem sharing a table and it is a great way to meet new people. They are also home to the TikTok viral cheese conveyor belt.
Camden Market
54-56 Camden Lock Place, London NW1 8AF, UK
This market was also very crowded but I would say it’s worth the visit because there is a lot to look at, but maybe try to go on the earlier side to avoid the crowds. There are a lot of vintage stores and food stands scattered around the place. There are also a lot of craft booths which were the highlight to me. There is a lot to look at and a lot of charm about this market comes from the setting in my opinion, there are a lot of iconic and picturesque places like the umbrella lane, the Camden lock sign, and the pong near the majority of the outdoor food stands.
Exmouth Market
Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QL, UK
This market is different from many of the ones above, while there are some food vendors what makes this market is the entirety of the street. There are many restaurants and shops to check out and it definitely has more of a local vibe to it. Near City, University of London, many students and professors spend time here between classes. One of my personal favorite shops was Doh’hut, which has excellent filled donuts and a great traditional macchiato. Unfortunately, it seems like I forgot to take photos at this market.
Spitalfields Market
65 Brushfield Street, London E1 6AA, UK
This market is very large and there are a lot of different areas to explore. It has mostly clothes and some accessories and some vinyls and some home good items so there is really something for everyone. They did have some sections with food vendors, but if you are looking for a food market I wouldn’t necessarily recommend Spitafields for that purpose. However, Doh’hut is also available in this market, so definitely check out one of their locations.
Leadenhall Market
Gracechurch Street, City of London, London EC3V 1LT, UK
Want to meet a finance bro after work? Want to check out a Harry Potter filming location? Either way this market is for you!
Leadenhall Market is honestly best if you are looking for an afternoon drink or just want to see some pretty architecture. I feel like market is a bit misleading here as there aren’t really vendors but rather established restaurants and stores, such as Pizza Express (try the dough balls if you do go) and Barbour.
However, if you are a Harry Potter fan then this is a must visit! Some scenes in the first movie were filmed here, including the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. While the door looks different than it did in the film, it is still easily recognizable to a fan.
Greenwich Market
5B Greenwich Market, London SE10 9HZ, UK
This market is less popular than some of the others but it is just as good. Located near Greenwich Park it is great to grab a bite or a coffee before walking around the park. Within Greenwich Parks is the Ranger House, which is used as the exterior for the Bridgerton House. It is also the home of the Prime Meridian. The highlight of the market for me was the Mini Pancake stand. They made them right in front of you so they were warm and just absolutely delicious. There are so many different options for toppings it was honestly hard to pick just one.
Thats all! I hope you enjoyed and maybe check out some of these markets. Please let me know any feedback or what some of your favorite London markets are!
