Visiting The Old Spitalfields Market in London
Located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (near Liverpool Street station) is the Old Spitalfields Market, a covered market that has been on the same site for hundreds of years.
The story goes that in 1638, King Charles I gave a license for a market at the 'Spittle Fields' venue. Over the years, the license for the market lapsed and in 1682, the market was regenerated by King Charles II as the population of suburban London was increasing and a local market was needed to feed the growing population. And since then the market has been operating at the same place with extensions and renovations done a few times to expand it. A recent renovation resulted in the addition of a number of permanent shops.
Head to the market now and in addition to hundreds of stalls, you will also find small independent boutiques. The stalls/shops sell everything from fruit & vegetables to clothing & accessories and from household goods to books & antiques. The market is also a great place to enjoy street food from around the world.
The Old Spitalfields Market has come a long way from being just a 'flesh, fowl and roots' market to one that showcases diverse products from all over the world. Some of the items that you can find in the market stalls include:
- vintage clothing and accessories
- fun and unique art prints
- all kinds of leather goods in a gamut of designs and colours
- handmade jewellery
- zero-waste & ethical lifestyle products
- skincare & makeup
- Turkish linens
- Indian inspired jewellery
- perfumes and home fragrances
- luxury glassware
- pet accessories
- antique globes, maps and books
- plants & flowers and so much more.
No wonder the market is a favourite of Londoners and tourists alike. You can explore and immerse yourself in the market and lose track of time. But these stalls are not the only reason to visit the market. You can also tuck into delicious fast foods from countries around the world.
For the foodies, the Old Spitalfields Market is the perfect place to experience diverse flavours from the local area and beyond. The market sells freshly picked produce and you can feast on mouth-watering food as well. Some popular food stalls include:
- Market Green for nutritious lunch boxes
- Yum Bun for handmade steamed buns filled with fresh flavours
- Dumpling Shack for Chinese street food (soup dumplings, wonton soups, noodles etc.)
- Merkamo Ethiopian for flavourful, homemade vegan & vegetarian dishes with an Ethiopian twist
- Donovan’s Bakehouse for yummy doughnuts
- Indi-go Rasoi for Indian street food
- Cafe Caribbean for Jamaican food
- Sud Italia for Neapolitan pizza
- Nostalgia for homemade Hong Kong bubble waffle & Taiwanese Bubble Tea
- Crêpeaffaire for freshly-made crêpes & waffles
- Bottles for Italian wine and dining
- Bleecker Burger for the best New York burgers in London
Related | Check out the A-Z of London's top attractions
The Spitalfields Market has a nice collection of outdoor artworks by a number of creative artists. The artworks range from abstract sculptures to traditional figurines and encompass all kinds of materials - wood, bronze, steel etc. Some of the works that we spotted during our visit are included below.
Wooden Boat with Seven People by Kalliopi Lemos - Featuring a real boat, this art depicts refugees from Turkey who travelled to the shores of the Greek islands.
Dogman and Rabbitwoman with Coffee by Gillie and Marc - These coffee drinker friends are a show stopper from artists Gillie and Marc and remind viewers of their first, morning coffee.
A Pear and a Fig by Ali Grant - A simple bronze artwork that acts as a reminder of the days of the market.
Like I mentioned earlier on, the market is very near London Liverpool Station (a 5-minute walk) and is equally close to Aldgate East and Shoreditch High Street Station (both under 10 minutes walk). It is open daily. You can check the market website for details on the opening times and events at the market.
Old Spitalfields Market | 16 Horner Square, London, E1 6EW
The story goes that in 1638, King Charles I gave a license for a market at the 'Spittle Fields' venue. Over the years, the license for the market lapsed and in 1682, the market was regenerated by King Charles II as the population of suburban London was increasing and a local market was needed to feed the growing population. And since then the market has been operating at the same place with extensions and renovations done a few times to expand it. A recent renovation resulted in the addition of a number of permanent shops.
Head to the market now and in addition to hundreds of stalls, you will also find small independent boutiques. The stalls/shops sell everything from fruit & vegetables to clothing & accessories and from household goods to books & antiques. The market is also a great place to enjoy street food from around the world.
Shopping Stalls at Old Spitalfields Market
The Old Spitalfields Market has come a long way from being just a 'flesh, fowl and roots' market to one that showcases diverse products from all over the world. Some of the items that you can find in the market stalls include:
- vintage clothing and accessories
- fun and unique art prints
- all kinds of leather goods in a gamut of designs and colours
- handmade jewellery
- zero-waste & ethical lifestyle products
- skincare & makeup
- Turkish linens
- Indian inspired jewellery
- perfumes and home fragrances
- luxury glassware
- pet accessories
- antique globes, maps and books
- plants & flowers and so much more.
No wonder the market is a favourite of Londoners and tourists alike. You can explore and immerse yourself in the market and lose track of time. But these stalls are not the only reason to visit the market. You can also tuck into delicious fast foods from countries around the world.
Food Stalls at Old Spitalfields Market
For the foodies, the Old Spitalfields Market is the perfect place to experience diverse flavours from the local area and beyond. The market sells freshly picked produce and you can feast on mouth-watering food as well. Some popular food stalls include:
- Market Green for nutritious lunch boxes
- Yum Bun for handmade steamed buns filled with fresh flavours
- Dumpling Shack for Chinese street food (soup dumplings, wonton soups, noodles etc.)
- Merkamo Ethiopian for flavourful, homemade vegan & vegetarian dishes with an Ethiopian twist
- Donovan’s Bakehouse for yummy doughnuts
- Indi-go Rasoi for Indian street food
- Cafe Caribbean for Jamaican food
- Sud Italia for Neapolitan pizza
- Nostalgia for homemade Hong Kong bubble waffle & Taiwanese Bubble Tea
- Crêpeaffaire for freshly-made crêpes & waffles
- Bottles for Italian wine and dining
- Bleecker Burger for the best New York burgers in London
Related | Check out the A-Z of London's top attractions
Outdoor art at Old Spitalfields Market
The Spitalfields Market has a nice collection of outdoor artworks by a number of creative artists. The artworks range from abstract sculptures to traditional figurines and encompass all kinds of materials - wood, bronze, steel etc. Some of the works that we spotted during our visit are included below.
Wooden Boat with Seven People by Kalliopi Lemos - Featuring a real boat, this art depicts refugees from Turkey who travelled to the shores of the Greek islands.
Dogman and Rabbitwoman with Coffee by Gillie and Marc - These coffee drinker friends are a show stopper from artists Gillie and Marc and remind viewers of their first, morning coffee.
A Pear and a Fig by Ali Grant - A simple bronze artwork that acts as a reminder of the days of the market.
Getting there
Like I mentioned earlier on, the market is very near London Liverpool Station (a 5-minute walk) and is equally close to Aldgate East and Shoreditch High Street Station (both under 10 minutes walk). It is open daily. You can check the market website for details on the opening times and events at the market.
Old Spitalfields Market | 16 Horner Square, London, E1 6EW
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