Camden Town is more than just the market. Street food, live music, Regent's Canal, the Roundhouse, independent shops and local pubs — a complete guide to NW1.
Camden Lock Market: The original outdoor market by the canal lock. Crafts, food stalls, independent clothing, jewellery and art. Best on weekends when fully operational.
The Stables Market: Inside the converted Victorian horse stables and railway arches north of the lock. Vintage clothing, furniture, records, unusual antiques. The largest of the market spaces and the most interesting for browsing.
Buck Street Market: Opposite the tube station. More commercial — fast fashion, souvenirs, tourist goods. Can be skipped.
Camden Market food: The canal-side food stalls are genuinely good. Thai, Vietnamese, Ethiopian, American BBQ, Japanese — a range of street food options that competes with anything in London. Eating by the canal in summer is one of the best street food experiences in the city.
The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse on Chalk Farm Road is one of London's best mid-size music venues. Built in 1846 as a locomotive turntable shed, it was converted into a performance space in the 1960s and has hosted Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. Today it runs a programme of concerts, theatre, circus and spoken word that is consistently one of the better mid-size venue programmes in London.
Check what's on before you visit — the building is most worth seeing when there's something to see inside.
Regent's Canal
The Regent's Canal runs through the heart of Camden, past the market and east toward King's Cross and Islington. The towpath is walkable in both directions:
West toward Primrose Hill and Little Venice: The canal heads west from Camden Lock, passing through a quiet residential stretch before reaching Regent's Park and eventually Little Venice (Paddington). A 4km walk to Little Venice.
East toward King's Cross: The towpath continues east through Islington to King's Cross (30 minutes) and on to Hackney and east London. A particularly good walk in summer.
Regent's Canal boat trips run from Camden Lock to Little Venice — a relaxed way to see this stretch of the canal from the water.
Live Music
Camden's live music scene extends well beyond the Roundhouse. The neighbourhood has a concentration of smaller venues that have been central to London's rock, punk, indie and alternative scenes for decades.
Electric Ballroom (Camden High Street): A 1,500-capacity ballroom that has been hosting concerts since 1938. Known for its weekend club nights as well as concerts.
The Jazz Café: An intimate venue on Parkway with a strong jazz, soul, funk and hip-hop programme. The food is decent; the atmosphere when it's busy is excellent.
Dublin Castle (Parkway): A small pub venue that has seen early performances from Blur, Madness and many others. The back room still runs regular gigs.
Pubs
The World's End (Camden High Street): A large Victorian pub that survives the tourist pressure better than most. Good beer, chaotic atmosphere on weekend evenings, the best people-watching in Camden.
The Edinboro Castle (Mornington Terrace): A large pub with a garden that is one of the best outdoor drinking spaces in the area. Less frenetic than the High Street pubs.
The Good Mixer (Inverness Street): A quieter local pub that was, in the 1990s, a central gathering place for the Britpop scene. Now a good local boozer without the mythology.
Things You Might Miss
Inverness Street Market: A small street market a couple of minutes from the tube station. Fruit and vegetables, flowers, a few independent traders. A local market in the middle of tourist Camden.
Camden Arts Centre (Arkwright Road, near Finchley Road): A respected contemporary art gallery that puts on serious exhibitions. Free entry; 20 minutes walk from Camden Lock.
Regent's Park: Less than 10 minutes walk south of the tube station, Regent's Park offers a complete contrast — formal gardens, the rose garden, the boating lake and the Open Air Theatre (summer).
Getting There
By tube: Camden Town station (Northern line, Charing Cross and Bank branches) is directly in the middle. Chalk Farm station (Northern line) is a 10-minute walk and better for the Roundhouse and Stables Market.
By bus: The 24, 27, 29, 88, 134 and 168 all serve Camden High Street.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Camden Town known for?
Camden Market, its live music heritage (the Roundhouse, Electric Ballroom, Jazz Café), the Regent's Canal, and its alternative/subculture street scene.
Is Camden Town worth visiting?
Yes, particularly on a weekend when the market is fully operational. The combination of the canal, street food, the Stables Market and a pub makes for a solid half-day. Avoid Sunday afternoon if you want to move freely — it becomes very crowded.
How long should I spend in Camden Town?
Half a day is enough to see the market, eat at the canal stalls, and walk part of the towpath. A full day allows time for the Roundhouse if there's something on and an evening at a music venue.
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