Old Spitalfields Market guide, what to buy, the best stalls, opening days, the Thursday antiques market, street food and what to do nearby in E1.
Old Spitalfields Market London: A Complete Guide
Old Spitalfields Market is one of London's most historically significant market buildings, a Victorian covered market hall built in 1887, expanded in 1928, and still operating as a retail and food market in the heart of Spitalfields. It sits at the junction of the City, Shoreditch and Brick Lane, and functions as a year-round daily market with different specialisms on different days.
The Market Building
The market building on Horner Square, E1 is the original Victorian structure with modern additions. The covered hall is the commercial centre; the courtyard and surrounding streets extend the market footprint. The building is open daily from around 10am.
Days and What's On
Thursday (Antiques and Vintage): The Thursday antiques and vintage market is the most distinctive day, dealers and independent sellers with jewellery, furniture, clothing, ceramics and collectables. Less crowded than Portobello Road on Saturday; quality varies but there are genuine finds for those who know what they're looking at.
Sunday: The main shopping day, a mix of independent fashion designers, jewellery makers, homeware, gifts and accessories alongside the permanent retail units. Sunday is the busiest and most atmosphere-filled day.
Daily: A mix of street food, independent shops and the permanent market units operate throughout the week. The food offer is strong on weekdays, serving the local office population.
Independent Fashion and Design
Spitalfields Market has a good concentration of independent fashion designers and makers, particularly on Sundays. The stalls lean toward contemporary design rather than vintage, small-batch clothing, jewellery designers selling their own work, accessory makers and independent labels.
This makes Spitalfields better for buying new independent design than for vintage bargains (for which Portobello Road and Brick Lane's Backyard Market are better).
Street Food
The street food at Spitalfields is consistently good and well-suited to weekday lunches for the surrounding office population. The outdoor sections of the market have a range of cuisines:
- Thai
- Japanese
- South Asian
- Middle Eastern
- British (burgers, sandwiches)
- Specialty coffee and pastry
Several restaurants and café units inside the covered market operate daily and are of a higher standard than typical market food.
The Surrounding Area
Spitalfields Market sits at the centre of one of London's most historically layered areas:
Fournier Street: The street running north from the market has three buildings that tell the history of east London immigration, a Huguenot chapel (1743), converted to a Methodist chapel, then a synagogue, then a mosque (now again a mosque). All on the same building at different points in history.
Christ Church Spitalfields (Nicholas Hawksmoor, 1729): One of London's finest Baroque churches, restored in the 1990s after decades of disrepair. Worth seeing from the exterior and accessible for services.
Dennis Severs' House (Folgate Street): A preserved Georgian townhouse operated as an "inhabited silent theatre", a carefully staged recreation of a Huguenot silk weaver's home across several generations. Evening tours are one of London's more unusual cultural experiences. Book in advance.
Getting There
By tube: Liverpool Street station (Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Elizabeth lines) is 5 minutes walk from the market. Aldgate East (District and Hammersmith & City lines) is also close.
By Overground: Shoreditch High Street Overground station is 8 minutes walk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days is Spitalfields Market open?
Daily, approximately 10am-5pm. Sundays and Thursdays have the most specialist market stalls; weekdays are focused on food and the permanent retail units.
What is the Thursday market at Spitalfields?
An antiques and vintage market with dealers selling furniture, jewellery, clothing and collectables. One of London's better mid-week antique markets.
Is Spitalfields Market indoors?
Primarily yes, the main market hall is covered. There are outdoor sections in the courtyard and surrounding streets.
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