Our shortlist balances a famous antiques street, a specialist early market, a covered weekday market, a curated pop-up and a community car boot. These are different shopping experiences: a dealer’s priced collectible and a household clear-out should not be judged against the same budget. Numbers are a reading order, not a price or quality score. Reviewed 26 September 2026.
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Portobello Road market on an antiques shopping day · Garry Knight · CC BY-SA 2.0Notting Hill · Portobello Road
Portobello Road Market
Street market · main antiques day Saturday
For the classic London antiques morning
Start with the antiques stretch rather than treating the whole road as one uniform market. Portobello mixes specialist dealers, street stalls and other kinds of shopping, so deciding whether you want a small collectible, a piece of tableware or vintage clothing makes the visit much more rewarding. It is our pick for a first antiques outing with plenty to explore afterwards.
What to look for
Look at the smaller objects as well as the obvious window displays. A single plate, print or decorative piece is easier to carry home than furniture. Compare similar objects across a few stalls; differences in condition, age and provenance can explain a large price gap.
Make a visit of it
Arrive with a manageable shopping list and leave time for the north end of the road. Notting Hill Gate and Ladbroke Grove serve different ends; choose your start according to the stalls you want.
Before you decide
Saturday is the main antiques day; shops and other market sections keep different schedules. Ask before photographing a stall or handling a delicate object.
Bermondsey is a more purposeful choice than a general weekend food market. The council identifies china, cutlery, furniture and jewellery among its goods, making it particularly useful if your interests run to household objects and collecting. Our suggested approach is to do one lap first, then return to the dealers whose stock feels closest to your taste.
What to look for
Bring a photo and measurements if you are trying to replace something at home. A teacup pattern, handle shape or cutlery maker’s mark is easier to compare with a reference than from memory. Ask about repairs and whether pieces are being sold individually or as a set.
Make a visit of it
Make the market the first part of a Bermondsey day, then continue along Bermondsey Street. Keep fragile purchases wrapped before heading elsewhere.
Before you decide
Plan for Friday and confirm the current trading window with the organiser. Individual sellers and stock vary; a photographed object is not a promise that it will still be there.
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Old Spitalfields Market · Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0Spitalfields · Commercial Street
Old Spitalfields Antiques Market
Covered market · Thursday antiques
For antiques without relying on sunshine
Choose the specialist Thursday antiques market rather than assuming every day has the same offer. The covered setting makes this a useful London shopping plan when the weather is uncertain. It also works well for a mixed group: someone can concentrate on vintage objects while others enjoy the wider market and surrounding streets.
What to look for
Set a theme for your browse: desk objects, small homeware, jewellery or something to frame. A narrower brief helps when the stalls contain many unrelated things. Take a second look at the back and underside of anything that interests you, with the seller’s permission.
Make a visit of it
Start from Liverpool Street or Aldgate East. Allow time for nearby Hanbury Street if vintage clothing is also on your list; the ATIKA stop in our vintage guide is nearby.
Before you decide
Thursday is the antiques day. Other specialist markets and the general market follow different schedules. Check the organiser for any date-specific changes.
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Vintage homeware at Hackney Flea Market · Hackney Flea Market / Time OutStoke Newington · Abney Hall, 73a Church Street, N16 0AS
Hackney Flea Market
Curated flea · selected dates
For salvaged homeware and unexpected objects
The organiser runs events across several London venues, so the name alone is not enough to plan a trip. This entry refers to the Abney Hall edition on Stoke Newington Church Street. Furniture, lighting and unusual salvaged objects are central to the organiser’s approach, making it a good fit for a home-focused browse rather than a clothes-only shopping day.
What to look for
Think about the space you are buying for before falling for a lamp or chair. Carry room measurements and note door widths for anything large. For a small find, look for a piece you will actually use or display instead of buying simply because it looks unusual on a stall.
Make a visit of it
Combine a confirmed market date with a Church Street walk. The organiser warns that early aisles can be crowded, so factor that into a visit with a pushchair or mobility needs.
Before you decide
This is not a daily market. Check the event calendar for Abney Hall specifically; other editions use different venues. Payment methods depend on the trader.
05
Chiswick School Car Boot Sale · Chiswick School PTAChiswick · Chiswick School, Staveley Road, W4 3UN
Chiswick Car Boot Sale
Community car boot · monthly
For the broadest rummage
This school fundraiser is the choice for a mixed bag rather than a tightly curated antiques collection. The organiser lists books, furniture, toys, vintage clothing, plants and records among the possible finds. Some visits will produce a useful everyday purchase, others a collectible; that unpredictability is part of the attraction. Go with a spending limit and enough carrying space.
What to look for
Check completeness before buying: count the pieces in a game, inspect a book’s pages and test moving parts where the seller can demonstrate them. A low price is less attractive if the item needs a repair you cannot undertake. Leave oversized purchases until you have arranged transport.
Make a visit of it
Sales run in the morning, with the organiser listing 06:30–12:30. The school site has restrictions on dogs and smoking; check its current guidance rather than treating it like an unrestricted street market.
Before you decide
Usually the first Sunday of the month, except January. The next listed date is 4 October 2026. New buyer rates apply from October: confirm the time band before arrival.
01 IN FOCUS
Pick the right kind of market
For a first visit, Portobello offers the broadest sense of a London antiques day.
For a focused hunt, put Bermondsey on a Friday plan. Spitalfields suits a Thursday with uncertain weather; Hackney Flea needs a confirmed event date; Chiswick rewards a deliberately early monthly outing.
Do not try to combine all five into one weekend: their calendars are part of what makes them different.
02 IN FOCUS
How to buy without regretting it
Decide your maximum spend before asking for a price.
Inspect an object in good light, ask permission before lifting it, and let the seller explain any restoration. If a price depends on a maker, period or provenance, ask what supports that attribution.
Photograph identifying details only with permission. For a costly piece, take time to compare rather than letting the crowd or a supposed deadline make the decision.
03 IN FOCUS
What to bring
A tote, a small tape measure, a reference photo and protective wrapping make a surprisingly useful kit.
Keep purchases protected from rain, and leave enough room to walk comfortably through narrow aisles. Ask about cards before committing; payment arrangements vary.
For furniture, agree collection and delivery details before paying. A market trip is more enjoyable when carrying the purchase home is already part of the plan.
